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January 6th, 2005 was my first post to this new blog. Below is how it all started if interested. The popularity of our blog has surprised us. We try to stick to reviewing wine without a bunch of yada yada although I am the worst offender for what may be too much yada yada. It's just that the supreme enjoyment of wine is not merely what is in the bottle but whole experience of fellowship surrounding the event. And what is amazing is that you can have an "event" as mundane as a 3:00 snack, but add a bottle of wine, and it becomes an ocassion! I will resolve to temper my yada yada's without losing the experience. Raise a glass with us to a new year and we hope you visit us and leave comments--often.
How it all started: It was 1979 and I was putting my time in at a hospital laboratory as a medical technologist. Someone brought in a magazine subtitled ?The magazine for physicians at leisure.? On my breaks I would page through it because it had some really nice photos of far away places in gorgeous spots of the world. In one issue there was a feature titled, ?The Ten Best Wines in America for under $10.?
Wine had intrigued me yet my exposure to the fruit of the vine had pretty much been relegated to the annual Thanksgiving sip my parents would serve of?sit down?Mogen- David wine. Even as a kid, I thought it had more in common with cough syrup than a drinkable beverage. That exposure is probably why I was much more a Guinness Stout kind of guy if anything at all.
Still, the mythical stories of the guy who could sit down with a glass of fermented grape juice in front of him and tell you the place it was made, the year it was made and the particular type of grape or grapes fascinated me. So, ?What made a good wine, a good wine??
Even I could afford a $10 bottle of wine every now and then so if the ones in the magazine represented the best in the country, I wanted to know what they tasted like and began to hunt down everyone I could. That was it; I was hooked. I joined a wine club called ?Les Amis Du Vin? which means ?Friends of the Vine? which entitled me to the wine of the month at a local dealer which meant I could get one bottle of the month?s selection for half price. That was the beginning of a lifetime pursuit of what has been an absolutely inexhaustible quest to understand wine. Do not misunderstand though, I am NOT a connoisseur but I do know a good wine from a mediocre wine from a bad wine. And I know a great value when I find one which these days abound! Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile are producing wines not by the hundreds or thousands of cases but by the hundreds of thousands of cases. With that kind of volume, phenomenal bargains are all over the place!
So if you are serious about pursuing wine beyond a bottle here and there, you have to subscribe to the Wine Spectator magazine. It will cost you $45 a year but is worth every penny. And will save you ten times that in a year by helping you to avoid over-priced and over-hyped wines. Their rating system is irrespective of a wine?s cost so when you see a wine that rates an 88 out of 100 scale and it costs $8 and then another wine that rates an 86 which cost $55; the savings are obvious. Til next time--
January 6th, 2005 was my first post to this new blog. Below is how it all started if interested. The popularity of our blog has surprised us. We try to stick to reviewing wine without a bunch of yada yada although I am the worst offender for what may be too much yada yada. It's just that the supreme enjoyment of wine is not merely what is in the bottle but whole experience of fellowship surrounding the event. And what is amazing is that you can have an "event" as mundane as a 3:00 snack, but add a bottle of wine, and it becomes an ocassion! I will resolve to temper my yada yada's without losing the experience. Raise a glass with us to a new year and we hope you visit us and leave comments--often.
How it all started: It was 1979 and I was putting my time in at a hospital laboratory as a medical technologist. Someone brought in a magazine subtitled ?The magazine for physicians at leisure.? On my breaks I would page through it because it had some really nice photos of far away places in gorgeous spots of the world. In one issue there was a feature titled, ?The Ten Best Wines in America for under $10.?
Wine had intrigued me yet my exposure to the fruit of the vine had pretty much been relegated to the annual Thanksgiving sip my parents would serve of?sit down?Mogen- David wine. Even as a kid, I thought it had more in common with cough syrup than a drinkable beverage. That exposure is probably why I was much more a Guinness Stout kind of guy if anything at all.
Still, the mythical stories of the guy who could sit down with a glass of fermented grape juice in front of him and tell you the place it was made, the year it was made and the particular type of grape or grapes fascinated me. So, ?What made a good wine, a good wine??
Even I could afford a $10 bottle of wine every now and then so if the ones in the magazine represented the best in the country, I wanted to know what they tasted like and began to hunt down everyone I could. That was it; I was hooked. I joined a wine club called ?Les Amis Du Vin? which means ?Friends of the Vine? which entitled me to the wine of the month at a local dealer which meant I could get one bottle of the month?s selection for half price. That was the beginning of a lifetime pursuit of what has been an absolutely inexhaustible quest to understand wine. Do not misunderstand though, I am NOT a connoisseur but I do know a good wine from a mediocre wine from a bad wine. And I know a great value when I find one which these days abound! Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile are producing wines not by the hundreds or thousands of cases but by the hundreds of thousands of cases. With that kind of volume, phenomenal bargains are all over the place!
So if you are serious about pursuing wine beyond a bottle here and there, you have to subscribe to the Wine Spectator magazine. It will cost you $45 a year but is worth every penny. And will save you ten times that in a year by helping you to avoid over-priced and over-hyped wines. Their rating system is irrespective of a wine?s cost so when you see a wine that rates an 88 out of 100 scale and it costs $8 and then another wine that rates an 86 which cost $55; the savings are obvious. Til next time--
In 2008, I've taken tasting notes on nearly 400 wines. I enjoy a wide variety of wines and am especially excited to find good bargains. In fact, my colleagues and I at The Wine Cask Blog are particularly value-oriented. We believe the world of wine delivers tremendous value if you're willing to search out new regions and new varietals.
Many terrific wines are available for $10 or so, but I wanted to share with you my best tastings under $20 in order to capture a few wines that really are special and unique. Here they are:
1. Villa Reale Vigne Nuove Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2005- $11 (Italy)
This might be the best value I've ever found. Incredible stuff for the money!
2. Rosenblum San Francisco Bay Heritage Clones Petite Sirah 2005- $19 (California)
One of the biggest, fruitiest wines on the planet. Make sure you're in the mood for this style!
3. Yangarra McLaren Vale Old Vine Grenache 2004- $19 (Australia)
Here's the incredible balance of ripe fruit and underlying tea notes. Move over Shiraz!
4. Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc Reserve 2003- $19 (California)
Really smooth, rich, and round. Cab Franc in a modern interpretation!
5. Giesen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007- $11 (New Zealand)
I keep finding New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that knock my socks off!
6. Frog Hill Pinotage 2006- $19 (South Africa)
A composition of wild berries and other exotic layers!
7. Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2005- $15 (Chile)
Dark, dense, and totally Cab. One of the new "best values" from Chile!
8. Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2005- $15
Ripe but also elegant. Don't miss this one!
9. Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2005- $14
A great representation of Malbec at an affordable price!
10. Alamos Torrontes 2007- $10
Exotic and beautifully made- and for only ten bucks!
In 2008, I've taken tasting notes on nearly 400 wines. I enjoy a wide variety of wines and am especially excited to find good bargains. In fact, my colleagues and I at The Wine Cask Blog are particularly value-oriented. We believe the world of wine delivers tremendous value if you're willing to search out new regions and new varietals.
Many terrific wines are available for $10 or so, but I wanted to share with you my best tastings under $20 in order to capture a few wines that really are special and unique. Here they are:
1. Villa Reale Vigne Nuove Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2005- $11 (Italy)
This might be the best value I've ever found. Incredible stuff for the money!
2. Rosenblum San Francisco Bay Heritage Clones Petite Sirah 2005- $19 (California)
One of the biggest, fruitiest wines on the planet. Make sure you're in the mood for this style!
3. Yangarra McLaren Vale Old Vine Grenache 2004- $19 (Australia)
Here's the incredible balance of ripe fruit and underlying tea notes. Move over Shiraz!
4. Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc Reserve 2003- $19 (California)
Really smooth, rich, and round. Cab Franc in a modern interpretation!
5. Giesen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007- $11 (New Zealand)
I keep finding New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that knock my socks off!
6. Frog Hill Pinotage 2006- $19 (South Africa)
A composition of wild berries and other exotic layers!
7. Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2005- $15 (Chile)
Dark, dense, and totally Cab. One of the new "best values" from Chile!
8. Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2005- $15
Ripe but also elegant. Don't miss this one!
9. Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2005- $14
A great representation of Malbec at an affordable price!
10. Alamos Torrontes 2007- $10
Exotic and beautifully made- and for only ten bucks!
Bordeaux may have lost Carménère to the Phylloxera blight of the mid-19th century, but not to worry ? Chile has plenty. By happy coincidence, Chilean growers had brought in root stock from France 20 years before the pest accidentally imported from North America decimated the vineyards of Europe, and the grapes of Bordeaux thrived in their new, warmer, home. (Phylloxera, thankfully, hasn?t made the trip across the equator.)
Malbec flourished in Argentina , where it has become that country?s signature grape. Similarly, Carménère has become the grape most closely identified with Chile, although that is a quite recent development. It wasn?t until the mid-1990s that Jean-Michel Boursiquot , a French ampelographer (a botanist who specializes in grape identification), determined that the grape the Chileans had brought over 150 years earlier wasn?t Merlot, as they had thought, but Carménère, the ancient grape of Bordeaux. Following Boursiquot?s discovery, Chile officially recognized the grape as a distinct variety in 1998, and it is now grown primarily in the Rapel and Maipo Valleys.
Terra Andina gives its Carménère?s domain of origin as the larger Valle Central region, which encompasses the subregions of Rapel, Maipo, Curicó and Maule Valleys. It is quite purple in color, with vivid aromas of dark berries on the nose. The wine is medium- to full-bodied, and it tastes as though someone figured out a way to cross plums and blueberries. It?s delicious, easy to drink, and at under $9 (I paid $6.99) quite affordable. The ?07 vintage comes bottled both with corks and screwcaps ? pick up a few cases of the screwcaps and you?ll have a stock of easy-to-serve, crowd-pleasing party wine that your guests will rave about!
Well I?m back, with many changes on the way?too many to report on here.The move was predictably stressful, complete with long waits at the police for foreign national registration, idiot bank employees who don?t do what you ask them to, negligent estate agents only interested in their miserable commission?and that?s if they?re still employed, considering the global financial meltdown that ensued, seemingly occurring right after I physically landed at Heathrow and cleared the baggage claim.Oh well, at least the internet service provider finally showed up and set me up, so on towards the more exciting, positive bits of news...I look forward to coming back more often to post, particularly on my own domain.Look for updates on that soon.
Onto the wine?one of the final remaining, seemingly recession-proof products around, particularly if you?re a wine producer from Argentina or South Africa, or perhaps a wine importer in China, but I?m getting ahead of myself again.
I find the UK wine marketplace, from the consumer?s perspective, incredibly fascinating in ways that would make importers and distributors from back in the US think twice and want to look hard and long on certain matters.After all, this is the market from which, time and again, I?ve seen trends emerge, subsequently reaching American stocklists, on average and depending on the specific trend, around 12-18 months later.Whether we?re talking organics, fair-trade wines, an upsurge in country/region-specific wines being consumed (Austria, Bierzo, NZ Pinot Noir, Chilean takes on Alsace, Argentine Tempranillo, and many more ), or even a specific craze for wines that single out a particular grape variety, it always seems like it all begins here first.A small clarification of course, we always need one of those?when I discuss market trends, the proportions I am are referring to could well be regarded as ?mainstream? or en-masse.Leaving aside the handful of enlightened, forward-looking importers, distributors, retailers and agents involved in the US wine trade, I?m thinking of trends that American consumers simply haven?t embraced in mainstream fashion.
What trends am I talking about, then, in terms of the ?here and now??The recently sudden and intense interest, expressed particularly by some of the largest retail entities in the US (Target, Walmart, etc?), in ?certified organic? and ?fair trade? wines, has been preceded by all sorts of retail outlets here in the UK by almost five or six years.In fact, the revered wine education cathedral of sorts, Vinopolis, recently hosted a consumer-oriented Fair Trade tasting featuring South African and South-American wines.In terms of the prevalence of ?Fair Trade certified? wines in the marketplace here, even large supermarket chains maintain extensive production relationships with wine producers in Argentina, Chile and South Africa that intend to compensate the grape farming coops that supply them fairly and ethically.The venerable Trainsfair USA, I believe, is just beginning to crank the gears that will soon establish an American Fair Trade certification scheme in the vein of its successful coffee program.One recently elaborated section of its website seems to be calling all potentially interested retailers, importers and distributors of Fair Trade certified wines, complete with legal advice and guidelines to becoming approved agents.
I don?t have much in the way of a formal set of closing thoughts on this, but a few questions come to mind in terms of this apparent phenomenon where certain trends poke their heads out in the UK first:
1) Could this simply be attributed to there being an altogether greater sense of open-mindedness here in the UK?I?ve seen many food products here, ingredients easily available at mainstream chain supermarkets for very reasonable prices?meats, spices and foods for which I used to have to trek all the way to a Whole Foods in the US, sometimes fifty miles each way, just to get in line and pay frighteningly exorbitant prices, given that my purchases didn?t consist of the bland crap available in most stores.
2) The second question revolves around economic irony:Why is it that the UK is at the forefront of wine consumer trends, as far as imports, when it is actually the US market which the latest reports point to as being the most profitable market to export to, on a per liter of wine basis?This should be taken into account in addition to the US being ranked the second largest export market (by volume).Would the people at the American Association of Wine Economists have a paper on this?
Whether I am here or there, from now on I will be posting recommendations and pieces such as this one on both the American and British wine market environments.More to follow in the near future?
Well I?m back, with many changes on the way?too many to report on here.The move was predictably stressful, complete with long waits at the police for foreign national registration, idiot bank employees who don?t do what you ask them to, negligent estate agents only interested in their miserable commission?and that?s if they?re still employed, considering the global financial meltdown that ensued, seemingly occurring right after I physically landed at Heathrow and cleared the baggage claim.Oh well, at least the internet service provider finally showed up and set me up, so on towards the more exciting, positive bits of news...I look forward to coming back more often to post, particularly on my own domain.Look for updates on that soon.
Onto the wine?one of the final remaining, seemingly recession-proof products around, particularly if you?re a wine producer from Argentina or South Africa, or perhaps a wine importer in China, but I?m getting ahead of myself again.
I find the UK wine marketplace, from the consumer?s perspective, incredibly fascinating in ways that would make importers and distributors from back in the US think twice and want to look hard and long on certain matters.After all, this is the market from which, time and again, I?ve seen trends emerge, subsequently reaching American stocklists, on average and depending on the specific trend, around 12-18 months later.Whether we?re talking organics, fair-trade wines, an upsurge in country/region-specific wines being consumed (Austria, Bierzo, NZ Pinot Noir, Chilean takes on Alsace, Argentine Tempranillo, and many more ), or even a specific craze for wines that single out a particular grape variety, it always seems like it all begins here first.A small clarification of course, we always need one of those?when I discuss market trends, the proportions I am are referring to could well be regarded as ?mainstream? or en-masse.Leaving aside the handful of enlightened, forward-looking importers, distributors, retailers and agents involved in the US wine trade, I?m thinking of trends that American consumers simply haven?t embraced in mainstream fashion.
What trends am I talking about, then, in terms of the ?here and now??The recently sudden and intense interest, expressed particularly by some of the largest retail entities in the US (Target, Walmart, etc?), in ?certified organic? and ?fair trade? wines, has been preceded by all sorts of retail outlets here in the UK by almost five or six years.In fact, the revered wine education cathedral of sorts, Vinopolis, recently hosted a consumer-oriented Fair Trade tasting featuring South African and South-American wines.In terms of the prevalence of ?Fair Trade certified? wines in the marketplace here, even large supermarket chains maintain extensive production relationships with wine producers in Argentina, Chile and South Africa that intend to compensate the grape farming coops that supply them fairly and ethically.The venerable Trainsfair USA, I believe, is just beginning to crank the gears that will soon establish an American Fair Trade certification scheme in the vein of its successful coffee program.One recently elaborated section of its website seems to be calling all potentially interested retailers, importers and distributors of Fair Trade certified wines, complete with legal advice and guidelines to becoming approved agents.
I don?t have much in the way of a formal set of closing thoughts on this, but a few questions come to mind in terms of this apparent phenomenon where certain trends poke their heads out in the UK first:
1) Could this simply be attributed to there being an altogether greater sense of open-mindedness here in the UK?I?ve seen many food products here, ingredients easily available at mainstream chain supermarkets for very reasonable prices?meats, spices and foods for which I used to have to trek all the way to a Whole Foods in the US, sometimes fifty miles each way, just to get in line and pay frighteningly exorbitant prices, given that my purchases didn?t consist of the bland crap available in most stores.
2) The second question revolves around economic irony:Why is it that the UK is at the forefront of wine consumer trends, as far as imports, when it is actually the US market which the latest reports point to as being the most profitable market to export to, on a per liter of wine basis?This should be taken into account in addition to the US being ranked the second largest export market (by volume).Would the people at the American Association of Wine Economists have a paper on this?
Whether I am here or there, from now on I will be posting recommendations and pieces such as this one on both the American and British wine market environments.More to follow in the near future?
Not something you read about much are the wines of Laithwaites, despite being one of the largest wine retailers in the UK. They offer wines under the laithwaites brand, The Sunday Times Wine Club, Direct Wines and the Nectar Wine Club amongst others. They delivered a mammoth 56 million bottles of wine across the UK during the last 12 months.
A little tasting a few weeks back (I'm falling behind with my note writing!), in the high Victorian Gothic splendours of Oxford Town Hall (such a welcome change from having to trundle all the way to the metropolis), offered a just under 30 wines from the companies range.
A vast majority of the wines offered are own label - just a smattering from well known names (Cloudy Bay, Royal Tokaji, Hunters for example) appear on their list. The company owns a Chateau in Bordeaux where many staff are sent to learn the intercacies of wine making. Visiting a vineyard and winery is an amazing experience and really brings home the connection between land and final product.
Shame then that the Laithwaite Sauvignon Blanc (£7.89) from this estate, Chateau La Clarière was one of the worst wines available at the tasting. Perhaps they should send me a bottle to try for the girls running the tasting were hugely enthused by it and their experiences of visiting the estate, but my notes read slightly over extracted, harsh nose, sharp acidic finish.
But other drinks were more palatable:
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Alessandro Gallici Prosecco Brut, NV, Vino Spumante, Italy. Price: £8.89 [More: Adegga / Snooth] Gentle nose, vibrant fizz (like you were expecting something else?), frothy, fun. Tranch of peachy, appley, fruit. Good price. Alcohol 11.5%.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint, 2006, Hungary. Price: £10.69 [More: Adegga / Snooth] An unusual wine with which to tempt the masses; I imagine trying is the best way to sell this (there was a wine club tasting, with the same wines as offered to me occurring simultaneously in an adjacent room) . No nose but an interesting array of flavours on the palate - clean, minerally, citrus, slightly honeyed, apricoty.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Rocky Rombola Rosé, 2008, New South Wales, Australia Price: £6.29 [More: Adegga / Snooth] Delicious looking colour, vibrant. Very Aussie in style, ripe fruit, full, good price. A freshness and vibrancy (that were lacking in a couple of other rosés at the tasting). Along with the fruitiness there is a nice, sharp berry edge on the finish. Alcohol 13%. £6.29.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Gran Valle de Niebla Pinot Noir, 2007, Rapel, Chile Price: £9.15 [More on Adegga / Snooth] From the reliable Cono Sur stable. Easy drinking, soft, but over-priced. Alcohol 13.5%.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Stony Creek Tarrango Shiraz, 2006, Big Rivers, Fleurieu & Gundagai, Australia Price: £7.39 [More on Adegga / Snooth] An interesting blend (70% Tarrango, 30% Shiraz) Light and fruity almost pinot in style. Tarrango on the nose, Syrah on the finish. Offers a juicy softness. Alcohol 13%. £7.39.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Tenca Tree Shiraz , 2007, Central Valley, Chile Price: £6.29 [More on Adegga / Snooth] Deep,almost opaque in colour. Good blackberry spiced nose and decent spicy finish. Commercial,soft but nice expression. Alcohol 13%.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: San Floriano Ripasso, 2005, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Italy Price: £11.39 [More on Adegga / Snooth] The best red of the tasting - lovely palate, and rich, expressive nose. Plenty of tannins, concentration and ripe, stewed fruit. Good length. Alcohol 13.5%.
Review0.3 Cider Tasting Note: Cidre Artisanal Le Brun Brut, NV, Cidre de Bretagne, France Price: £4.29 Not really a cider fan but this is rather nice - not 'dirty; as some ciders can be on the nose, not to alcoholic either (which is the normal region I dislike cider). Alcohol 5.5%. Sweetish fruit, dry finish £4.29.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Miranda Golden Botrytis, NV, Riverina, Australia Price: £11.15 half bottle [More: Adegga / Snooth] A mix of Riverina Semillon and King Valley Riesling. Fresh, treacle and orange syrup nose. Rich, full, sweet, mouth-filling, ripe and good complexity for the price. Alcohol 10%.
Many years ago I was interviewed for a job at Laithwaites essentially writing the (prodigiously large and frequent) mailing material; much to their loss I didn't get the job!
A combination cited as a classic food and wine combination is Munster cheese with Gewürztraminer. But how many people sit down to a meal of just cheese? What I'm after is a main meal dish.
Ruling out Gewurz with Chinese or Thai dishes (a combination I've never found remotely enjoyable) a recipe sent with a bottle of Espiritu de Chile Gewürztraminer sounded at once interesting, autumnal and tasty.
The wine itself is not hugely expensive (around a fiver) but works well as a mid-week slurp and did work deliciously well with the food - a Thai-Spiced Chicken Salad.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Espiritu de Chile Gewürztraminer, 2007, Central Valley, Chile. Price: £4.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A pleasant nose - hints of violets, limes and roses with similar flavours on the palate only more focused and noticeable. Hints of sweetness balance the wine but this is not a full in-yer-face Gewurz some can verge on the soapy, almost violent in intensity and spicy sweetness. This does have a little of the rose and ginger coupled with a suspicion of strawberries but, as expected for a humbly priced wine, is quite gentle and more subtle.
With the food: Despite the generous dollop of Thai Chili Paste the salad is not overly spicy (in the heat-hot spectrum) it still has a decent level of background heat but not enough to dampen the taste buds and, in turn, ruin the wine. Pear and apple flavours appear in the wine leading to the question should the dish have a little sliced pear added for additional autumnal flavours (not terribly Thai I suppose. Mind you is Savoy cabbage?)
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 86/100 [3.25 out of 5]
Duck pâté and Foie Gras (although I find this too rich a combination, especially if the wine is of the sweeter style) do work well with Gewurztraminer.
After daylight savings ends, my thoughts turn increasingly to red wine. Once I set the clocks back, it gets dark faster than I expect. I start cooking dinner. The heat comes on. I wonder "is there a red wine in the house?"
And then there are the winter foods that start sounding just perfect right about now: beef stew, chicken chile, and soups made with late fall vegetables.
If this sounds like you right now, I've got a red that will knock your socks off and have you praising the wine gods. It's from Chile, which (like Argentina) produces some excellent value wines. This one is no exception, and it's made by Veramonte, the winery that also makes exceptionally good value Sauvignon Blancs.
The 2005 Veramonte Primus represents the best of what Chile has to offer to people seeking great value and great taste. This excellent QPR red wine drinks like a wine that's two or three times the cost. It's big, bold,a n balanced. Made from a mixture of 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Carmenere, the first thing that will strike you if you get your own bottle is the beautiful, dark plum color. Then you will be bowled over by heady aromas of plum, blackberry, spice, and plum blossom. I loved the way that the promise of the aromas was delivered in the flavors, which echoed the smells beautifully--although the plummy notes did take center stage. The wine had rich, satiny texture that seemed more opulent than a wine with an under $20 pricetag deserved--but I'm certainly not complaining. Well-integrated tannins and a taste that reminded me of the spicy smell of my mom's cedar chest rounded out this nicely made, well-balanced wine. It's drinking very well now, but if you find some for a good price I think you might want to buy a couple of bottles and put them away for drinking between now and the end of 2009.
I received my bottle as a sample, but you should be able to find bottles of this wine all over the US for between $14 and $26. And they bottled some in 375 ml bottles, as well, which are retailing for $7-$14.
Enjoy the change in seasons. Get some red wine, snuggle with the one you love, and catch up on your movies and TV now that the election is over. Long winter nights can be a good thing, after all.
I am on my way to visit the vineyards of Thailand. I have already learned about some of the many challenges they face, but now I will learn how they are overcoming them.
Growing grapes in the tropics takes a different approach than in the temperate climes. Vines do not get a chance to achieve dormancy, they grow vigorously all year round. This leads to the "Two Seasons, one Crop" approach, which means that there is only one harvest, even though there could conceivably be two. This increases the quality of the grapes, since the vine does not have to produce fruit twice.
Then there is the rain. This is a monsoon climate, and when it rains, it pours, for months. Wet leaves rot and this would not at all be a suitable time for producing fruit beneath a leafy canopy. And so, harvest takes place in the winter. We are not below the Equator, so harvesting in February and March means growing during the dark months. This has a direct effect on the amount of photosynthesis the vines can achieve.
High water tables in at least one of the vineyards we have visited so far, necessitate rather drastic soil management. A moisture barrier has to be placed 15 feet down, and then stones, in this case slate, is used to fill in the hole, greatly increasing the drainage potential of the vineyards. This keeps the water from rising too far, while allowing surface rains and irrigation to trickle down, nourishing the roots.
Heat is also a major concern, not only in the vineyard, but in the winery. I have tried some wine that tastes as if it may have been made in conditions that were inappropriately hot, but herein lies the rub. Was the wine damaged during production, or transportation and storage?
No matter how careful the wine producers are, the transportation and storage conditions, or more properly, the lack of them, spells disaster for much of the wine. Restaurants and stores often have no refrigeration for the wines, and even if they did, the truck the wine was delivered in may well not.
The heat is also problematic for making wines which contain residual sugar. Those I have visited with blame the heat for restarting fermentation in the bottle, or in many cases the "bag in a box" bladder. I personally think that better sterile filtering practices could make such wines possible, but I will learn more as I visit more wineries in the next few days.
Why the emphasis on wines with RS? The food. Spicy chiles are not easy to pair with wine, and while many producers insist their dry reds go well with the foods, I can't help but point out that I prefer slightly sweet whites with spicy food.
With many thanks to the Thai Wine Association who have invited me to tour their member wineries, I am off to explore and learn about the Thai wine industry. A full report will be coming to a blog near you next week.
Thailand has a much greater wine presence than India. This shouldn't surprise anyone that has visited both countries. Thailand in general is a very modern country, at least around Bangkok and the seaside communities. India is a country struggling
Tecnorati
Bordeaux may have lost Carménère to the 
