Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2012/09/day-1-wine-trip.html
Saturday, 28 February 2015
The Liberty Hotel ? Boston, Massachusetts
Luxurious?yes. Elegant?yes. Comparable to any other hotel?nope. The Liberty Hotel is a perfect storm of all the elements you would expect from a historical landmark turned luxury hotel. The Liberty Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Boston?s Beacon Hill neighborhood near just a stones throw from the Charles River and its Esplanade. What […]
The post The Liberty Hotel – Boston, Massachusetts appeared first on Vagablond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/_Sqo_DYxoxs/
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s January 24th Release Notes
The wines of Spain take centre stage for the January 24th release. Spanish wines are usually fairly priced in the LCBO and many of these wines offer the consumer great wines at reasonable prices. Lots to buy so please read on?? Wines of Spain 392522 FINCA LOS ALIJARES GRACIANO 2009 Vino de la Tierra de [...]
?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.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/fUtBR47grfE/
A Wine for Tonight: 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc
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? If so, you might want to check out the 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg in California. Our selection criteria include: A very good Quality rating of […]
A Wine for Tonight: 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc 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/rb6DstjzD4s/
Play chess at Zaca Mesa in Santa Barbara wine country
Play chess at Zaca Mesa on Foxen Canyon Road As far as I know, Zaca Mesa is the only winery that has a giant size chess set available for guests. Yes, we all know about the wine country travelers who love a game of Bocce, but how about chess? The Zaca Mesa winery is located […]
The post Play chess at Zaca Mesa in Santa Barbara wine country appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/play-chess-zaca-mesa-santa-barbara-wine-country/
Home Away From Home Series ? Dolce Vita Guesthouse Estoril
We are fortunate that we at Vagablond get to experience lovely hotel destinations worldwide. It is seldom that I am surprised by the level of hospitality and professionalism. I expect it, but our stay at the Dolce Vita Guesthouse was one of the most pleasurable travel experiences I have enjoyed in recent history. What draws […]
The post Home Away From Home Series – Dolce Vita Guesthouse Estoril appeared first on Vagablond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/1PphIXmghmU/
20% Off Wine.com e-Gift Cards
I think you can use multiple Wine.com gift cards on a single order. You load them up and they're attached to your account then drawn down by future purchases.
Shipping costs are high at Wine.com so I'd recommend signing up for a StewardShip free trial. Just be sure to cancel it (here's how) if you're not going to order again because StewardShip auto-bills on renewal.
Consider stacking this deal with some combination of this technique from Frequent Miler and this one from Doctor of Credit.
In my experience, purchasing a Wine.com physical gift card through a portal does not pay out. But using a physical gift card through a portal does pay out. I do not have data points for whether using an eGift card pays out through a portal.
Shout out to my pal RS for the heads up on this deal.
Question of the Day: Any datapoints on maximizing this deal?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/Ta2CxHgLkUA/20-off-winecom-e-gift-cards.html
Friday, 27 February 2015
10 Amazing Producers Pouring at Wine Spectator Grand Tour
The event also provides an opportunity to meet up with other wine enthuisiasts. I've made some friends through the blog and on Twitter I'm looking forward to meeting at the Dallas event. If you're on the fence about which location to attend maybe Dallas would fit your schedule? Here's a post on how to get there for nearly free using points & miles. If you're coming let me know! I'd love to say "hi" and I'm hoping to pull together a small [but hopefully VIP] pre-tasting meetup at the Hyatt if we can pull it off.
Here's a list of wineries pouring at the Grand Tour. I thought it would be useful to scan the list and share some of my favorites that I know from past experience. Events like these are good for tasting aspirational wines and developing a relatable framework for benchmark producers. I'll be on the lookout for new categories and producers but here are some of my aboslute favorites and why...
Alto Moncayo
They scored a winner with 2 recent vintages garnering 100 point ratings from Parker. Their Grenache-driven and surprisingly affordable blockbusters can get boozy at times but there's so much delicous flavor it's hard not to adore.
Likely wine: Alto Moncayo proper
Hope they pour: Aquilon
Read more...
Black Kite
I haven't written about Black Kite as much as I should have considering how reliably outstanding I've found their fruit-forward [yet balanced] California Pinot Noirs.
Likely wine: Kite's Rest
Hope they pour: Something I haven't tried but like more
Read more...
Casanova di Neri
They produce Brunello in a modern but elegant style. If you're new world leaning [like I am] but interested in breaking through to the other side check them out for sure.
Likely to pour: Tenuta Nuova
Hope they pour: Tenuta Nuova
Read more...
Elk Cove
Another producer I consistently enjoy but don't write enough about. The 2012 Oregon Pinot Noir vintage has been crushing it for me lately. So good. I popped a bottle of 2012 Elk Cove Clay Court Pinot Noir the other night and it was amazing. 93+ points with ease. And their more affordable appellation bottling is always outstanding.
Likely to pour: 2012 Elk Cove Pinot Noir Mount Richmond
Hope they pour: 2012 Elk Cove Pinot Noir La Boheme
Felsina
Their Fontalloro stikes a perfect balance between modern and old world. Fantastic place to visit with affordable prices relative to their quality. Highly recommended benchmark Italian producer.
Likely to pour: Fontalloro
Hope they pour: Rancia
Read more...
Flowers
I once [wrongly] thought of Flowers as a ripe, fruit-forward, steakhouse Pinot Noir producer. Their wines are actually beautifully balanced. Kind of like a Patz & Hall, Radio-Coteau or Gary Farrell. Not too ripe, not too lean. Just right.
Likely to pour: Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir
Hope they pour: Something else I haven't tried yet and like even more
Read more...
Kosta Browne
This hits the sweet spot of wines you can taste at a Spectator event you're not likely to see at many other tastings. Wine Spectator's ratings have been favorable to KB over the years and the guys at KB recognize this and represent, giving fans a chance to taste their wines even if they can't crack their mailing list. Definitely one to try early when your palate is sharp and can appreciate it.
Likely to pour: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Hope they pour: Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
Read more...
El Nido
Absolutely without a doubt one of my favorite producers. So consistently wow - outstanding. Semi-related someone shipping me a couples bottles of 2012 El Nido Clio this week. Popped one right open and it was right on the money. How do they do it vintage after vintage? If Loren Gil is pouring definitely chat him up. He's a wealth of knowledge about Spanish wines and other world class wines of similar style as his.
Likely to pour: Clio
Hope they pour: El Nido proper
Read more...
Chateau Pontet-Canet
Bordeaux representation at this year's events seems slightly less than in the past. I dunno - maybe I'm just not looking for them given that Bordeaux isn't particularly in my wheelhouse. Pontet-Canet is a winner though. Definitely make time to taste this one.
Likely to pour/hope they pour: 2010 Chateau Pontet-Canet
Tenuta Sette Ponti
Amazing producer who uses traditional grape varieties to produce wines in a slightly more modern/international style. At least that's what my palate tells me. So good.
Likely to pour: Oreno
Hope they pour: Crognolo (great wine, more affordabe, but Oreno is what they'll pour)
Read more..
Conclusion
I've always said these Wine Spectator are the best way I've found to quickly develop a relatable frame of reference for benchmark wines in important categories. The familiar producers listed here are ones I'll look forward to trying again, but I'll pick another category or two (maybe Portugal?) to branch out and explore.
Question of the Day: What producers jump out at you? Any chance you can join in Dallas?
20% Off Wine.com e-Gift Cards
I think you can use multiple Wine.com gift cards on a single order. You load them up and they're attached to your account then drawn down by future purchases.
Shipping costs are high at Wine.com so I'd recommend signing up for a StewardShip free trial. Just be sure to cancel it (here's how) if you're not going to order again because StewardShip auto-bills on renewal.
Consider stacking this deal with some combination of this technique from Frequent Miler and this one from Doctor of Credit.
In my experience, purchasing a Wine.com physical gift card through a portal does not pay out. But using a physical gift card through a portal does pay out. I do not have data points for whether using an eGift card pays out through a portal.
Shout out to my pal RS for the heads up on this deal.
Question of the Day: Any datapoints on maximizing this deal?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/Ta2CxHgLkUA/20-off-winecom-e-gift-cards.html
St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara
?Chance has a great deal to do with the awards that wines win.?
The results here are not that surprising to me given the venue. At a state fair the conditions are far from ideal and the judges have to taste too many wines in a short period of time. I have always believed a wine should be tasted over a period of time (1-2 days minimum) and […]
“Chance has a great deal to do with the awards that wines win.” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/DF_h_5ZFrMk/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis
Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart
I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.� Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.� I now recognize that we were both […]
Source: https://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/
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/
Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak Sinskey
?A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found?
As with anything you eat or drink, moderation and common sense, not prohibition, often makes the most sense. via The Telegraph “A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
“A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Best Glass of Wine You Ever Tasted?
This is a guest article by Beth Peluse. Beth works for Taste Vacations, a luxury travel company that specializes in wine, food, spirits and beer tours around the world. The folks that put on our successful Wine Blogger Conferences also run this touring company. They are well organized and fine tuned for travel adventures. Best […]
The post Best Glass of Wine You Ever Tasted? appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/best-glass-wine-ever-tasted/
St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara
A Cornerstone Quartet
We got together not too long ago with our partner in crime, Alan Kerr aka Canadian Zinfan, to indulge in our favorite collective activity, that being eating and drinking great food and wine. We invaded Chez Kerr with four bottles sent to us for review from our friends at Cornerstone Cellars; we opened the two [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/a4DAsYEVGOk/a-cornerstone-quartet
Thursday, 26 February 2015
?Hock, Moselle And The Rest?
I recently began rereading George Saintsbury’s classic, “Notes on a Cellar-Book.” The 1920 volume was one of my first wine books read back in the early 1980’s that I had not thought much about since. With time – and much more context and experience with wine – I am finding the book a fascinating window […]
“Hock, Moselle And The Rest” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/vCcjl5q3VIo/
No 26 on WS's Top 100: 2011 Emeritus Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir
The wine immediately jumped out at me not only for its favorable metrics (93 WS/$42/11,100 cases produced) but for the Hallberg Vineyard fruit source.
The first time I tasted a wine with the Hallberg name on the label was at this Gary Farrell wine dinner at Blue Ginger in Wellesley. I tasted a bunch of great wines that night but the Gary Farrell Hallberg Pinot blew me away.
A few months later while on vacation in Michigan my cousin brought along a bottle to share at our family cottage. Wouldn't you know it was again a Gary Farrell Hallberg Pinot and it was once again absolutely spectacular.
Then earlier this year I was tasting at Radio-Coteau. I first discovered the greatness of Radio-Coteau's Pinot Noirs in the form of the 2006 Radio-Coteau La Neblina Pinot Noir. That wine was so amazingly pure and clear of any off notes I was astounded. I've enjoyed many subsequent vintages of RC La Neblina since but it wasn't until talking with winemaker Eric Sussman that I discovered the fruit source for the wine: Hallberg Ranch.
So when I spotted the 2011 Emeritus Hallberg Pinot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list I did some searching and found this awesome vintage Wine Library TV appearance from Emeritus founder Brice Jones where we come to find out he was behind Sonoma-Cutrer before launching Emeritus.
I found the 2011 Emeritus Hallberg Pinot at a local retailer via Wine-Searcher and placed an order, picked it up today, and cracked it open tonight.
2011 Emeritus Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir
11,100 Cases Produce
13.8% Alcohol
Textbook California Pinot Noir with layers of classic aromatics and complexity. Baked cranberries, strawberries, orange oil, and brambly fruit. Silky complexion. Wonderfully pure.
92/100 WWP: Oustanding
I'd highly recommend tracking some of this down if you an find it and I'd have little hesitation accepting vintage substitution. I've got a feeling these guys know what they're doing.
I'm adding Emeritus to my list of producers to visit. Brice seems like an amazing personality and the wines speak volumes for themselves.
Find it on Wine-Searcher
Follow @EmeritusWines on Twitter
Question of the Day: Have you had Emeritus Pinot Noir before/ If so, what did you think? If not, how about wines sources from Hallberg Ranch?
Happy 7th Birthday to Wine Peeps!
Today marks seven years since we started sharing our wine adventures with you here on Wine Peeps. What an exciting seven years it has been! We have written 1,269 posts and tasted over 6,500 wines. We have had the pleasure to meet so many wonderful people in the wine industry as well as fellow wine […]
Happy 7th Birthday to Wine Peeps! 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/ToAVHsEIyVo/
What Makes A Wine ?Authentic??
As is often the case, Steve Heimoff has posted a “think piece” on his blog today. And judging by the relatively few comments at the time I write this most readers are just doing that; thinking. His post is on authenticity in wine and how difficult and subjective it is to define. In the end, […]
What Makes A Wine “Authentic”? originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/LUPCVX73PUs/
ALT Hotel :: Toronto
It’s a boutique no frills hotel, but still has the bells and whistles. ALT boasts of individuality, as expected of a boutique hotel. If you are stopping over for a night in Toronto this is the perfect place. You easily get into the shuttle train and after a quick ride walk across and right into […]
The post ALT Hotel :: Toronto appeared first on Vagablond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/oUNKKY4353M/
Nobody Drinks Wine Like...Massachusetts!
 |
| Only one problem: That's not Massachusetts |
They quickly followed up with a corrected version with pitch-perfect humility saying "That last email sure shows how little we've shipped to your state." Pretty funny.
Ironically I probably wouldn't have looked at the first email a second time, so the mistake works to their advantage. By correcting the email in a genuine human way it was better than if the first email didn't have a mistake.
 |
| That's better! |
 |
| Nobody Drinks Wine Like...Massachusetts! |
Mistakes aside, Red Car is a prime example of a terrific producer that we can now have shipped directly to us. I first discovered their wines after Wine Spectator rated their 2007 Red Car Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir a whopping 97 points. I tracked down a precious few bottles at Lower Falls Wine Company and thought it was terrific:
2007 Red Car Heaven & Earth La Boheme Pinot Noir
$60
I thought this wine was tremendous and it's showing beautifully at this point in time. Vibrant and intense with red raspberry aromas and flavors on top of other typical CA Pinot Noir markers (strawberries, cherries, a little earth, silky smooth tannins). Incredible depth of flavor and length of finish. Up a couple points from the last bottle I tried over a year ago. Drink now but hold if you'd like more secondary characteristics to further develop.
95/100 WWP: Classic
I subsequently met with their lead sales guy when he was in Boston for Cochon 555. I visited their cool/funky tasting room in 2013. Great producer. The bold fruit-forward style of the Heaven & Earth bottling is a bit of a head-fake. Most of their wines are more restrained.
Having ready access to wines like these directly from the winery, delivered directly to our homes/offices is terrific. Sure, some of these are available at retail here in Massachusetts. And sometimes at great prices (with free local pick-up). But if you want to develop a persistent relationship with your favorite producers we now have that capability.
But what I'm finding personally is I need to be even more selective than ever. If I went out and placed a big order with every winery I like that can now ship here I'd go broke and have even more wine than I already do, which is more wine than I already need. If you've been playing this game for a while you know: It's really easy to over-buy. Especially if you consistently order your full allocation from the same few wineries year after year.
So I'm taking my time. Picking and choosing the best combinations of wineries I'm familiar with. That I consistently enjoy. That deliver great products that are worth as much or more to me than I pay for them. And work with consumers on shipping to make the fully loaded costs a win win for them and for us.
Question of the Day: What has been your approach to buying now that wineries can ship to Massachusetts? Has it changed your purchase patterns signicantly? Where are you finding the best value?
Happy 7th Birthday to Wine Peeps!
Today marks seven years since we started sharing our wine adventures with you here on Wine Peeps. What an exciting seven years it has been! We have written 1,269 posts and tasted over 6,500 wines. We have had the pleasure to meet so many wonderful people in the wine industry as well as fellow wine […]
Happy 7th Birthday to Wine Peeps! 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/ToAVHsEIyVo/
Wednesday, 25 February 2015
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Story Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Words aren’t enough
I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales…
…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly? Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review?
Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.
Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature.
Bad Week for Eric Asimov?
On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.
This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.
Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata.
To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.
With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.
Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony. Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.
In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.
Just a thought…
It’s all about the story
The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling. Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.
So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted. This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.
I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.
He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”
A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September. There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising. Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.
If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…
Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are: The Story Factor and Made to Stick.
On Sweet Wines
In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,” E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted: “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture. First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”
Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:
How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010
And
Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year
Just saying…
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_story_edition/
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz Zinfandel
Wine Country Backroads ? Paso Robles West
Paso Robles Westside – Wine Country Backroad The wine country backroads of Paso Robles has several wonderful�backroads to experience and this one is west of Highway 101 in Paso Robles wine country. Start by leaving the Paso Robles downtown area and head south on 101. Take exit Highway 46 West toward Cambria. Travel 8.5 miles […]
The post Wine Country Backroads – Paso Robles West appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/wine-country-backroads-paso-robles-west/
Eataly: a lot of pasta
Fast Company has a piece on Eataly, the enormous and enormously successful (grocery) store with restaurants inside it. For those who haven’t been, the stores have an innovative concept that harkens back to an olde tyme market with different vendors for fish, meat, and pasta, interspersed with fresh fruit and vegetables, dried pasta and olive […]
The post Eataly: a lot of pasta appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/oprRuTxIupQ/
Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak
The wines from Pierre Usseglio I
Domaine Pierre Usseglio is first and foremost a maker of�Chateauneuf-du-Pape but has also a couple of vineyards just outside the appellation. From these they make a good value�C�tes-du-Rh�ne and�a Vin de Table, where Merlot makes up�80 % og the blend. �I gave the 2006�C�tes-du-Rh�ne 2006�88-89 p. which makes it a good value. It’s a sort [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/44/wines-from-pierre-usseglio-1/
Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak Sinskey
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: https://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/tastecamp-eastbloggers-arrive-in-the-finger-lakes/
Nobody Drinks Wine Like...Massachusetts!
|
| Only one problem: That's not Massachusetts |
They quickly followed up with a corrected version with pitch-perfect humility saying "That last email sure shows how little we've shipped to your state." Pretty funny.
Ironically I probably wouldn't have looked at the first email a second time, so the mistake works to their advantage. By correcting the email in a genuine human way it was better than if the first email didn't have a mistake.
|
| That's better! |
|
| Nobody Drinks Wine Like...Massachusetts! |
Mistakes aside, Red Car is a prime example of a terrific producer that we can now have shipped directly to us. I first discovered their wines after Wine Spectator rated their 2007 Red Car Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir a whopping 97 points. I tracked down a precious few bottles at Lower Falls Wine Company and thought it was terrific:
2007 Red Car Heaven & Earth La Boheme Pinot Noir
$60
I thought this wine was tremendous and it's showing beautifully at this point in time. Vibrant and intense with red raspberry aromas and flavors on top of other typical CA Pinot Noir markers (strawberries, cherries, a little earth, silky smooth tannins). Incredible depth of flavor and length of finish. Up a couple points from the last bottle I tried over a year ago. Drink now but hold if you'd like more secondary characteristics to further develop.
95/100 WWP: Classic
I subsequently met with their lead sales guy when he was in Boston for Cochon 555. I visited their cool/funky tasting room in 2013. Great producer. The bold fruit-forward style of the Heaven & Earth bottling is a bit of a head-fake. Most of their wines are more restrained.
Having ready access to wines like these directly from the winery, delivered directly to our homes/offices is terrific. Sure, some of these are available at retail here in Massachusetts. And sometimes at great prices (with free local pick-up). But if you want to develop a persistent relationship with your favorite producers we now have that capability.
But what I'm finding personally is I need to be even more selective than ever. If I went out and placed a big order with every winery I like that can now ship here I'd go broke and have even more wine than I already do, which is more wine than I already need. If you've been playing this game for a while you know: It's really easy to over-buy. Especially if you consistently order your full allocation from the same few wineries year after year.
So I'm taking my time. Picking and choosing the best combinations of wineries I'm familiar with. That I consistently enjoy. That deliver great products that are worth as much or more to me than I pay for them. And work with consumers on shipping to make the fully loaded costs a win win for them and for us.
Question of the Day: What has been your approach to buying now that wineries can ship to Massachusetts? Has it changed your purchase patterns signicantly? Where are you finding the best value?
The drought files: Calera edition
Drought has been wreaking havoc on all of California, including the wine industry. Producers have varied their responses to it, with some irrigating as much as they still can and others calling for ?dry farming.? Yesterday, Josh Jensen (right) of Calera Wine told a packed seminar at the In Pursuit of Balance tasting in New […]
The post The drought files: Calera edition appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/RLtCYYylBXo/
Quick Deal: $50 Zachys Gift Card for $250 Purchase
I think the best way to play this would be to find well-priced wines like the 2012 Rivers-Marie Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir to get to $250. Then use the $50 gift card at some point in the future when they're running a free shipping promo.
They've also got some of the Wine Spectator Top 10/100 wines that are being revealed this week at fair prices.
Offer runs November 10-13 2014.
Like wine deals? Check out WWP advertiser WineNabber that makes it easy to find the kind of wine deals you're interested without flooding your inbox.
Let?s Get Fizzacle!
Sure, bubbly is boss on New Years and even at celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries, but why not add its charming sparkle to silly-sweet St. Valentine?s Day? I can?t think of a lustier toast ? except for maybe Bedrock?s ravishing Ode to Lulu ros�, or a sinful zinfandel, or ?. Here?s my go-to list: NV [...]
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/lets-get-fizzacle/
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s December 6th Release Notes
I am happy to write that this release is full of some very good wines at more affordable prices than the previous two I reported on. Rarely do we see good quality Beaujolais in this part of the world, but there are a couple that caught my interest and several Spanish wines show particularly well [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/mSeR42ITMUA/alan-kerrs-vintages-december-notes
Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Story Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Words aren’t enough
I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales…
…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly? Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review?
Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.
Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature.
Bad Week for Eric Asimov?
On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.
This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.
Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata.
To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.
With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.
Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony. Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.
In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.
Just a thought…
It’s all about the story
The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling. Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.
So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted. This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.
I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.
He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”
A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September. There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising. Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.
If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…
Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are: The Story Factor and Made to Stick.
On Sweet Wines
In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,” E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted: “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture. First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”
Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:
How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010
And
Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year
Just saying…
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_story_edition/
Rockin? at Wine & Cars
Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]
Shut the Front Door: A Vinsane, Pay-it-Forward, Drinks 4X the Price Wine Recommendation
The problem with sleuthing out good wine under $10 is the recommendations usually come with provisos like, “This is pretty good for the price,” or “This isn’t bad for the style of wine.” Rare is the time that a wine recommendation for vino under $10 is just, “This is a fantastic wine.”
Who can blame the wine recommender for their caveats and written sleights of hand when they’re left to tout the middling amongst the insipid; the redemptive within the felonious? It’s like the back-handed compliment from the parents of an axe murderer who note plaintively from the front stoop, “He has a good heart.”
Adding insult to this injury, it seems like nearly all domestic wines under $10 are manipulated to appeal to a demographic. Far too often, they are oak chipped to a formula, softened, vortexed and plumped back up into a wine beverage complete with a label that screams, “Benignly vague and blandly appealing. I am inoffensive to a large group of people.”
And, forget about pairing under $10 bottles of vino with food. Do so only if your idea of wine pairing centers on condiments with artificial coloring and HFCS, so duotone are the wine flavor profiles.
When it comes to what should be reliable international value wines, forget about it – most of them aren’t even has-beens, they never were. France and Italy – I’m talking to you. For a sawbuck, these are sad, middling, barely potable wines evocative of an athlete whose entire identity is wrapped up in jockdom, but for whom life’s fate never provided him acclaim beyond the local playground. The fact that these wines often taste like a sweaty gym sock may, in fact, be no small coincidence.
Harrumph.
What I want is what most wine consumers want: A non-spoofulated wine with quality that stands on its own—a good wine at $9.99 that is a good wine, period. No half-hearted caveats associated with it. If the wine pairs with dinner, instead of being a digestif, all the better. Tie me up, spank me and call me Shirley if this mystical and elusive under $10 wine also has any of the following characteristics: Organic, old vines, unfiltered, native yeast, judicious oak, and complexity whilst being food-friendly.
I’m pretty sure I won’t have to have any dalliances in the wine S&M dungeon save for one emerging country.
Recently, I started to see glimpses of where quality, inexpensive wines might be coming from in the future when I tasted through a sampling of wines from the Navarra region of Spain. One $5 bottle of wine was so screamingly good it defied the law of reason.
And, then, I received a recommendation for Masia de Bielsa’s 2009 Garnacha, a Spanish wine from the Campo de Borja area in the Aragon region of Spain, southeast of Navarre and La Rioja. Adam Japko, a wino friend and author of Wine-Zag, and I did some horse-trading on bottles and he threw in a bottle of wine in a wine shipment to me and noted, “Curious what you think of this…”
What do I think? I think I owe you favors to last a month of Sundays for turning me onto a beauty.
Of course, wine recommendations don’t happen in a vacuum and the Masia de Bielsa 2009 Garnacha is no different even if it follows a certain circuitous Internet-borne dynamic that seems unusual even in this day and age of “brand vs. land, there are no secret wine values anymore…” online battle.
Jose Pastor is a wunderkind (30 years old) wine importer with a fast growing reputation amongst wine insiders for his portfolio of Spanish wines that are typically natural in style – producers who farm organically when possible, emphasize terroir, use ambient yeasts, filter sparingly and use minimal oak. In other words, his wines, and especially his inexpensive wine selections, are the anti-brand. Or, should I say, “They’re the antidote to brand wines.” The good stuff.
Jose’s wines won’t have an end-cap in stores with promotional materials, nor will they follow you on Twitter or ply you with faux-flattery for a “Like” on Facebook. Ditto that for Pastor playing the points scoring game. He doesn’t do it. The wines and wineries in his portfolio simply represent something good and honest and rely on smart trade buyers who know good juice when they taste it and are interested in paying that forward to consumer’s one bottle at a time.
This formula isn’t a recipe for getting rich, but it is a recipe for long-term, slow-burning growth based on a purity of vision.
When Richard Schnitzlein, a longtime wine buyer in the greater Boston area, took over the wine section at Ferns Country store in Carlisle, MA in early 2011, he started to remake the selection of wines on offer and that meant much more diversity, spreading the selection from two distributors to 14 over a seven month period.
A part of that remaking was to engage Genuine Wine Selections, a wine distributor in Massachusetts, who carries the Jose Pastor portfolio.
When Genuine Wine Selections partner Dennis Quinn showed up at Ferns in the spring with samples to taste, the ’09 Bielsa was a part of the mix.
Enamored, Schnitzlein started stocking the wine. “Initially (the Bielsa) was a hand sell, but (it) soon became a wine that people were asking for,” he noted.
Japko was turned onto the Bielsa from Schnitzlein and mentioned the Bielsa on his site in June. A September Ferns promotion dropped the price on the Bielsa from $11.99 to 9.95 and that yielded 15 cases of the Bielsa moving through the door for Ferns including a stock-up from Japko.
Within a week of receiving my bottle from Japko, I had taken to the Internet to find this wine and I bought a ½ case online from Marketview Liquor in New York state who sells it for $7.99 a bottle.
I’ve gifted a bottle to a friend at work, and, well, I’m writing extensively about this vino, too – my own pay-it-forward juju for having been tipped off to this wine.
The moral of this story? Finding a gem of a wine for $10 or under isn’t a hopeless process, but you do have to sift a lot of muck to find the gold nugget. In my opinion, you’re more likely to find a gem by keeping your ears open for word of mouth recommendations from wine-inclined friends or a local wine shop then to take to the wine aisles of your supermarket wine section playing brand roulette. Here, the internet and Wine-searcher.com is your friend, as well. In addition, Spain is a country that is producing some excellent wines across all price tiers, and my very recent and very anecdotal track record at the lower-end has been very good. And, finally, it pays to know people. It pays to know what Jose Pastor is all about, and it pays to know the Richard Schnitzlein’s and Adam Japko’s of the world who freely share where to find the good stuff, even if finding the good stuff requires an Importer in California, a wine buyer in Massachusetts, a generous friend and internet ecommerce.
2009 Bielsa Vinas Viejas Garnacha
Huge, pure nose with mulberry juice, black cherry, orange peel, earth and a meaty savory quality that gives way to an expressive palate with plum, black cherry, spice and fresh squeezed orange juice. The finish lingers with plum, pepper and earthiness. This is a varietally correct, gorgeous, natural, unfiltered wine that screams for food and would be a bargain at 4X the price. Highly recommended. At under $10 a bottle, you’d be foolhardy not to find this wine.
2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Class�
In this post you'll find an overview of the ratings of the 2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Class� wines. We have gathered all ratings from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator.
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/36/2007-st-emilion-grand-cru-classe/
What Makes A Wine ?Authentic??
As is often the case, Steve Heimoff has posted a “think piece” on his blog today. And judging by the relatively few comments at the time I write this most readers are just doing that; thinking. His post is on authenticity in wine and how difficult and subjective it is to define. In the end, […]
What Makes A Wine “Authentic”? originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/LUPCVX73PUs/
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