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First--Ripasso is a specially made wine from Valpolicella created by fermenting young wine with the unpressed but drained skins and lees left over from making Amarone. Ripasso is made by a number of producers, often using their own variations of this basic method.This wine has a heavily pigmented hue like a Syrah with a deep black cherry presence.
Bouquet is brimming with ripe rich berries and light spice.
Palate--rich tannins with steel and minerals, forthright, juicy, fruit and very tasty.
This wine is voluptuous, velevty and plush; a pure wine. A bit pricey around $22 but well worth it! Raise a glass!
With old movies, I often find myself paying attention to background details, like the style of men's ties, typefaces, and historical curiosities.
Take this still from Charlie Chaplin's 1936 Modern Times. I've sharpened and adjusted the image somewhat, and it will be clearer to read if you click on the small photo to the right.
During an extended scene in a department store with the female lead in which our two impoverished protagonists pretend to be rich, the Little Tramp is chased into the liquor section. The sign at the top of the wall reads "Rare Old Wines in Bulk", with a smaller sign below that says "Take Home a Jug of our Guaranteed Wine". The barrels are labeled Pre-War Stock Muscatel, Choice Old Rum, Special Port Wine, Pre-War Stock Sauterne (sic), Sherry Wine, and the blocked barrel reads Angelica Wine, which is sort of a California Port made from the Mission grape. Presumably "Pre-War" is shorthand for "Pre-Prohibition".
I know in the European countryside it's common to run up to the local wine producer with a jug or a few spare bottles to stock up on table wine, but it's not something I've ever associated with American wine drinking. Moonshine yes, wine no.
I don't know a lot about how wine, fortified wine, and spirits were shipped and stored back in the 1930s, but one wonders about how the Sauternes and Muscatel would have tasted after spending roughly twenty years in oak barrels. The rum could have been amazing, though, and that's what gets sprayed in Charlie's face seconds after that screen capture above.
It seems appropriate that the mythical figure of the phoenix should enter my imagination when searching for metaphors that could describe the variable fortunes of Verdejo throughout Spain's history. Wine production in general suffered during particularly crippling plague outbreaks, the Moorish Invasions, Reconquista, Wars of Succession and more recently under Franco, among several other trials. Not unlike the development and refinement of viticulture in Burgundy and the Rheingau, however, Verdejo cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula has distinct monastic roots. This is not by coincidence either, as the Castillian countryside, including the more important towns such as Segovia, Ávila and Valladolid gave Europe culturally transcendent figures such as Sts. Juan of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila.
Famous saints aside, the Sanz family has been involved extensively since the revitalization initiated in the region since the 1970?s and 1980?s, along the likes of larger houses such as Marqués de Riscal. Rueda wines, having achieved D.O. status around that time, in 1980, allow for Verdejo to be blended with other local and international white varietals. Sanz produces another (orange label) Con Class Rueda, which represents this type of blend, though I personally find the 100% Verdejo much more exciting and interesting.
I?m quite thrilled that consumers in export markets are now able to find stand-alone bottles of Castillian Verdejo from resurgent Spanish D.O.?s such as Rueda. Along with the producers? adoption of a more updated, state-of-the-art approach towards regional varieties that the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) people are striving to convey to foreign markets, I find it altogether more noteworthy to see the producers? attitudes themselves skewing towards their own tastes when it comes to the fork in the road that producing for said markets represents. The producer wonders: "What balance do we strike between what we believe regional, indigenous varieties such as Verdejo can achieve, and what North Americans or say, the Chinese and Japanese markets prefer in terms of taste and style?"
Argentines like myself are keenly aware of these issues, particularly when contemplating our neighbors from across the mountain range. The progressive viticultural methodologies and embrace of technology in and of themselves are assets that ultimately yield no rewards if utilized to please foreign sensibilities only. Heavy investment and updated production methods, in this case, however, have done well by Rueda producers?really well in fact. Wines like my pick for this week?s recommendation strike the balance needed to please all palates as well as embody the regional pride that has become a winning formula for many Italian and Portuguese producers (Vinho Regional and IGT appellation schemes, respectively). These artisan producers craft impressive wines where the regional varieties play center-stage roles, and more importantly, in which the style of the wine?s expression is crisp, delicious and sincere?pleasing to local and open-minded foreign palates alike.
My notes follow for the 2006 Con Class Verdejo Rueda D.O. by Sitios de Bodega:
This fine Rueda shows through as a clear lemon hue in the glass. The nose is pronounced and clean, staying true to the nature of this aromatic varietal, with green treefruit (green apple and pear), lively citrus, fresh grass, slight minerality, spice and floral hints. Don?t be fooled by the nose, this wine is from Castille and not Marlborough. Bearing in mind its aromatic profile, though, I?m not at all surprised that wines like this Verdejo are often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Palate-wise, this one packs a serious amount of flavor into a pale, unassuming little transparent lemon appearance, with thick glycerin and ripe green apple slashed through with intense, lime-citrus acidity. The perfumey floral and grassy fumes here are not to be taken lightly, as they mimic an Altoids-like strength and shoot up behind the nasal passages and subsequently haunt the afterbreath. The lovely finish sticks around quite a bit, with added minerality, warm spice and a grassy angle of pear-green apple flavors lingering in the afterbreath. My last impression that I?d like to convey would be to think twice before pairing this beautiful, personality-packed Verdejo with a crab dish or some other white meat that doesn?t intrinsically hold up much in the way of concentrated flavor.
Every wine lover has a progression of experiences from the jug wines or fighting varietals they started with, through the wines of Germany, Bordeaux, Spain and Italy before they get to Rhone blends (the end goal is always Burgundy for some reason). In recent months, I’ve been drinking mostly southern Rhone-style blends from France, Spain and California. Most of these have been red with Mourvèdre (or Monastrell) based wines a favorite. So I was pleased when Jeff (a.k.a. El Jefe) at Twisted Oak offered some samples of his new “River of Skulls” Mourvèdre/Syrah blend.
The first thing that stands out is the striking package. The red skull literally burned into the bottle signals this as something special. If you are looking for a wine for your Halloween party, look no further as your friends will be talking about both the bottle and what’s inside. The striking name is not some sort of commercial play for late October sales but a homage to local history near where the grapes were grown. It seems a Spanish Lieutenant exploring the area in the early 19th century happened across a number of skulls littered on the river bank. Being a practical man, he named this place “El Rio De Las Calaveras” or, literally, the “River of Skulls”.
The grapes for this wine were grown in the Dalton Vineyard only a short distance from the Calaveras river. Along with seven other varieties, Dalton is planted with the Spanish clone of Mourvèdre (called Monastrell in Spain). Although more known in the wine world as one of the 13 grapes of the Côtes du Rhône, Mourvèdre is actually a native of Spain, most likely Catalonian. The Mourvèdre, which makes up 90% of the blend, was fermented with about 25% whole clusters which adds to the backbone of the wine. Later, 10% Syrah from the same vineyard was blended to provide some additional structure and complexity. Nineteen months spent in a mixture of new and neutral oak barrels (50/50) provides the seasoning here.
Like some other wines I’ve recently tasted, River of Skulls is only available on an allocated mailing list. Since I just was able to sign up myself it’s still open, but I’d suggest you do this soon before the wine is sold out.
Tasting Notes:
Twisted Oak, “River of Skulls”, Mourvèdre, Dalton Vineyard, Calaveras County ($35 retail/$28 to club/received as sample) - Dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, fennel, tobacco, clove, and vanilla. Bold and concentrated blackberry and dark cherry fruit joined by cracked black pepper, some tar and sweet oak finishing long with moderately firm tannins. I’d recommend laying this one down for 2-3 years and see what emerges as there is plenty of fruit to stand up to the alcohol. I’m holding my second sample back a couple years and will blog my notes here sometime in late 2010.
14.9% ABV Natural cork closure Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The Argentinians consumed in May 2,55 liters for inhabitant Better results that in April the producers of wine obtained on the internal Argentine market. In agreement to statistical information delivered by the INV (Vitivinicultura's National Institute) of Argentina, the consumption of wine for inhabitant reached in May the quantity of 2,55 liters, relying on the general population of the country.
If one was counting only the major ones of 18 years, this number would rise up to 3,84 liters. This indicates an increase of 7,66 per cent with regard to the same month of the year 2005.
While, the wines liberated to the consumption in this May, always according to numbers delivered by the INV, added the 967.503 hl., that represents an increase of 8,9 % with regard to the same month of the year 2005 and 12,79 more % with regard to last month April.
The origin of these wines they were in the main from the province of Mendoza, followed by the province of San Juan.
This increase is justified by the campaign of advertising that is realized at present in the Argentina to increase the internal consumption.
For those looking for an unusual sweet treat, I highly recommend looking for a bottle of Serbian Bermet. Ok, chances are you won't find it in the US, but if you do stumble across it, or there is a trip to Belgrade in your future, you have to give it a try.
This is an infused wine. It has spices and herbs added to it. Technically you could call it a Vermouth, but the style is not similar to traditional Vermouths. However as with Vermouth it also comes in red or white versions.
No two producers make exactly the same wine, so I can't give you a definitive idea of what it taste like, but the red I tried was heavily spiced with cinnamon and cloves and tasted almost like cherry pie. It was served at room temperature to us, but it would probably make a nice hot wine as well.
The white version was similar but with a noticeable vanilla character. This one I would stick with serving chilled, but who knows? Perhaps reduced it could make the basis for a great sauce.
This is no wimpy wine. The strong spice flavors and abundant alcohol (16% is common) help make a little Bermet go a long way. Still, we had no problem finishing one of the red versions off while watching the strollers pass by in the heat of the noon day sun.
I am not known for espousing the virtues of flavored wines, but variety is part of wines charm, and this one is definitely different. A charming change of pace, although I don't know that I would make it a regular part of my routine.
Morris Zwick began his winemaking career small, learning the trade as a home winemaker, building his craft slowly through a mix of reading and interaction with other winemakers. With a background in chemical engineering, he improved his craft over twelve years before deciding to open his own winery, Terrapin Station, which is named after Maryland?s state reptile.
Before deciding to open a commercial winery, however, he began as a grape grower, planting his seven acres of vines in 2003. Today he grows several varieties, such as Traminette, Cayuga, Cabernet Franc and Vidal. He enjoys experimenting with new types of grapes such as St. Vincent, of which he is currently the only Maryland grape grower.
The most noticeable thing that sets his winery apart from other state wineries is the containers in which he sells his wine. He decided to try something new to the state of Maryland and began selling the state?s first quality boxed wine.
?They started out as a preventative measure against corked wine, but as I experimented with the design I realized all the advantages of boxed wines,? says Zwick. ?They are much lighter than traditional wine bottles, are easy to pour for a single serving and are much easier to recycle.? In addition to all of these benefits, Terrapin Station Winery donates $1 from each purchase to help the diamondback terrapin, an endangered animal native to the Chesapeake Bay.
His greatest challenge has been overcoming the stereotype that boxed wines are poor quality, but says companies like Black Box Wines and Banrock Station have begun to push the idea of quality boxed wine.
?I think what Morris is doing is innovative and fun and he is really helping to pioneer the way for new winemaking techniques in Maryland?s growing wine industry.? says Mark Emon from St. Michaels Winery.
Go to their website and see it all for yourself: http://www.terrapinstationwinery.com
Mahakali is an Indian goddess, the feminized version of Mahakala or Death. Often considered a destroyer goddess in the Hindu tradition and a greater form of the goddess K?l?, Mahakali is often depicted as a sort of warrior mother fighting against hostile forces. She is the Mother Divine.
Perhaps post-punk vocalist Jarboe is another sort of destroyer goddess. After 14 years in front of musical pioneers Swans, her solo career has twisted and turned down darkened hallways and attractive mountaintops with little consideration given to how things appear or how things seem. Instead, Jarboe?s consideration was entirely focused on The Real.
From a milieu of diversity, including snake-handling rituals in the Mississippi delta as a little one and parents who served in the FBI, Jarboe sprang out with a folklore all her own. As she grew into an artist, her ideals of connectivity and united experience never wavered.
Coming after the release of her intense collaboration with Jesu?s Justin K. Broadrick on J2, Jarboe?s MahaKali is an epic journey built around themes of power, restraint, control, and destruction.
Jarboe?s penchant for using her voice to embody various characters bleeds life all over MahaKali. This is less a concept album and more an experience album, leading the listener along a path less traveled. With many similar records, the path less traveled is less traveled for a reason. Such is not the case here, as the versatile vocalist has assembled a collection of tracks of inconceivable importance and significance.
The journey of MahaKali swirls and winds through fabrics of metal, noise, ambience, and orchestral arrangements. By enlisting the likes of Philip Anselmo of Pantera and Attila Csihar of Mayhem, Jarboe?s collective of instrumentalists and power players extends its depth and range considerably. The resulting squall is ferocious yet elegant.
?MahaKali, of terrifying countenance? introduces us to the squall with large textures of sound, unfolding with simple keys over a foggy surface. It is serene, yet something doubtlessly lurks below the water willing to suck us in for all we?re worth. Such is the mystique of Jarboe: there is always something more. As she unleashes her eclectic vocals on the track, the surface gives way to something paranormal, something intoxicating. Info stolen from; blogcritics.org
Tasting wines from the Finger Lakes isn't as easy as tasting wines from a more established region, say, the Rhône. The difficulty isn't because these cool-climate wines are more acidic, making them more difficult to taste than warm-climate wines that are riper, fleshier and more up front with their power.
Our reviews mark the 5th edition of the Wine Book Club, and the last meeting for 2008--because no one is going to post a review between Christmas and New Year's Eve, are they? So it's all the more fitting that we mark the end of 2008 and the end of the Bush administration with a book dedicated to helping us understand the complicated political journey that wine takes from grape to glass.
We had some Wine Book Club veterans and some first-timers, too. So here is a roundup of some of their thoughts.
First time Wine Book Club participant Jim Eastman from the blog Music and Wine praised Colman's accessible style, noting that "it managed to keep me engaged without fail through the whole book. Eastman's main criticism of the book was he felt it was a little too short to cover such a broad-ranging topic in so few pages. Jim wanted more--"A little extra depth and perspective" was the way he put it--which I can tell you from personal experience is the kind of criticism an author can live with. When a reader wants more, that's a good thing.
Another first time WBC participant, Frank Morgan from the blog Drink What YOU Like, described the book as "academic and thorough." Frank found the Colman's coverage of the topic "fascinating," and while he did sometimes get "lost in the details a couple of times," the book changed the way he "looked at a glass of wine." My favorite line in Frank's review was saved for the end: "My major takeaway from Wine Politics is an increased sense of appreciation for the small wine guy and the crap they go through just to produce and sell wine to me!"
Christianne from the blog Christianne Uncorked (also a first time WBC participant) found the book was "PACKED with information about wine, history, and politics," but she sometimes found that the organization left her feeling a bit "distracted." She particularly would have liked more of Colman's informal writing and less of the formal academic style.
Taste B from Smells Like Grape added her two cents on the book, saying that it was a "breath of fresh air" given the other books she's reading for an academic course at the moment. What she most enjoyed about the book was that is wasn't just a rehash of things she already knew about wine. Instead, Colman "weaves together many observable and oft discussed conditions in the wine industry with little-known catalysts to form some pretty stark revelations."
Wine Book Club veteran Kori from the Wine Peeps made it clear that this was not the book for you if you were looking for "basic wine information or for a recommendation on what bottle of wine to drink tonight." However, "a lot of information is packed into this relatively short 148-page read," and Kori found the message thought provoking. "If you really want to know why you can?t buy a bottle of wine you fell in love with on a recent trip to California and have it shipped to your home," Kori recommends you pick up this book and learn why.
Richard the Passionate Foodie, another WBC veteran, recommends this well-written book to "those who are more passionate about wine, who enjoy learning about more than grape varieties and wine regions." While it may not appeal to the novice, Richard feels that wine lovers will appreciateColman's "measured and neutral stance" on his more controversial topics, where he presents arguments for both sides of troubling questions.
Thanks to Tyler Colman, our own Dr. Vino, for writing this excellent book which really did convince me that any drinkable wine produced in this country is a miracle, given the laws that stand in the way of winemakers and consumers. And thanks to all the participants this month.
The next edition of the book club will be announced in early December, and reviews will be due in late January--so stay tuned for another year of the Wine Book Club.
With the credit crunch looming large, 'alternative investments' such as fine wine are becoming increasingly popular. Figures from Berry Bros. & Rudd & Christie's Fine Wine Auction show a combined total of over two and a half million pounds worth of fine wine has been sold by these two companies in the past few weeks.
Berrys', the UK's leading independent wine merchant, has witnessed outstanding sales in the last few weeks, selling 1000 cases of 2006 Ch. Lynch Bages and 1000 cases of 2000 Dom Perignon Champagne?, worth a combined total of one million pounds.
Christie's Bordeaux 2000 sale?, held this week, saw bullish spending with the Ch. Lafite Rothschild 2000 making £10,925 per case? and a case of Ch. Latour 2000 going for £9,200. Overall, the 'Highlights from a Superlative Millennium Vintage?: Bordeaux 2000' auction realised a combined total of £1,654,775.
Historically great wines from great vintages have appreciated 10-15% per annum, so its no wonder investors are putting their money into alternative funds. And, with wine classed as a 'wasting asset,' any investment is free from capital gains tax.
... goes on to list 'Berry Bros. & Rudd's tips to investing in Fine Wine'. Worth a read.
Up until this review I had not tried any Clonakilla wines, however now I think it is fair to say that if you live in NSW and are feeling a bit parochial, but not in the mood for something from the Hunter, then the Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007 will be a safe bet.
Perfumed aromas of blackberry, plum, cherry and some floral notes. On the palate it’s lush and full flavoured with grippy, yet fine tannins and a long lingering finish. Although very approachable now, a few years in the cellar should do wonders.
I tip my hat to the winemaker Tim Kirk, this is a fine effort. I cannot wait to crack open a bottle of the super-premium Shiraz Viognier - an occasion that will need to wait a few years.
Score: 93/100 Price: $27 Closure: Screwcap Alcohol: 14.5% Other Opinions: Cant seem to find any outside of subscriber only websites Would I buy this wine again? Yes indeed, I am pleased to say I have 3 more bottles in the cellar.
Name: Andrew Hedley Age: 42 Where you currently make wine: Framingham Wines Ltd Location: Marlborough, New Zealand Where you?ve made wine in the past: I have been at Framingham a long time! Most significant wine you?ve consumed: Obviously if you spend 10 years in the wine industry you hope you will have had a couple over the years. So I?ll say the most recent for [...]
Rocket Science 2004 Proprietary Red $45 Wine Label says: “Son, your 21 years old. It’s time you learned the art of wine tasting.” “I already know how you taste wine,” replied the sure young man. “This wine has an inky, purple hue with a sensational purity, flavors of a blackberry liqueur with a creme de cassis intensity and [...]
This is a relatively small production wine that I've never seen in a store. While on a recent business trip, I spotted this wine on a restaurant wine list and decided to check it out.
All the big, bold fruit of Napa is on display along with some well-integrated signs of oak. I really enjoyed this wine. Thanks to Philippe and Cherie Melka who put a lot of attention into this wine and have named it after their two children.
If you happen upon this wine, you'll probably see it priced around $45 or so. I paid $83 in a restaurant which was money well spent. Raise a glass!
Leelanau Cellars markets this unique spiced wine as Witches’ Brew around Halloween, but let me assure you that it is a great wine to have on hand throughout the winter. This wine has two labels, the Halloween one (Witches Brew) and the label for the rest of the year, simply named Leelanau Cellars Spiced Wine.
If you’re looking for something fun and unique to bring to a holiday party this year, this is your wine! This wine is best served heated! Simmer in a pot over low heat until it is warm (the temperature of a witches’ tongue, if you’re celebrating Halloween). This spiced wine should not be served with dinner, but rather as dessert, with some good, dark chocolate. I suppose it could also be good before dinner, while folks are still arriving to the party. It would make a great ice-breaker!
Witches Brew is obviously a sweet wine, with aromas of cinnamon and cloves. It has very different characteristics when heated vs. room temperature. Try both!
Rating: 9/10 — Truly unique! Price: $5.99 Where can I get it? Many places in Michigan carry this wine, especially around the holidays. I found it at Meijer. You could always visit the Leelanau Cellars north of Traverse City to stock up!
Disclosure: This bottle was sent to The Wine Cask Blog compliments of Stilletto Entertainment for review.
Tasting notes:
Nose of fresh peaches and citrus notes
Acidic core with citrus and chalk on the palate
Finish of pear and nicely tapering mineral layers.
I usually cringe at seeing celebrities or entertainers on wine labels- and there are plenty of them. When I received this bottle with the description of the iconic Barry Manilow brand on the back label, I thought of all the "Fanilows" that this wine will appeal to. I didn't think it would also appeal to me.
I never would have reached for this wine in a shop, but I quickly learned once again not to judge a book by its cover. This is a nicely crafted Pinot Grigio with a very desirable combination of fruit, acidity, and minerality. A sampling of prices puts this wine at $15 or so. Raise a glass!
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- On a hot, sunny Friday here in September only days after the first Monday market meltdown, two well-heeled wine buyers battled each other at a private auction for the privilege of shattering a world-record price for a single case? of 1982 Chateau? Lafite Rothschild.
A Chinese buyer who flew in from Beijing for the Hart Davis Hart Co. auction won with a final bid of $54,970 -- a whopping $4,580.83 a bottle. At its release in 1984, a single bottle would have sold for roughly $100. A case of 1990 Romanee-Conti Domaine? de la Romanee-Conti that was released at about $500 a bottle sold for $179,250, or $14,937.50 each. A case of 2000 Chateau Petrus was bought for $57,360, or $4,780 a bottle. At its release, the price was $750 a bottle.
Such dramatic price appreciation is not the norm for wine investments, but it does underscore how lucrative and resilient investing in fine wine can be -- particularly so at a time when market volatility is deflating 401(k) accounts and retirement nest eggs, and low interest rates are choking returns on cash and other investments.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, people will be uncorking bottles of wine the world over. After all, when you think romance, wine is never far behind. In her book, The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide, author Leslie Sbrocco suggests “a deep red wine such as a sparkling Shiraz” as the perfect drink to celebrate the occasion. She also set about to dispel a few popular wine myths:
Myth: A screw cap means the wine is cheap. Fact: Some of the world’s most forward-thinking wineries are using screw caps these days. They’re easy to open and reclose, and they preserve the wine longer.
Myth: Older wine is better. Fact: Most wine sold today isn’t meant to be aged. If it’s from a reputable source, it’s safe to assume that it’s ready to drink.
The Pinot Gris harvest in Oregon's Willamette Valley was set back even further by rain, and even some hail last weekend. On Sunday alone, it rained over an inch in parts of the Willamette Valley. It also hailed in various locations. While any widespread damage to the grapes is unknown at this point, the continued cool, soggy weather can't be good for the grape development at this late stage.
Grapes need to attain a certain sugar level (measured in Brix) to achieve proper ripening and balance.
I've tried this wine a few times now (1st, 2nd) and on each occasion I've been impressed. Weightier and more textured than the Germanic archetype, tonight it smelt of flint, toffee apple and something faintly herbal and grassy. There is notable sweetness which is married with intensity and focused acidity. It's hard not to find something pl
Tecnorati
The first thing that stands out is the striking package. The red skull literally burned into the bottle signals this as something special. If you are looking for a wine for your Halloween party, look no further as your friends will be talking about both the bottle and what’s inside. The striking name is not some sort of commercial play for late October sales but a homage to local history near where the grapes were grown. It seems a Spanish Lieutenant exploring the area in the early 19th century happened across a number of skulls littered on the river bank. Being a practical man, he named this place “El Rio De Las Calaveras” or, literally, the “River of Skulls”.
Up until this review I had not tried any Clonakilla wines, however now I think it is fair to say that if you live in NSW and are feeling a bit parochial, but not in the mood for something from the Hunter, then the Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007 will be a safe bet.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, people will be uncorking bottles of wine the world over. After all, when you think romance, wine is never far behind. In her book, 