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| | The Complete Grape Growers Guide. |  | | A Complete Guide For Growing Grapes. Converts Very Well At A Reasonable Price! Growing Grapes And Making Wine Is A Very Popular Topic Right Now.
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| | Fool-Proof Wine Values. | | | Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
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| | Making Wine From Home. | | | A Fun And Very Informative Book On Home Wine Making. The De Facto Standard For All Home Wine Enthusiasts With Recipes, Advice And Tricks.
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[11/12/2008, 09:16]
Slow Food Gathering + Site Update | | Quick site update: I'm trying yet another advertising system, though at least this time I get to hand-pick the items, customize everything, and it's all handled seamlessly through Amazon.com. Click on the link at the left to check out my Amazon Store. Everything on that store is something I've either read, used, or consumed. When Amazon begins selling wine, I plan to include links for those bottles that I review. Obviously I want you to support your local wine shops and bookstores first, but half of the e-mails I get are people from all over the country asking me where to get a certain wine, book, or cooking utensil that I've mentioned, and if I can make a little scratch from the links, then life is good.
 Monday night I attended a BYOB wine and cheese function at the Hunt Phelan Inn hosted by Slow Food Memphis. I was invited by my friends in the Squirrel Family. I didn't know until the last minute that it was Papa Squirrel's birthday, and the man actually gave me a gift: an autographed copy of Imbibe!, a history of the golden years of cocktails. I'll have more details in a future post, and look forward to making a huge punch that will serve two dozen people.
I felt the gathering of folks who were committed to preserving dying culinary traditions would be interested in trying a wine made from dandelion blossoms harvested by Amish children. I picked up the bottle during my trip to the Ohio Amish country this summer, but my desire to try it had been simmering since I read Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine at the age of 12. It's a beautifully written book that captures the pure experience of summer in its pages. And the wine also accomplishes that feat: while it's sweeter than I like, and certainly not as subtle as a fine grape-based wine, the aroma of dandelions will take you back to your childhood. When you're a kid, you're not allowed to touch pretty flowers like roses or tulips, but nobody stops you if you pick all the dandelions out of the yard. Maybe it has to do with the innocence of youth in distinguishing a weed from a prizeworthy iris, or maybe kids are just lower to the ground and better able to appreciate such things.
 These were three of my favorites from the tasting, a Hawaiian pineapple wine (drier than you'd think and with a glorious nose), a big jammy Zinfandel, and a Super-Tuscan that had aged well and was a refined example of its type.
Additionally, cheeses from Mississippi State University were provided. I had the Cheddar, the Edam, and the Vallagret. All were savory and delicious, and the cheeses are available for order online or at the shop in Starkville, MS.
Future Slow Food events are planned locally--check the schedule for more details. If you're interested in eating local products, supporting local farmers, and saving heritage cuisine, look for a Slow Food group in your area. | | | |
[12/19/2008, 17:15]
Collaborative cooking site launches | |  Foodista , a new approach in online food blogging that launched a couple of days ago, brings a new approach to recipe sharing.
The brainchild of a Seattle couple, Foodista is similar to Wikipedia in that anyone can contribute a recipe, ? and anyone can edit one. On one hand, this means that adjustments can be made to imperfect submissions. But it also means that the potential exists that recipes could be altered to the point that they?re unrecognizable to the original author.
On conventional recipe blogs, readers have to scroll through submitted comments to glean tips from other cooks on how a dish might be improved. On Foodista, there are no comments, but there is a History tab so it?s possible to see what edits were made. I may submit a recipe just to see what happens to it.... | | | |
[10/10/2008, 21:14]
Cellar's Market: Fine Wine Investing On the Rise | | It looks like the trend mentioned a few weeks back is still popular. Jennifer Waters (marketwatch.com) writes: 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.
Full Story Tags: melgab, wine, investment, ROI, auction, south-africa, South Africa | | WorldWine Tags: melgab, wine, investment, ROI, auction, south-africa, South Africa, | | | |
[11/06/2008, 14:30]
Thanksgiving Wine Under $20: 2008 Picks | |  It's time to talk turkey again--and what wine goes with it. (image from Carolina Morning)
Every year, new visitors come to this site in search of a delicious, affordable, and available bottle of wine to pair with their holiday meal. Old friends visit, too, sometimes to suggest their own picks for the year and sometimes to take issue with something I've picked. It doesn't matter why you're here--I'm glad to see you, and hope that what follows will be helpful to you as you plan for the big dinner.
If you are looking for general advice on Thanksgiving wine and hospitality, I'd encourage you to check out this article I wrote a few years ago on issues facing the host/hostess and the guests. If you are wondering what to drink with your meal, and with leftovers, you're in the right place. Here are my picks for 2008--all of which offer great taste and great value in an easy-to-find package. Clicking on the wine's name will take you to the winery's site where you can find more information about the wine and its makers. Many of the wines I picked this year are made with organic grapes, are farmed with sustainability in mind, and/or are made by families with great stories of how they got in the business of grape-growing and wine-making. Clicking on the range of prices will take you to a list of retailers who stock the wine. Maybe one will be near you.
Sparkling Wines
What's a holiday dinner without some bubbles? These two picks are great for toasts, appetizers, brunch the morning after, or drinking with the main meal. Sparkling wine has great acidity, which means it pairs with most foods and there's no doubt that sparklers are festive.
NV Roederer Estate Brut ($15-$20). For my money, this is the best value around in domestic sparkling wine. Expect tiny bubbles, aromas of brioche and Meyer lemon, and flavors of apples, toast, and nuts. Just as good with food as without.
NV Domaine Allimant-Laugner Cremant d'Alsace Rose ($16-$19). If you're looking for a pink sparkler, try this one. It' made with 100% Pinot Noir and has knockout fresh strawberry aromas with light berry, mineral, and citrus flavors. Like the Roederer Brut, this wine is as good with food as it is without.
Rosé Wines
Rosé wines are perfect for turkey and all the side-dishes that make us groan afterwards. If you feel that rosé wines are too "casual" for a fancy dinner, don't forget the leftovers. Wouldn't a cool rosé be perfect on Saturday with your turkey sandwich? These rosé wines are dry, not sweet, and very refreshing.
2007 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Rosé ($12-$16). Fort Ross makes some of the best Pinot Noir out there, and this is the rosé version of their wine. It's a beautiful color, with raspberry and strawberry aromas and flavors and a delicious stony note that keeps it complex and interesting.
2006 Jeriko Estate Rosé ($9-$13). This is a round and full rosé, with aromas and flavors of strawberries and minerals. If you don't like watermelon notes in your wine, you'll like this. Made with organic grapes.
White Wines
I'm a fan of white wines for Thanksgiving. I like their freshness, and the way that they pair so beautifully with stuffing, gravy, turkey, cranberries, Waldorf salad--you name it, these whites will go with it. They're versatile and flavorful, but won't overwhelm the food.
2006 Brooks Riesling ($14-$19). This is not a sweet wine. It's dry in style, with aromas of lime, apple, Meyer lemon, petrol, and stone. You will taste lime, slate, currants, and a touch of honey which makes it ideal if you are serving smoked turkey or a turkey made with lots of spices. Exceptionally complex for the price.
2006 Adelsheim Pinot Gris ($14-$20). Delicious aromas of peach, honey, and a kiss of caramelized sugar, but there's lots of bright acidity to keep the peach and apple flavors in balance. This aromatic wine would be perfect if you are serving sausage stuffing, and while it may give a sweet impression it finishes dry.
2006 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc ($13-$17). One of the best domestic Sauvignon Blancs I've had in a long time, made with no oak and no assertive aromas or flavors. Warm melon, Meyer lemon, and clementine aromas and flavors accompany fresh, grassy notes.
2007 Clif Bar Family Winery The Climber White ($13-$15). This white blend has a core of Sauvignon Blanc with the addition of Pinot Blanc (12%), Chenin Blanc (4%) and Muscat (3%). The result is a wine with good acidity but an impression of softness. Aromas of pink grapefruit and nectarine, and flavors of Meyer lemon, nectarine, and peach.
2007 Cupcake Vineyards Chardonnay ($11-$13; also available in CostPlus World Markets). A new label to me, this wine had clean and fresh apple and citrus aromas and flavors. There is a lovely creaminess to this wine, and a touch of mild oakiness. Very much like a white wine from Burgundy at a fraction of the price.
Red Wines
There are a lot of people out there recommending Zinfandel for Thanksgiving. Unless you are very, very careful you may overwhelm your food with a jammy, high-alcohol wine. That's true for many other red wines, too. If you are serving turkey and lots of different sweet and savory dishes, red wines may not be your best bet. However, the ones below will not overwhelm your food--and the flavors may be just right for you if you like dark meat, or are serving something smoked or (gasp!) not serving turkey at all.
2006 Domaine du Vissoux/Pierre-Marie Chermette Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Traditionelle ($12-$16). Gamay is a low-alcohol, high-acid grape that produces fresh, zesty reds. You will smell cherries, berries and some chalk in this wine, and the flavors are pure, juicy Bing cherry with an earthy undertow and some mineral notes.
2006 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($12-$27) A great bargain in Pinot Noirs, this wine has high-toned cherry and raspberry fruit aromas, with a touch of allspice. There are flavors of cherry, raspberry, allspice, and fresh-baked cobbler with a terrific, silky texture.
2004 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley ($18-$20). If you must, this is the Zinfandel to get. With aromas of black cherry, allspice, and cedar, and flavors of cherry, baker's chocolate, and pepper it has beautiful acidity and is very food friendly. This Zin feels and tastes more old fashioned and restrained--just the way I like them. The 2005 is also in the market, and while I haven't tasted it, ordinary drinkers on CellarTracker! seem to give it thumbs up, too.
2004 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza ($7-$12). If you think I'm nuts to suggest Tempranillo with turkey--trust me. I'm not. This is one of the great bargain reds, from Osborne's Bodegas Montecillo. There are aromas of roasted herbs and spicy berries, and nice, high-toned red fruit. Beautiful acidity and some dusty tannins make for a long, juicy aftertaste.
Whatever you serve on Thanksgiving, remember to relax and enjoy your friends and family. That's what the holiday is really all about!
Disclosure: The Adelsheim, MacMurray Ranch, and Clif Bar Family Winery bottlings were samples; I tasted both the Cupcake and Osborne wines at tastings. All other bottles were purchased by me over the last eleven months in a variety of brick-and-mortar and online stores. | | | |
[11/19/2008, 15:10]
San Felice Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva 2004, Tuscany, Italy | |  Its a struggle drinking Chianti without food; insufferable punishment on the taste buds in fact. That sharp, acidic, slightly earthy finish is how the wine is supposed to taste but it's a struggle to consume more than a glass. Rasping if you are subjected to a poor quality bottle. Add food and it's like drinking a different wine. But, I hear the masses yell, that is what Chianti is designed for - drinking with food. It is like a television without an aerial; you can use it but it just doesn't work very well. You know you are missing out on the bigger picture. Two bottles of this rather decent Chianti have been consumed over the last few days. A Sunday roast of beef and Yorkshires was fine. Further complexity was revealed in the flavour but there remained something lacking. What the roast lacked was the sweet acidity of tomatoes to balance. Step forward a superbly thrown together lasagne. Combining mince beef, plenty of fresh parsley, a splash of red and a tin of chopped Italian tomatoes the wine shone like a beacon . The wines refreshing acidity makes it all the more drinkable. (I'm also thinking lamb would have been a better match, over beef, with the wines acidity cutting through the inherent fat beautifully).
Review0.3
 Wine Tasting Note: San Felice Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva, 2004, Tuscany, Italy
Stockist: Everywine £257 for 12, Italian Wine Society £15.19 £182.28 for 12 [More on Adegga / Snooth] A richness of dark cherry fruit leads into a twist of acidic bitterness on the finish. Smooth and robust with hints of leather and mixed herbs. but shines with food. Shown to both Slavonian and French oak barrels which adds complexity. 100% Sangiovese. Alcohol 13%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]
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[09/24/2008, 10:15]
Aglianico: An Italian Name Worth Practicing | | Eric Asimov (nytimes.com) writes: ALL right, class, summer vacation is long gone and school is well under way, but I?m forced to interrupt our curriculum for a quick review session.
Why is this? Because it?s come to my attention that a crucial word in the lexicon of Italian wines has fallen by the wayside.
That word is aglianico, which, just to be clear, is pronounced ah-lee-YAHN-ee-koh, and which is the name of the leading red grape of southern Italy.
Yet the entire category of aglianico wines seems to pass unnoticed by most people, which is a shame because they have so much pleasure to offer.
...
For years, the aglianico torch was largely carried by two producers, Mastroberardino in Campania, best known for its Radici from the Taurasi zone, and Paternoster in Basilicata, which has long made exemplary aglianicos from the volcanic soils of Mount Vulture (pronounced VOOL-too-reh). Now, dozens of producers export their wines to the United States. Sadly, we couldn?t find wines from some of the top producers, like Paternoster, Antonio Caggiano and Galardi, which makes Terra di Lavoro, as close as an aglianico wine comes to cult status.
» Full Story -
Aglianico
Radici Taurasi Riserva DOCG
Tags: melgab, wine, aglianico, campania, italy, south-africa, South Africa | | WorldWine Tags: melgab, wine, aglianico, campania, italy, south-africa, South Africa, | | | |
[09/22/2008, 05:25]
India: So who is drinking what? | | There is definitely wine in India, but who exactly is drinking it? I have tasted pretty much all of the local, at least grape, wine I can find, which was pretty easy, as that is a population of about three producers. I ran across fruit wines being sold up in the foothills of the Himalayans, but I didn't have a chance to try it, and I don't usually count it as wine, at least for the scope of this blog.
The most amazing thing about wine, at least this far from Delhi (I am up north in the large city of Chandigarh) is people's perceptions of it. They, at least the locals I have met, do not know exactly what wine is. They assume it is a sort of whiskey, and a high priced one at that.
When I had a chance to share wine with them they were delighted with the taste, although to be fair I started them off with a slightly sweet white. This is a beginner wine for many people, and it was well received here, and went nicely with the local foods.
People here drink whiskey, and they drink it with nibbles before a meal. Drinking wine with the dinner was not something they had ever thought of doing. In fact drinking wine at all was something they had not thought of doing.
Almost every block there is a store that sells liquor and beer, and while the signs say they have wine, none actually do. Only a few stores carry wine at all, and their selection is very small.
That is not surprising given that most of the people in India I have met have no idea what wine is. The few restaurants that have wine listed have "both kinds" red and white, and nothing more descriptive than that.
The wines made in India are not bad, but they are very expensive. In a country where a hair cut cost $1.50 a $12 bottle of wine is an investment that few consider worth the risk.
It is changing. The ultra rich are drinking the big name labels, as they always do. The middle classes are ordering Dominos pizzas in their Levi jeans over their cell phones, and sooner or later they are going to start equating wine with their lifestyles.
Once India gets a taste for wine, watch out, there is a huge potential market here, if you are very, very patient, or very, very proactive. | | | |
[11/06/2008, 07:20]
Sacre Bleu Breaks Through Wine Marketing Clutter | |  It may sound obvious to put a girl in blue jeans in an ad for wine (like, helLO, this is an advertisement for youths, duh), and therefore not that interesting, but for some reason it works. Sacre Bleu's frankly young-looking model, along with product placement at the hip Miami music venue The Fillmore, support of charitable organization Rock the Cause and funny winemaking videos from French Gustave (it's always nice to have a Frenchie in the mix), put the brand at the top of the wine-marketing-to-Millennials heap. Haven't tasted the wine yet, but seeing as it's coming from France's promising Languedoc, my bet is it's not half bad.
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[11/21/2008, 20:28]
Bitten: Seven-P Pasta | | A pasta dish whose seven ingredients all begin with the letter P. Weird? Yes. Any others?.
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[06/04/2008, 13:47]
1995 Bordeaux and more at Azuma | | A superb recent dinner at Azuma. The food was some of the very best that I’ve had anywhere in Sydney and I would highly recommend trying it if possible. -Pacific Oysters with Ponzu dressing
-Prawn Tempura served with curry salt
1982 Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque
Light straw gold colour belies the age of this wine. The nose showed aromas of citrus, honey, vanilla and nuts. The palate is fresh, with remarkable vibrancy and acidity. The depth and the length were both outstanding. Superb - looked after bottles will probably get better over the next 6-7 years as well!
95/100 1996 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses
Doughy, citrus, talc, raspberry and with some time in the glass some light nutty characters. The palate is undoubtedly powerful, with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. Great length. As it had time to breath in the glass it unwound and just got better and better. Bursting with potential, I was glad to try this young and I hope I have another encounter with it when it has aged.
94/100 - Azuma Style Tuna Carpaccio
- Grilled Lobster with tartar sauce 2000 William Fevre Chablis Les Preuses
Delightful nose of flowers, minerals, honey and a touch of vanilla. The palate has great structure and balance, with fine acidity along its length leading into a long finish. One of the best Chablis I have tried this year, this will get better and I think be close to peaking over the next 5 years.
93/100 2001 Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet
Gunflint, florals, chalk and some light oak on the nose. Bold palate with massive intensity and depth of fruit that is tamed by an excellent line of acidity. Well textured and superbly long. Very primary at this stage, I would like to see another bottle in 10 years time.
93/100 - Grilled Chicken Fillet marinated in garlic miso
- Grilled Chicken Balls served on skewers
- Twice Cooked Duck Breast with teriyaki sauce and yuzu citrus pepper 1990 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze
Concentrated and deeply coloured, the nose is expressive and had aromas of redberries, earth, black cherry and dark chocolate. The palate was more refined than I thought it would be based on the nose, it showed some intense fruit but also a lot of class and structure. Beautiful length and quite delicious to drink. Set to improve over the next 5+ years.
94/100 1990 Mommessin Clos de Tart
This showed strawberry, cherry, earth and some red floral characters on the nose. The palate is pleasant except for some tannins poking through abruptly on the finish. Based on this bottle, close to its peak. Still a very good wine and I was happy to experience it.
90/100 2000 Leroy Romanee St Vivant
Densely coloured. Earthy, spice and black pepper. Brilliance is evident on the palate - textured and layered, there is plenty of complexity here even though the wine is young. Long and balanced, this was delicious now but also has a bright future.
95/100 - Kakuni ? Braised Bangalow Sweet Pork Belly
- Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak served with garlic soy sauce 1995 Ausone
Chocolate, cedar, blackberry, minerals and cassis aromas. Rich, deep fruit on the palate. Great balance and the components seem well integrated even at this early stage. Has the structure and depth to improve for the next 15+ years at least.
93/100 1995 Cheval Blanc
Seductive nose of musk, cinnamon, red berries and cherry. Silky on the palate, with good complexity and weight. Impressive balance and length. Despite its alluring nature now while young, it does have very good structure and will improve over the next 10 years.
94/100 1995 Lafite Dark purple in colour. Cassis, pencil shavings, chocolate and smoke on the nose. Powerful palate with incredible quality fruit. Balanced, with nothing out of place. Outstanding persistence. This is a brilliant wine, with the potential over the next 20 years to develop into something very special.
96/100 1995 Petrus
Powerful blueberry, cedar, tobacco, liquorice and coffee bean aromas comprise the nose. The palate is bold, rich, deep, intense and yet also balanced - with each component in proportion to the other. Layers of flavour and complexity. A great experience. Will improve over the next 15+ years.
95/100
- Vanilla Crean Brulee
- Green Tea Ice Cream
- Japanese Kyoho Grapes
2001 La Tour Blanche
Tropical fruit, ginger, botrytis and citrus peel on the nose. Balanced palate with medium sweetness and lovely crisp acidity. Good length, drinking really well at this young stage. This should develop very well for those that can resist it over the next 15+ years.
92/100 | | | |
[07/16/2006, 18:30]
| | 
The good wines of the small big companies.
The Malbec 2004 Marguery Family
"FAMILY MARGUERY" elaborates his wines in the locality of Cross of Stone, Mendoza, into Republic Argentina .
"Exclusively we are compromised by the production of wines of high quality "enologica" by means of the use of the last technological advances and in limited items. Our grapes come from ancient vineyards strictly selected of the localities of Uco's Valley (Mendoza - Argentina) seeking to express the peculiar characteristics of every "terroirs", says Marguery.
This wineries of Argentina was founded in the 2000 year. " We look for wines of good concentration, complex and expressive, for it and consistent with our vision, we work in this respect from the vineyard. Everything there speaks about the care and the dedication that we have with our plants wineries. There helps us very much the height that they have on the level of the sea (1.100mts.), the desert conditions of the climate, the poverty of the soil, the thermal extent, that is to say all conditions that favor the ideal development of the Malbec ".
Read more
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[09/13/2007, 04:19]
Tait The Ball Buster 2005 | | | Tait The Ball Buster 2005 $15 Wine Label says: G’day Mates, I don’t know what aromas and flavors you’ll find when you try this wine - wine appreciation is so subjective and often too pretentious for my liking. I make my wines the way i like them - big, thick, juicy an deep in color. I wanted to [...] | | | |
[11/20/2008, 14:33]
La Pleiade Heathcote Shiraz 2006 | |  Heathcote, Victoria, Australia. Shiraz. 15%. Cork (very long 55mm and blemish free). Approx $A70.
The Pleiades is a well known star cluster (easily) visible in both hemispheres, which features prominently in ancient mythology. In the image on the bottle for instance, the lowest star (the 4th from the left) represents Merope, who is the only one of her nymph sisters to marry a mortal (the crafty Sisyphus).
La Pleiade is a collaboration between Michel Chapoutier and Ron Laughton (Jasper Hill). The grapes are grown biodynamically and without irrigation. Presumably the intent is to demonstrate geography (Cambrian soil) and terroir.
A massive black wine which is not for the faint hearted. It is dense and powerful and laden with oak, tannin and fully ripe fruit. Smelling of ink, raisins, prune, spice (juniper), and dried herbs (bay leaf and lavender) this is quite confronting from the very start. Structured, firm and long, the tannins and alcohol vie for attention.
Very good.
90.
2010 - 2015.
technorati tags: wine, australian wine, | | WorldWine Tags: wine, australian wine, | | | |
[08/13/2008, 21:40]
Pencil This Grüner Into Your Austrian Wine Agenda?Weingut Hofer Grüner Veltliner Freiberg Weinviertel DAC 2006 | |  Here is a really fantastic recommendation for those of you who may already enjoy Austrian whites, as this wine has the capacity to detonate or reignite even the faintest bystander?s interest in Grüner Veltliner. If you have had Grüner and did not think much of the variety, I highly recommend giving Hofer?s an honest chance.
The label on this favorite of mine, in the spicy-white category, reflects Austria?s recent experimental appellation system of DAC?s, standing for the Latin, Districtus Austriæ Controllatus. Notwithstanding the seemingly imposing, archaic or superficially impressive appellation name (depends how you wish regard it), the crucial element to consider here is that Hofer?s wines are crafted seriously, so enjoying them turns out to be quite effortless. This Grüner sees time in stainless steel and is sourced from their Freiberg site in Weinviertel, one of Austria?s largest and most significant wine producing regions, in the northeast of the country. Should organic wines be of interest to you, Weingut Hofer belongs to Bio Ernte, a group whose producers operate on slightly different, some would argue higher, organic cultivation and production standards than even those dictated by say, the EU.
My notes: Pale, clear and golden. Clean nose with lovely stone fruit, spice, as well as mineral and floral elements. The palate is dry, with fresh, zesty lime acidity and slightly Riesling-like stone fruit, rocky minerality and spicy white pepper. These flavors, particularly the great peach/apricot flavors and white pepper, pervade the aftertaste.
This wine is imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. | | | |
[01/05/2009, 20:41]
Rosenblum Late Harvest Zinfandel--Rosie Rabbit Vineyard--2003 wine review by (PB) | | 
Zinfandel a desert wine? If it's from the masters of the zen of the zinfandel grape--you betcha!
Dark black cherry pigmentation with raisin, currant, black cherry, coconut and prunes--and that's just in the bouquet.
Palate--rich, sweetness of each of the fruits mentioned above but all in wonderful harmony. This was a surprise.
I had only one other late harvest Zin (fromTemecula, Ca.) and it was not appealing.
Of the Rosenbluml I wrote in my journal, "Delicious! Delicious! It will run you around $24 for 375ml but I'd have to say it was, uh--delicious--so raise a glass! | | | |
[10/29/2008, 15:55]
Mondavi Woodbridge Shiraz, 2006, California | |  As I write I'm sipping a glass of Californian red - a Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 to be precise. It's fairly typical of the type of Californian wine readily available in the UK. Following the WineDudes request for some foreign thoughts on Californian wine the Woodbridge is 'research'. Not sure if the Wine Dude is going to utilise my barely coherant scribbles in a post or (update - he has) not but the crux of the article was that, while we can get hold of American wines in the UK most are the large brands (such as Gallo and this Mondavi) and the small quantities of boutique wines that many American wine bloggers rave about are never seen over here.
I hesitate to mention the ubiquitous Gallo in the same paragraph as Mondavi for both the Cabernet and this similar but slightly spicier Shiraz are very drinkable examples which offer more than a modicum of interest, something those massed Gallo brands never will.
Review0.3
Wine Tasting Note: Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Shiraz, 2006, California
Stockists: Threshers and most supermarkets Price: £7.20 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Very similar in style to the Cabernet - sweetish full fruit, soft but evident tannins combine to make a highly drinkable fruity style of red. Broad flavours enveloping the blueberry/blackberry spectrum, not complicated but enhanced by some varietal spice. Not sure where Jancis Robinson gets the "very pinched and ungenerous" idea from as the wine appears fleshy, broad, lightly spiced and very drinkable. Alcohol 135%. Aiming for a modicum of seasonal eating a dish of acorn squash with a tomato and cream minced lamb stuffing was paired with this red, the sweetness of the fruit playing nicely with the inherant sweetness of the squash and the stuffing. The softness held enough in the acidity and tannin stakes to counter the creamy richness.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]
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[01/06/2009, 07:18]
Kubota Manju (Junmai Daiginjo), Niigata Prefecture | | When people often ask me how I "got into wine" I have a sense that they are expecting me to relate some story of a revelatory mouthful -- that one wine which struck me like a lightning bolt and sent me down the path to become the wine fanatic that I am today. Strangely, I possess no story like that about wine. I remember merely a pastiche of many special and prosaic moments with wine that have gradually led to me to the depths of my current passion. I do, however, have a story like that about how I fell in love with sake. It was the year 2000, and I was a Director of User Experience at Sapient Corporation, and I was asked whether I would be interested in going to Japan to help the company open an office there. Single at the time, with no pets or other obligations, I excitedly said that I would at least go on the initial exploratory trip, and would make my decision based on that experience. The company planned to make its introduction to the market with the help of a partner firm, a relatively upstart organization that happened to be headed by several of the former top executives of BCG Japan. Our second night in the country, they took us out to what,  at the time, was the best sushi I had ever eaten in my life in a private sushi club in Tokyo's Roppongi district. I knew that my job description that evening was going to involve the consumption of a lot of alcohol, but I didn't much care for beer. So when it was offered, I asked politely if I might drink sake instead. The CEO of our partner firm barked at the chef behind the sushi counter, and that's when it happened. In my memory, the lights dim a little bit around the restaurant so that the sushi chef is bathed in the sole splash of bright light. He places a beautiful small wineglass on the counter, its bowl foggy with the chill of the freezer he has just taken it from. Then he turns slowly and reaches down below the counter to emerge with a huge brown bottle in his arms, its striking handmade paper label brushed with a stroke that resembles a huge number "2." My glass is poured and placed in front of me, shimmering and cool. And my first sip is like drinking a pristine glacial lake under a full m |
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