Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2011/09/corkiness-not-just-for-wine-these-days.html
Friday, 30 September 2011
Value Alert: 2009 Balletto Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
To kick off Restaurant Week Boston we visited Sorellina. It was our first time there and I thought it was fantastic: Elegant & serene but with a lively atmosphere. Impeccable service. Outstanding food. 4.5/5 stars. Enjoyed it very much.
That said, the mark-up on the wine was pretty aggressive. The table next to us ordered a $140 bottle of Groth Cabernet that's readily available at retail for $39.99. I think I've even seen it for $34.99. $210 for a bottle of '07 Orenellia...too bad it was a half bottle.
But restaurants almost always use wine as a profit center - nothing new there. I chose to go the by-the-glass route. I probably should have gone with something from Italy (Sorelina is a modern Italian restaurant) but I just wanted to enjoy some wine with whatever I might order. I went for a glass of 2009 Balletto Pinot Noir for $14.
In the context of the tranquil environment, beautiful stemware, and ideal serving temperature I thoroughly enjoyed the wine. I took note of the producer and thought to check whether I could track it down at retail. I did a search on Wine-Searcher.com (the gold standard for finding wine online) and it turned up a retailer who said they had it for less than $20. That's the good news.
The bad news it was only available at Select Liquors - a retailer I've had bad luck with. I've tried ordering wines from them at least a couple other times and they've never fulfilled for one reason or another. However, after a couple days I received an email saying my wine was ready for pick-up.
Select Liquors is situated within Bazaar on Cambridge - a funky but evidently well-regarded (according to Yelp reviews) Russian grocery in Allston. I had a hard time finding someone who spoke English to direct me to where I could get my wine. I showed my ID at the register and that was that. I got my 2 bottles of Balletto and I was on my way.
Drinking it later that night during family pizza night (Old School this week for those keeping score) something occurred to me. The atmosphere in which I tasted the wine the first time couldn't have been much more different. And I have to say - although it was still outstanding the second time I did like it more the first.
In many ways a bottle of wine is a commodity. The effort that goes into preparing it in a restaurant pales in comparison to the Lobster Gnocchi we had at Sorelina (which was amazing by the way). But when you factor in the overall experience and the resulting discovery of great wines that can occur it's a bit easier to swallow the high markups we see in restaurants.
2009 Balletto Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% Alcohol
4,004 Cases Produced
Release Price: $24
Rich but not overripe. Black cherry and cola notes. A little rough around the edges (mildly astringent, which may improve with time) but there's so much right here it's hard not to love. Really nice wine.
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Winery Website
CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher
Question of the Day:
What's your strategy for dealing with overpriced wine in restaurants?
Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: ?How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?? Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/escaping-the-napa-valley-crowds/
Best Summer Sangria
This is a guest post from my wife Deanna who serves as the CMO of the Wellesley Wine Press. She also blogs at Casa Dwyer and you can follow her on Twitter.
Let's be honest. Not every bottle of wine is worthy of drinking on its own. I believe it's why Sangria was invented. This Summer I found myself craving a cool red drink that was approachable and delicious. I used several recipes and came up with what I think is a flavorful rendition wine lovers and newbies will both adore. I haven't yet seen my partner drink it, but, really, what does he know? *giggle*
Best Summer Sangria
(makes enough for 4 glasses)
Use a glass wine carafe like this one
.
3 oranges, 2 juiced, 1 halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 lemon, 1/2 juiced, half thinly sliced crosswise
a small handful of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup blue agave sweetener
1/3 cup Amaretto (I like Amaretto di Saronno)
1 bottle dry red wine, chilled
Ice cubes, for serving
Directions
In a large pitcher, combine fresh orange juice, blue agave, and amaretto; stir well. Add wine, orange slices, lemon slices and raspberries. Fill glasses with ice before serving.
Enjoy!
Editor's Note: Any red wine will do. I like tosacrifice pick an affordable juicy red like Grenache, Malbec or Monastrell, but really pretty much anything will work - even Two Buck Chuck. Like choosing your tequila when making a frozen margarita - it doesn't matter nearly as much when you're drinking it straight. Cheers.
Let's be honest. Not every bottle of wine is worthy of drinking on its own. I believe it's why Sangria was invented. This Summer I found myself craving a cool red drink that was approachable and delicious. I used several recipes and came up with what I think is a flavorful rendition wine lovers and newbies will both adore. I haven't yet seen my partner drink it, but, really, what does he know? *giggle*
Best Summer Sangria
(makes enough for 4 glasses)
Use a glass wine carafe like this one
. 3 oranges, 2 juiced, 1 halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 lemon, 1/2 juiced, half thinly sliced crosswise
a small handful of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup blue agave sweetener
1/3 cup Amaretto (I like Amaretto di Saronno)
1 bottle dry red wine, chilled
Ice cubes, for serving
Directions
In a large pitcher, combine fresh orange juice, blue agave, and amaretto; stir well. Add wine, orange slices, lemon slices and raspberries. Fill glasses with ice before serving.
Enjoy!
Editor's Note: Any red wine will do. I like to
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/lPRAXxZZXqc/best-summer-sangria.html
Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio
Luxury Gift Baskets
Every year with Uncorked Ventures Matt and I want to make improvements in both the way we handle our business (the processes involved) as well as the offerings we have. On the wine, simply continuing to grow our customer base as well as continuing to build relationships with wineries and vineyard owners will do the [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/651
Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement
Google PR Update
I think Google’s Page Rank is one of the most misunderstood aspects of SEO and internet marketing. That being said, it is still one of the independent tools available for those of us looking to track our progress and the progress of our competitors since SERPS are difficult to track across hundreds of keywords. Our [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/646
Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz
One-year supply dehydrated food ? impossible food-wine pairing?
With gold at $1,800, Ron Paul polling third among the Republican candidates, and people flocking to a wine cellar for safety, is it any wonder that Costco is currently marketing a one year’s supply of food? Called Shelf Reliance THRIVE, it’s dehydrated, freeze-dried, and comes in big cans. All the better for storing in your [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/xyEAC2aUQ4c/
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Napa Valley Travelers Beware ? Harvest is near
The most exciting and rewarding time of the year in the Napa Valley wine country, and for that matter all of wine country, is harvest time. This is what every winemaker, vineyard manager, and winery owner awaits throughout the vineyard year. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-travelers-beware-harvest-is-near/
Talking about influence, elitism and wine
On a highly unusual day in London recently I was lucky enough to be interviewed twice on similar topics – the coming together of wine, blogging and some measure of influence. This blog, in large part thanks to its longevity but also some very active and loyal followers, regularly appears on lists of “top wine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/onS0Fhb3w2s/
Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Viognier
Friday was the official first day of fall. However, it was more beautiful and sunny here in Seattle than most days this summer. It was a perfect night to gather with friends to enjoy a fabulous meal and good wines for one of our monthly wine tasting dinners. This month?s dinner featured Washington Viognier, a [...]
Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Viognier 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/lT7j9YGsC9M/
Fine wine datapoints: Lafite price falls, DRC rises, HK-NYC spreads remain
Checking in with the fine wine market, a few datapoints: * Lafite-Rothschild still commands large dollar amounts, but the bloom may be coming off the rose. Liv-Ex chronicles recent softness in Lafite prices. Perhaps the Asian buyers are no longer willing to pay exorbitant premiums to other Bordeaux wines. Of note, a case of 1961 [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/TU0koD2gKy8/
NYT: wine consumers ?brainwashed? into thinking they need education
Writing in yesterday’s NYT, Eric Asimov delivered wine education a puzzling broadside in the last paragraph of a story about beer: Beer consumers are a far more confident lot than wine consumers. They?re at ease with beer, mostly because they?ve had a solid grounding in their subject, unlike wine consumers who?ve been brainwashed into believing [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/LJe6MFGDqio/
Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
QPR Wines of Distinction
The sample boxes from our distributors were backing up at the retail operation in which I was, until recently, gainfully employed, so we divvied up the take and went our separate ways to taste and report back. Happily, the six I took home are all from our good friends at Wines of Distinction/J&J Importers and [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/Z7WQ4IQNJn4/qpr-wines-of-distinction
Tablas Creek Talley Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc
Better Wine Blogging 101 ? Using links effectively
Continuing on with our goal to help improve your wine blogging, we want to tackle an important strategy that is often avoided, typically because many people are under the false pretense that it will hurt them, but it’s quite the contrary. This simple strategy can not only bring more traffic to your site, but will [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/7I9NFTD6oZY/
The best white wine under $15
What’s the best white wine currently in the US market for about $15? I’ll make a case for the 2010 Clos des Briords from Marc Ollivier (Domaine de la P�pi�re). The 2010 is electric. After the 2009 had more ripeness, I find 2010 a reversion to the exciting norm of citrusy freshness and minerally, iodine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/-nsBqoAeM2g/
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Trend Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Devil’s Cut
I’m a sucker for the clever and unconventional, I admit it. One such bit of cleverness isn’t even wine-related, though it is oak barrel related.
Most wine enthusiasts are familiar with the, “Angel’s Share.” It’s a term that denotes the wine (or spirits) that is lost from a barrel due to evaporation during the aging process. Now comes the, “Devil’s Cut” from Jim Beam.
Using a proprietary process that extracts the bourbon moisture that’s left in the staves of the barrel after being emptied, this extract is then blended with regular Jim Bream to create a deeper, more characterful sipper.
I’d hate to think what a wine might taste like if the, “Devil’s Cut” was blended in from a wine-aged oak barrel, but a thumb’s up to Jim Beam for thinking outside the box. The wine world could use more esoteric and idiosyncratic ideas similar to what the Scholium Project is doing, turning wine on its head. Can a day be too far away when white Pinot Noir and orange wines aren’t outliers?
Speaking of Idiosyncratic
Last year I wrote a story on Proof Wine Collective and their out-of-the-box wine label design work. An edgy company of twenty-something’s in San Luis Obispo, they’re set to eschew a services-oriented business helping market other people’s wine projects and start their own wine thing.
Anti-wine by the guys at Proof sets the table for what’s to come with an Anti-wine Manifesto that says in part, “I can hear the death rattle of our industry when salespeople peddle wines made and re-made in the same style, over and over. I hear it when they glorify classism, pretending that customers own a cellar to age wines for decades, when in truth we buy a bottle to drink tonight…My goal with this project is to be free from the affectations of an industry I can no longer respect. These wines follow no formulae (Ed. Note: Nice use of the plural of formula!). They are blended between vintages in order to take the best traits of each. I regard red and white varietals as equals, and intermix them with no interest in what is “sellable.”
I like idea, for sure. However, initial reverberations indicate that they’re going to have to do some traditional-type activity in the wine business to get solid footing. Sales at retail. Wine events.
If a nascent wine brand truly wants to be free from the affectations of the industry and do so without being shticky then it has to be prepared to swim completely against the current.
I’m rooting for Anti-wine, but I’d also like to see a completely new playbook written for the wine business, not a statement of intent while coloring inside the lines.
Tastevin
I’ve read a couple of recent articles that indicate that watches are set to become a trend (here and here). This struck me as odd because I hadn’t received the memo that watches were out of style. I started to think about accessories for wine enthusiasts that are decidedly out of style and I came to the tastevin.
Traditionally used by Sommeliers, but long out of favor, the only reason I know it’s not a mythical unicorn, is because a Somm. at my honeymoon resort some years ago was wearing one and checking the quality of the bottles he was serving by taking a quick sniff and slurp.
Now inspired, I’m starting a one-man wine trend. If you see me at a wine tasting in the future it’s probable that I’ll be using a tastevin instead of the insipid glassware that’s usually provided.
Feel free to adopt usage of a tastevin for yourself. The key to not feeling douchey is to either be incredibly confident or so hip that others don’t even know its hip. Either will work for this emerging trend that you and I are starting. Buy one at Amazon.com.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_trend_edition/
Colbert on 9/11 wine: ?for when you?re drinking to never forget?
Just when you though that the passing of 9/11 would mean the end of talking about the tasteless 9/11 memorial wine that Tony Bourdain hates, think again. In his first show after 9/11, Stephen Colbert ripped on “giftportunities,” or the various form of cashing in on the tragedy. Included was the 9/11 memorial wine from [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/5Yvk3u1ilUA/
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Apples and the Nature of Wine Consumption
A story in the NY Times today on the sorry state of the Gravenstein apple market in Sonoma County provided a reminder of the primary force that moves the wine industry. If you like seeing more Pinot on the market,...
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Trend Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Devil’s Cut
I’m a sucker for the clever and unconventional, I admit it. One such bit of cleverness isn’t even wine-related, though it is oak barrel related.
Most wine enthusiasts are familiar with the, “Angel’s Share.” It’s a term that denotes the wine (or spirits) that is lost from a barrel due to evaporation during the aging process. Now comes the, “Devil’s Cut” from Jim Beam.
Using a proprietary process that extracts the bourbon moisture that’s left in the staves of the barrel after being emptied, this extract is then blended with regular Jim Bream to create a deeper, more characterful sipper.
I’d hate to think what a wine might taste like if the, “Devil’s Cut” was blended in from a wine-aged oak barrel, but a thumb’s up to Jim Beam for thinking outside the box. The wine world could use more esoteric and idiosyncratic ideas similar to what the Scholium Project is doing, turning wine on its head. Can a day be too far away when white Pinot Noir and orange wines aren’t outliers?
Speaking of Idiosyncratic
Last year I wrote a story on Proof Wine Collective and their out-of-the-box wine label design work. An edgy company of twenty-something’s in San Luis Obispo, they’re set to eschew a services-oriented business helping market other people’s wine projects and start their own wine thing.
Anti-wine by the guys at Proof sets the table for what’s to come with an Anti-wine Manifesto that says in part, “I can hear the death rattle of our industry when salespeople peddle wines made and re-made in the same style, over and over. I hear it when they glorify classism, pretending that customers own a cellar to age wines for decades, when in truth we buy a bottle to drink tonight…My goal with this project is to be free from the affectations of an industry I can no longer respect. These wines follow no formulae (Ed. Note: Nice use of the plural of formula!). They are blended between vintages in order to take the best traits of each. I regard red and white varietals as equals, and intermix them with no interest in what is “sellable.”
I like idea, for sure. However, initial reverberations indicate that they’re going to have to do some traditional-type activity in the wine business to get solid footing. Sales at retail. Wine events.
If a nascent wine brand truly wants to be free from the affectations of the industry and do so without being shticky then it has to be prepared to swim completely against the current.
I’m rooting for Anti-wine, but I’d also like to see a completely new playbook written for the wine business, not a statement of intent while coloring inside the lines.
Tastevin
I’ve read a couple of recent articles that indicate that watches are set to become a trend (here and here). This struck me as odd because I hadn’t received the memo that watches were out of style. I started to think about accessories for wine enthusiasts that are decidedly out of style and I came to the tastevin.
Traditionally used by Sommeliers, but long out of favor, the only reason I know it’s not a mythical unicorn, is because a Somm. at my honeymoon resort some years ago was wearing one and checking the quality of the bottles he was serving by taking a quick sniff and slurp.
Now inspired, I’m starting a one-man wine trend. If you see me at a wine tasting in the future it’s probable that I’ll be using a tastevin instead of the insipid glassware that’s usually provided.
Feel free to adopt usage of a tastevin for yourself. The key to not feeling douchey is to either be incredibly confident or so hip that others don’t even know its hip. Either will work for this emerging trend that you and I are starting. Buy one at Amazon.com.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_trend_edition/
Wine Clubs
I was asked earlier today to describe my wine clubs and what makes them different than all of our competitors. I talked some about our differing price points ($20, $50 and $100 per bottle) and how we refuse to include shipping in the prices charged for our wine clubs. Unlike many of our competitors we [...]
Monday, 26 September 2011
TasteCamp East:Bloggers Arrive in the Finger Lakes
This is one of my favorite times of the year.� I’m fortunate enough to be included on the list of wine bloggers and writers who get asked to attend TasteCamp East, organized by Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson at The New York Cork Report. Last year, Long Island Wine Country hosted our group and although [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/tastecamp-eastbloggers-arrive-in-the-finger-lakes/
Wine-derful
Judges completed the first day of tasting the finest vintages the wine world has to offer at the 70th Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Stepping into the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts, where judging is taking place, the aroma is musky, flowery, fruity, nutty. Pretty powerful! Judges gather around round tables comparing [...]
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=62
Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement
Healthiest Texas Red wine from Good Taste with Tanji
http://www.facebook.com/widgets/like.php?href=https://thegrapesaroundtexas.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/healthiest-texas-red-wine-from-good-taste-with-tanji/
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/08/09/healthiest-texas-red-wine-from-good-taste-with-tanji/
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s June 11 Release ? Tasting Notes
Veneto wines are the feature of this release and, as Father?s Day is on the horizon, there are several highly touted wines suggested as treats for dad and for those kiddies with really deep pockets, well do read on… THE WINES OF VENETO 029850 TENUTA SANT?ANTONIO MONTI GARBI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2008 Veneto $17.95 Notes [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/CjfTHEI96Mw/vintages-june-11-release
Mountains and ocean play with you at Coral Beach & Tennis Club
The newest way of enjoying intimacy is redefined at the Coral Beach & Tennis Club which is located in the prestigious setting of the South Shore beaches. This heavenly retreat is the doorway to the beauty and serenity of the beach, with the mountainous landscape in the backyard covered with dense tropical foliage. The majestic [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/nd1uuUJ3O7A/
Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon Gewürztraminer
Let's Regulate Marijuana Like Wine?
If you see a disconnect between the picture on the left and the message superimposed upon it, the supporters of the Regulate Marijuana Like Wine initiative hope that disconnect will instead morph into a logical connection. The supporters of this...
Tasting Report: 2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
We were able to track some down before things got too out of hand and I'm pleased to report the wine delivered. Kind of like when Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green said the Bears "are who we thought they were" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDAq5tyfk9E). Well, maybe not just like that but the point I'm trying to make is I had high expectations and the wine delivered in a big way.
Here are my notes...
2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
$45 Release Price
13.9% Alcohol
550 Cases Produced
Another one of these California Pinot Noirs that charms with it's fruit-forward aromatics and ultimately satisfies for how clean and free of "off" notes it is. Pure. Something for everyone I think, with aromas of tart cherries, orange oil, and soft leather. Well balanced. Silky smooth on the palate with a beautiful finish without any strange aftertastes. Fantastic stuff.
Cellar Tracker
Wine-Searcher
93/100 WWP: Outstadning
Bottom Line
It might be hard to find this particular bottling but I'd definitely be interested in seeking out other Pinot Noirs from Failla. Especially the 2009s.
Check 'em out:
Failla Website
@faillawines
I'm compiling some thoughts and tasting notes for 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir (what the heck happened to that vintage?) and 2009 California Pinot Noir. Especially if you're interested in domestic Pinot Noir I'd love it if you subscribed to the site so we can keep in touch.
Question of the Day: Have you tasted Failla's wines? What did you think? What have you heard?
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Silver Oak Winery in the Napa Valley ? For Cabernet Sauvignon Fans
I loved listening to the offbeat and jovial winemaker, Daniel Barons, who tells it like it is with a no-holds-barred approach to winemaking. He has been making wine for 41 years so he says he has seen it all. Continue reading
Wine Club Shipments
As always, the middle to the end of the month is an exciting time at Uncorked Ventures. This month finds more wine club shipments as well as the beginning of our plans for the holiday season. I was asked how to describe our wine clubs to someone who is a novice to online wine clubs [...]
A Spitacular Competition!
For three days, our judges swirled, sniffed and spit their way through more than 3,500 wines from around the globe. Today they wrapped up by choosing the best of the best in each category. Results will be available next month, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy this compilation of expert spitters:
A Little Competition Never Hurts!
That’s right – it’s time. The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition begins tomorrow. Nearly 100 international judges, more than 3,000 international wines. Who will take the gold? Keep coming back to find out more information about the 3-day event and watch for judges to be blogging and twittering in between judging!
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=60
Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz
Marsanne Wines
Matt and I recently began reworking the education section of our site. While we don’t have an exact format yet for what we want to see in that space, we’re filling in some of the clear omissions. One of those omissions was not having a page dedicated to Marsanne. While the wine isn’t made into [...]
The best white wine under $15
What’s the best white wine currently in the US market for about $15? I’ll make a case for the 2010 Clos des Briords from Marc Ollivier (Domaine de la P�pi�re). The 2010 is electric. After the 2009 had more ripeness, I find 2010 a reversion to the exciting norm of citrusy freshness and minerally, iodine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/-nsBqoAeM2g/
Gallo and Wine: The Impact May Be Never Ending
It's not a perfect irony, but it's interesting: It is being reported that researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center in San Francisco are moving closer to not only understanding alcohol and nicotine addiction, but toward developing drugs...
Five from Stepping Stone
We?ve enjoyed pretty much everything that our friends at Cornerstone Cellars in Napa Valley have sent us to sample over the past few years, from both their flagship Cornerstone label and their second, Stepping Stone. Recently, we took possession of five of the current Stepping Stone offerings, and tried them over a series of evenings. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/xuy1y4Xfl_o/five-from-stepping-stone
Friday, 23 September 2011
Hitler yelling
Check out this “Hitler yelling” parody that several people tweeted to my attention. Even if it’s 18 months old, it’s still sufficient for your Saturday LOL needs.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/lyhDPwlctIY/
NYT: wine consumers ?brainwashed? into thinking they need education
Writing in yesterday’s NYT, Eric Asimov delivered wine education a puzzling broadside in the last paragraph of a story about beer: Beer consumers are a far more confident lot than wine consumers. They?re at ease with beer, mostly because they?ve had a solid grounding in their subject, unlike wine consumers who?ve been brainwashed into believing [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/LJe6MFGDqio/
TasteCamp East: Voracious Wine Bloggers Taste Throughout the Finger�Lakes
This past weekend, I was among a group of wine bloggers who participated in the 2nd TasteCamp East, this year in the Finger Lakes.� The local wine industry is the inspiration for this blog and my business as I’ve mentioned to you before.� I had nothing to do with the selection of our region as [...]
QPR Wines of Distinction
The sample boxes from our distributors were backing up at the retail operation in which I was, until recently, gainfully employed, so we divvied up the take and went our separate ways to taste and report back. Happily, the six I took home are all from our good friends at Wines of Distinction/J&J Importers and [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/Z7WQ4IQNJn4/qpr-wines-of-distinction
Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown 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 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State. Our selection criteria include: [...]
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown 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/~3/3AYWUw7ly_w/
Legendary Cap Estel cocooned by Mediterranean serenity and tranquility
Nestled between Monaco and Nice on the magnificent French Riveria in a secluded 5 acre private peninsular area, Cap Estel is a legendary building of the 19th century guarded by the endless Mediterranean Sea. Serenity and tranquility cocoons the entire peninsular resort and offers guests an 1800 view of the pristine azure sea water under [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/XLGzONlD_7E/
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Cowan Cellars Announces First Release
With much anticipation, Cowan Cellars has announced its first release. Way to go, Jim and Diane!!� We wish you both much success in this and upcoming releases. The wines are: 2010 Isa (skin-fermented white) 2010 Pinot Noir, Bennett Valley 2010 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. You can read about these wines on here. You can read [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/LPvVhL7ZNmU/cowan-cellars
Domaine Pierre Usseglio
I frequently participate in press-wine tastings in Copenhagen. Normally its about tasting the recent vintage or vintages from a particular wine producer - maybe with one or two older vintages. Nothing wrong with that. Its always the latest vintage that is going on the shelves and where the need for good press is welcomed.
But I [...]
But I [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/42/domaine-pierre-usseglio/
Questioning Authority: The Leslie Sbrocco Edition
Insight and education and entertainment does result from exploring the expertise of authorities in any given field. But sometimes, simply questioning the authority on more mundane matters can also deliver insight...and surprises. The "Questioning Authority" interview series on FERMENTATION is...
Best 2009 California Pinot Noirs Under $30
I truly enjoyed reading through this Pinot Noir issue in particular. There's something unmatchable about taking a break from staring at the computer monitor and thumbing through glossy pages while enjoying a glass of wine. The issues arrive with higher frequency this time of year, covering the most interesting categories for the upcoming holiday buying season, so it's a great time to subscribe.
You can even use airline miles (here's how) and once you have a print subscription you can get an online subscription for 50% off. I constantly refer to their ratings database. Not just for the scores but for production levels, prices, and historical rating trends for a given winery.
But the thing I like best about the magazine is how it turns me on to new producers.
If we look at the top rated 2009 California Pinot Noirs they've rated so far, cap the price at $30, and sort based on the WWP QPR (what's that?) we find a select group of wines:
| Price | Rating | WWP QPR | |
| Loring Pinot Noir Russian River Valley | $29 | 93 | 2.07 |
| Loring Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands | $29 | 93 | 2.07 |
| Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands | $29 | 92 | 1.64 |
| Chasseur Pinot Noir Sonoma County | $30 | 92 | 1.59 |
| Alta Maria Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley | $28 | 91 | 1.35 |
| Siduri Pinot Noir Russian River Valley | $29 | 91 | 1.30 |
| Siduri Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast | $29 | 91 | 1.30 |
| Laguna Ridge Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast | $20 | 89 | 1.19 |
| Sarapo Pinot Noir Carneros-Sonoma County Donato | $20 | 89 | 1.19 |
I touched on Loring and Siduri in my prior post. I consider them to be cornerstones of value in California Pinot Noir and once we get past them we see a few names that might not be as familiar.
First - Chasseur. Their $30, 92 point 2009 Sonoma County Pinot Noir is one to seek out. I've tried two bottles of the wine and each time I've been impressed (91-92 points). The CellarTracker median for this wine is currently 90.5. They produced 562 cases of the 2009 Sonoma County and distribute to the east coast so there is still an opportunity to buy this wine at retail. I bought mine at Grapes the Wine Co in White Plains, NY (review of the store here - I think he still has some). Consult Wine-Searcher for retailers with availability near you.
Strangely, it's hard to get excited about 89 point rated wines (c'mon, admit it - it is). But given the $20 price point of the last two wines on the list they're worth discussing:
Laguna Ridge is a second label from Lynmar who produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from (mostly) the Russian River Valley in Sonoma. Lynmar's Pinots range in price between $40 and $120 and Spectator rated their 2009s between 88 and 94 points. 492 cases of the 2009 Laguna Ridge Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir were produced. No CellarTracker ratings yet. Scarce availability at retail so far.
Sarapo resells small lots of wine from artisan wineries. It's run by Eric Kent's winemakers and deals mostly in the grape varieties Eric Kent is known for: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.. The 89 point 2009 Sarapo Pinot Noir Carneros-Sonoma County Donato can be found at retail for $19.99 and eligible for mixed case discounts which would bring it down to $16.99 or so. One to consider on the more affordable end of the spectrum. There's even some availability in Massachusetts.
Conclusion
While there are a few new names to discover here, we haven't seen any mindbending QPRs revealed - at least not yet. It's been mostly a "get what you pay for" vintage as notable for the highly regarded producers who were snubbed (more on that another time perhaps) as it was for the reliable producers who delivered great wines in a great vintage.
That doesn't mean it's a bad vintage to buy from - far from it. It just means that for the most part we'll have to pay $25 and up to get an outstanding bottle of California Pinot Noir.
But that doesn't mean there's not a few gems out there Spectator didn't rate. Or that we just don't agree on. Check back later this week and I'll share my tasting notes for the 25+ 2009 California Pinot Noirs I've tried so far. I think there'll be some gems in there worth discovering.
Click here to subscribe to the Wellesley Wine Press
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite affordable California Pinot Noir producers?
Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon
Perfection in a Bottle?
In the rolling hills of Tuscany the Frescobaldi family has been making wine for 30 generations and some 700 years. Yet, it was only in 1995, when the family aligned with the Mondavi’s, America’s first wine family, that a cross-continental collaboration was borne in Montalcino, an area within the Tuscan region famous for its Brunello, a 100% Sangiovese wine.
Luce della Vite, meaning “Light of the Vine,” is the resulting winery even as gyrations in the Mondavi family business have blunted the initial collaboration of the two families in jointly creating a world class winery. Now run exclusively by the Frescobaldi’s with investment from Michael Mondavi (and imported to the U.S. by Michael Mondavi’s Folio Wine Partners), their flagship wine, sourced from 29 DOCG certified acres, the 2006 Brunello di Montalcino, has been awarded a perfect 100-point score by James Suckling, former European Bureau Chief for Wine Spectator, now leading his own wine project at his eponymous web site.
This introduction would be apropos of nothing besides ornate wine writer affectations were it not necessary to create the milieu for what is an interesting convergence of issues in the wine world.
Encapsulated in this one wine, from an Italian wine family, formerly aligned with the scion of American wine and imported to the U.S. by his son and given a perfect 100-point score by a former critic with the Wine Spectator, many of the contemporary issues of the wine world can be examined and pondered…
Consider:
• A 100-point score
Is there such a thing as a perfect wine? I’ll leave the question open-ended while noting that my own scoring only goes to 99. In the realm of subjectivity, can something like wine or art achieve perfection?
• The fallibility of wine criticism
Stephen Tanzer, another notable wine critic, gave the same wine 92 points. Wine Enthusiast scored it 93 points. Robert Parker’s Italian wine critic (and recently anointed California reviewer), Antonio Galloni, gave it a 90. While a 90, 92 or 93 is a good score, the difference between a 93 and a 100 certainly points to a margin spread that provides more questions than answers about the wine.
• Crossing the digital divide
Suckling, ex-Wine Spectator, is out of the paper magazine business and running his own web site with subscriptions, a business that is less than a year old. He has lived in Tuscany for a number of years and knows Brunello wines well. However, anointing 100-point wines isn’t something critics do lightly or without thought. So, when he declares that, “The 2006 vintage for Brunello di Montalcino is the new benchmark…” is he genuinely reviewing the vintage and the region’s most notable vintner or is this his attempt at market-making relevance akin to Robert Parker Jr.’s declaration of ’82 Bordeaux as “superb” when others weren’t as bullish?
• Critical scores affect on inelastic pricing
While so-called “cult” wines get a bad rap based on their stylistic profile, the reality is that prices are high because of scarcity – more people want to buy it then there is wine available to buy. Suckling’s 100-point score for the Luce Brunello is oft-repeated on numerous retailer web sites where the retail price has been raised from a suggested retail price of $89.99 to an average price of $127 based on Wine-Searcher.com data. Meanwhile, the 2005 Luce Brunello is being discounted and has an average price of $84 based on Wine-searcher.com data. It should be noted, that save for Suckling on the ’06, both wines were reviewed consistently with scores in the low 90s.
• A global style
It’s interesting to note that Suckling’s tasting note for the Brunello called it, “…A wine with soul.” Meanwhile Antonio Galloni noted, “The sheer concentration and depth of fruit are remarkable, but ultimately this comes across as a heavy, labored Brunello with limited finesse.”
So, which is it? Is it a soulful wine or one with limited finesse? The U.S. has the largest global appetite for Brunello with some reporting that upwards of 25% of all Brunelli produced is imported to the states. Given that, is the Luce Brunello made to appeal to more of a fruit-forward palate that is often found in the U.S., a style of wine that Wine Spectator and Suckling have lauded in the wake of Robert Parker, the so-called, global style?
Summary
I’ll save the full review of the wine for my Forbes.com column…in the meantime, I’m reminded that the conversations about the people, personalities, ideas and issues in the wine world are often as interesting as what’s in the glass and that’s certainly the case with the 2006 Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino, a 100-points for interest and conversational fodder and less for the actual wine. For me, that’s just perfect.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/perfection_in_a_bottle/
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