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Doctor Prescribes More Wine Racks! I have a lovely doctor?s appointment today to make sure I?m not coming down with the bubonic plague. While I wait for Mr Whitecoat to arrive in the examination room, I?ll daydream about getting a prescription for more wine racks. If wine is good for the heart, that means a gorgeous new premium wine rack is even better. If it doesn?t cure me of plague, I?m sure it?ll help quite a bit with my charming personality. Yes, I haven?t been the most pleasant person lately. This can be fully blamed on t
Bring a Wine Bottle Gift Box to Your Next Holiday Party I?m sure many of you have been invited to numerous parties to celebrate this beautiful holiday season. I?ll provide a few tips in order to make your hosts insanely happy to see you. Take it or leave it, but it?ll probably be the most important thing you?ll ever hear while on earth. I?m not exaggerating at all. First, you need to bring along a delectable bottling inside an elegant gift box. This will show them that you aren?t just going to inhale the h?orderves and thanklessly glide out the doo
Christmas Shopping at the Wine Rack Store I?m going to start the holiday shopping early as I fear my family and friends are tired of getting their gifts two weeks late. Ordering presents from the Wine Rack Store is especially convenient as I don?t have to do much work other than punch buttons on my computer. Hopefully my mother-in-law isn?t reading this, because I?m going to tell you what she?s getting. Since she is one of the most orderly people I know, I think the nifty wine tags are perfect. Rather than simply label the wine, I wond
Built NY Two Bottle Wine Bag The Built NY Two Bottle Wine Bag is a twin carrier when one bottle is just not enough! Keep your favourite drinks chilled and carry them in style to the beach, restaurant or dinner party. Made of wetsuit grade neoprene, the BYO Bag has a super strong composition and prevent bottles from clinking or breaking in transit. It can insulates two 750ml to 1l bottles for up to 4 hours (time will vary depending on external temperature) the soft-grip handle makes transporting easy and comfortable. Perfec
Muscle Men and Wine Racks What do muscle men have to do with Wine Rack Store wine racks? I?m not sure, but that is what I?m thinking about now, that I have lots and lots of muscles to memorize by Monday. Nevermind the fact that I still can?t figure out all the possible positions of the arms and where the heck that palmaris longus is, or whether the extensor carpi ulnaris is actually the flexor carpi ulnaris. Pretty soon it?ll just sound like jibberish once I down a few glasses of Riesling dangling with Music Wine Charm
Relief From Academic Drudgery With a Glass of Sangiovese I?ve decided to treat myself to a mouth watering Spanish-style fiesta with some delicious seafood paella and a glass (ok, a BOTTLE) of Sangiovese. Without a break from writing this depressing paper on a very taboo (therefore unmentionable) practice, I might end up foaming at the mouth. After finishing my ambrosial meal, I?ll down my wine charmed glass and settle down for a siesta. Perhaps something alarmingly brilliant will come to me in a dream, which will make this final sociology paper a ver
A Toast to the Wine Rack Store I?m not exactly sure what we?re toasting but what the heck right? There are always tons of reasons to toast, even if it?s for no other reason than to be drinking! We could propose a toast to the great prices on our wine racks or possibly to the superior quality of our racks. Not to toot our own horn, but you can?t really find any better product for the price. For that matter, you can?t find any better product for more than what your being charged! Take the wine tasting table for instance,
This Kitty Deserves a Wine Rack Store Celebration In honor of the once lost but now found black kitty of California, I hereby announce an imaginary Wine Rack Store party for everyone. It?s conceptual since there isn?t time at this particular moment; I?m still trying to prevent my overworked brain from exploding. One way I try to sooth my dreary neurons is by grabbing a chilled bottle of wine off a graceful metal wine rack and decorating my glass with a precious Here Kitty charm. Reading the heartwarming story of the black cat that was finally
Wine Rack Store In A Ketchup Defecit Okay, so that may not be entirely true but ketchup is my given word of the day therefore I must write about it and, in reality, what can one possibly say about ketchup that hasn?t already been said? One great thing about ketchup is that it goes with pretty much any and all foods. I remember as a kid dipping absolutely everything on my plate into a giant blob of ketchup. Luckily for me and my dining guests, I grew out of that nasty little habit as I got older. Another great thing about ketc
Mother of Pearl Wine Charms at the Wine Rack Store I?ve been looking for new wine glass embellishments and found the perfect set: Mother of Pearl Wine Charms. They are so soothing and elegant, something I need right now during this stressful time in my life. I like how each charm is beautifully carved and possesses a subtle sheen. Wouldn?t they be lovely in the moonlight? What a great excuse to shove the brain-melting anatomy papers aside and sit down during a quiet evening with a glass of wine adorned with a mother of pearl turtle. Not only is
Christmas Comes Too Quickly for This Wine Rack Store Member It?s not even Thanksgiving yet but stores are already stockpiling the Xmas decorations. This sends my head reeling faster than you can say ?pass me the bottle? as I haven?t even started a gift list yet. What on earth will I do? Not everyone is obsessed with wine in my family, particularly the in-laws. If they were, I?d be buying up Wine Rack Store merchandize like there is no tomorrow. Now that I ponder it a bit more, perhaps I can do all my shopping here at winerackstore.com! Wine racks aren?t
Daydreaming of Wine Racks While Waiting Forever at the Airport Time to go back to Washington state, hooray! What I?m not happy about is the very long layover I?m experiencing this very moment at the airport in Phoenix, Arizona. This is perhaps one of the smallest airports I?ve ever seen. As for food selection, there are just four places to eat. Where is the store with stacks and stacks of beautiful wine racks, wine, and a vast assortment of cheese? If I were to find this here, I would surely be daydreaming?the best place to find such things is winerackstor
Tis the Season for Wine Carriers the Season for Wine Carriers The holiday season is upon us. That means shopping, food, and, of course, holiday parties. If you have a full schedule of holiday parties and you like to bring wine as a gift, you should look into wine carriers. These are specially designed bags and cases that help protect wine bottles during travel. They can also be presented with the wine as part of the gift because many times these cases are made with stylish designs and/or luxury materials. Artist Wine
Wine Rack Store Member Up Up and Away! Things are a bit topsy turvy around here since I had to make an emergency trip to Texas. If there is an appropriate time to use the Airplane Travel wine charms, it?s right now! The first flight out of Seattle was extremely bumpy, I ordered several glasses of wine in order to calm my nerves. If only there were a Big Bottle rack full of my favorites on board, but I?m sure they?d only give that to first class flyers. I have to admit it was a bit irritating to see those special folks sitting in the
Wine Rack Store Member Suspends Volcano Wine Tasting Event Good news: I will suspend my wine tasting volcano jump until a further date. So far, I?ve managed to keep my head above the deathly frigid waters known as ?B territory? in anatomy and physiology. I really don?t want to get anything other than an A, because my life will be over. Of course, it might be entertaining for all of you to watch me dive into the molten lava. If the jump becomes necessary I?ll strive to make it artistic, perhaps even performing some air rotations while sipping a wine cha
Planning A Great Wine And Cheese Party A Great Wine And Cheese Party Posted on October 27, 2008 Filed Under 5030 | Leave a Comment Wine and cheese parties are a great way to socialize with friends and neighbors. For a wine and cheese party to be successful, proper planning is essential! This article will give you the exact steps to take. One of the most enjoyable ways to enjoy your home bar and wine furniture is to have a wine and cheese party. To make the party a big hit, however, requires creativity and planning. In pla
How To Select A Wine Gift Basket If you have an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion that requires gift giving then consider a wine gift basket. They make elegant gifts for anyone who enjoys wine and the frequently include additional treats besides wine. They can also include such goodies as cheese, chocolates, fruit, nuts and wine accessories like corkscrews and bottle openers, drip stoppers, foil cutters or whatever else you decide to add to the basket. You can buy them already assembled or you can make your own f
A WRS Member and Her Favorite Blind Stylist Say what? Well, the title might be a bit of an exaggeration. My stylist, Robbi, isn?t exactly blind but pretty close to it. She had lasik surgery around three weeks ago and still hasn?t recovered fully. While she?s still quite worried about her vision, she has the best sense of humor about it. Robbi is also still able to do a fantastic job weaving highlights throughout my head, the shades are eerily similar to the fabulous stain options here at Wine Rack Store. It was a great relief to have a f
Time to Order from the Wine Rack Store With the holiday?s right around the corner, it might be a good idea to start sprucing up the house for guests. One economical method is installing a chic Under Cabinet Glass Holder. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but it?s convenient for when you are ready to start serving the drinks. As for wine storage, check our store for a variety of top quality wood and metal racks. For those with small kitchens, there are other creative ways to store and display your wine bottles. I really love the
Planning A Great Wine And Cheese Party A Great Wine And Cheese Party Posted by admin on 10/18/08 in Uncategorized Wine and cheese parties are a great way to socialize with friends and neighbors. For a wine and cheese party to be successful, proper planning is essential! This article will give you the exact steps to take. One of the most enjoyable ways to enjoy your home bar and wine furniture is to have a wine and cheese party. To make the party a big hit, however, requires creativity and planning. In planning your par
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
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
Bronchitis means sleeplessness. You start to doze off and suddenly you're coughing with so much force your ribs ache. After a while you get up and surf the Internet (a quaint term by now, "surf"). You get bored with that. You pour a little something strong to help knock you out. Which shouldn't be necessary with the dizzy-making antibiotic, the aspirin, the codeine-enhanced cough syrup in a good swig. You turn off the lights. You sit and look out at the city which gleams with light day and night. The...
The growing sense of optimism over the 2008 vintage in Oregon has spilled over the edge of the fermenter into outright excitement. Veteran winemakers throughout the Willamette Valley are letting their enthusiasm for this vintage show now that almost all their fruit is harvested. Here are some comments on the 2008 vintage from some of Oregon’s most important winemakers.
Brian O’Donnell owner and winemaker of the one of Oregon’s finest estates Belle Pente describes 2008 this way, “In terms of my impression of the harvest, I’m really excited! We brought in 10 tons October 1st that is now done, and these are some of the most delicious young wines I’ve ever tasted! The chemistry on the stuff we picked later is a little bizarre, but with a few tweaks it should be fine….we’re planning to let fermentation run a little hotter than normal and do longer than normal post-fermentation maceration to try and “burn” some of the obvious fruitiness out of the wines to let the site characteristics show thru better. But frankly, I think we’ve got a tiger by the tail, and she’s wild and sassy and will take a lot of good (and lucky) winemaking decisions to get the best out of her.”
Few growers and winemakers have the depth of experience possessed by David Adelsheim one of the true founders and pioneers of the Oregon wine industry. About this vintage he comments, “Another weird year. Three weeks late, rain in July and August, and still we saw the beginnings of drought stress in some sites. We starting picking on Sep 29th and finished this past week on Oct 18th. A third of our Pinot noir was picked by Oct 3rd; during the next 10 days (which were damp) we picked only a few lots of white grapes; everything else was picked in the final six hectic days. And the quality is looking pretty grand. It will need to be – our crop levels were off by 30% compared to 2007”
Jerry Murray winemaker and vineyard manager of highly regarded Patton Valley Vineyards says of 2008, “The harvest has looked great. We pulled in the last of our fruit yesterday. Considering the way the season started out, late bud break and all, mother nature has given us exactly what we needed to not just to avoid a disaster but to really ripen fruit in a way that should make some amazing wines, true pinot. The chemistry of the grapes has been just about perfect, great acidity, moderate alcohol, great color and phenolic development. As a winemaker you hope for this sort of vintage every year but I would be surprised if you get more than a handful in a lifetime. All that is left is to see the quality through to bottle. It is very exciting.”
Top: Vines at the Belle Pente estate vineyard change color. Below: Harvest in Tony Soter’s Mineral Springs Vineyard
If you're not a subscriber to The Wine Front you don't get to see the reviews that are added to the site on most days. In the past seven days the following wines have been reviewed in the Subscriber Only section of this website.
All Saints Estate Chardonnay Viognier 2006 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Marsanne 2006 All Saints Estate Sangiovese Cabernet 2006 All Saints Estate Shiraz 2006 All Saints Estate Durif 2006 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Durif 2006 Aradon Rioja 2006 Casa Santos Lima Quinta Das Setencostas 2005 d'Arenberg Galvo Garage Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough pinot Noir 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Section 94 2006 Grapes of RossBarossaValley Black Rose Shiraz 2006 Grapes of Ross Barossa Valley Old Bush Vine Grenache 2006 Henry Pelle Menetou Salon 2006 Les Nuages Organic Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2006 LethbridgeGeelong Shiraz 2005 Longview Adelaide Hills Devils Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Maison Champy Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2005 MountHorrocksClareValley Shiraz 2005 Piana del Sole Salento Negroamaro 2004 Postcode 2320 Reserve Shiraz 2004 Postcode 2587 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Punt Road Yarra Valley Shiraz 2005 Punt Road Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Rymill Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2006 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Torbreck Barossa The Struie Shiraz 2006 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1995 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1996 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1997 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1999 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1998 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2001 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2002 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2003 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2004 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2005 Tramin Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2006 Villa terlina Gradale Barbera d’Asti 2004 ($35) VoyagerEstateMargaretRiver Cabernet Merlot 2004
Orogeny Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2004 $22 Rabbi Tuchman says: We were invited to a friends house for lobster on Father’s day. Yeah, it’s a tough gig. Since we tend to drink more red wine, it was my mission to pick up some Chardonnay while I was out shopping for the meal. I tend to struggle [...]
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!
Last weekend there were lots of bottles–and discussion–uncorked in Sonoma at what might be considered the ultimate “offline:” the inaugural Wine Bloggers’ Conference.
The Open Wine Consortium organized the two-day event, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t attend. But 150 or more bloggers were there and many of them were new to blogging.
I have read some of the posts about the conference but mostly I read about it on Twitter, the microblogging platform that limits entries to 140 characters (follow my updates on Twitter; search twitter for #wbc to find posts from the conference). So taking a page from Darren Rowse’s successful recent posting, let’s hear your report from the WBC here in the comments. And in Twitter style, try to make your microreport 140 characters or less.
If you were like me and couldn’t make it there either, don’t let that stop you from getting in on the commenting fun! Tell us about your blog (wine or not) in an elevator pitch in the comments here. There are so many new blogs, it’s always good to hear about the newest directions, particularly for wine! Hopefully we can all find some new blogs to check out.
Sad sign of the times: collectors are resorting to selling their precious wine in order to raise capital. Lisa Baertlein (reuters.com) writes:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wine cellars have been taking a hit from the global credit crisis and it isn't because the owners of rare bottles are drinking more -- it's because they have been selling to raise cash.
The selling started with mortgage brokers and has moved to Wall Street as owners turn their collections of coveted vintages into liquid assets.
"People need money. Even richer people need money sometimes," Vinfolio.com founder and Chief Executive Stephen Bachmann told Reuters on Monday.
In the last few weeks, private collectors submitted offers to sell $10 million worth of wine to Vinfolio, a San Francisco-based company that buys and sells wine online. Normally the company has about $6 million offered to it.
Fetzer Vineyards, one of the largest US wineries, will lightweight its entire line of wines to reduce its environmental footprint, continuing the winery's more than 20-year history of environmental responsibility and a decade-long commitment to help alleviate global climate change.
Carbon Footprint of Bottles Reduced by 14%
On an average annual basis, the new bottles reduce glass usage by 16% (more than 2,100 tons) and supply chain greenhouse gas emissions (or carbon footprint) associated with glass bottles by 14% (3,000 tons of CO2e). This is equivalent to planting 70,000 trees and growing them for ten years ? or nearly tripling all the trees planted in New York's Central Park.
Perhaps the only thing worse for winemakers than getting a below average review in a wine publication is being mentioned in any publication that describes itself as investigative. "Normal" journalists, namely those that don't normally focus on food, wine, or lifestyle issues, have a pretty lousy reputation in the wine industry, and sometimes for good reason.
Especially when they publish pieces like this. Or when they try for a "new angle" on a particular issue.
Now, apparently Channel 4 and its investigative program "Dispatches" has aired a program suggesting that much of the wine industry adulterates its products with all manner of ingredients. The discussion about ingredient labeling has now turned into a muck-raking sensationalist exercise, that threatens to completely misinform and alarm UK consumers.
While neither of these clips contain the worst claims supposedly leveled in the program (namely that winemakers use so many additives in the winemaking process, that what you get at the end isn't really wine), you don't have to see much of them to hear the agenda being pushed. Those in the UK can see the full program online for the next seven days.
Now, I'm all for truth in labeling when it comes to wine. I think winemakers should err on the side of disclosure. There are certainly a lot of things allowed in wine that most people have never heard of. I probably wouldn't make buying decisions based on the fact that a winemaker had used reverse osmosis to lower the alcohol of a wine, or that it had been fined with isinglass (a fish protein). But I wouldn't mind knowing those things, and some people have the right to make purchase decisions based on them if they like.
But I do object to the sort of "digging for dirt" that this program seems to have been after. Apparently they called Jamie Goode, looking for some sort of expert witness who could tell them all sorts of nasty things that people put into their wine. His impression was that they had already decided what conclusions they wanted to draw, and were simply looking for supporting evidence, which he declined to give them.
Apparently they ended up revealing the scandalous truth that sugar is added to most Champagne.
My sympathy goes out to retailers, producers, and distributors in the UK wine market who are rightfully upset at how this issue has been reframed as a "doctoring of the product" as opposed to a legitimate debate about how wine gets labeled.
I also cringe at the way that some folks in the wine industry use such occasions as an opportunity to push their own "if it's not biodynamic, it's poison" agenda. That's as inappropriate as the lousy journalism.
Copia opened in the midst of an economic downturn during the dot-com meltdown and just after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. New director seeks creative route to solvency at Napa center
Now, seven years later, the institution seems to remain jinxed, and after many stabs at success, it is considering steps as drastic as filing for bankruptcy to escape its crushing debt.
Often when you think of Napa and Sonoma, the big corporate winery showcases come to mind. Palatial wineries costing tens of millions of dollars surrounded by gardens that compete with Versailles and gourmet kitchens better equipped than three star Michelin restaurants. Yet some of California’s most exciting wines are not being made in such wine palaces.
Working in leased space, crammed in with other small producers sharing space and equipment, some young winemakers are making a dramatic new generation of California wines. Some of the most compelling wines I tasted during a visit to Sonoma last weekend were some bottlings of syrah produced by some low tech, but high passion winemakers. I say this is a new generation because these are not the huge raspberry fruit bomb syrahs with little varietal character you have come to expect from California. These are big wines, just as they should be, but layered in with all that fruit was real complexity as they exhibited that earthy, butcher shop character that defines the finest wines from this variety.
Morgon Peterson at Bedrock Wine Company is crafting some of the most fascinating American wines I’ve tasted in some time. He’s making a tremendous range of single vineyard syrahs and a dramatic sauvignon blanc/semillon blend. Neighbor Phillip Staehle is making some compelling wines under the Enkidu label. His Odyssey Russian River Syrah is proof positive that the best syrah is made in cooler climates than conventional wisdom has called for in the past.
In the picture above, Peterson presses wines using a muscle powered basket press. Yes, he really makes wine that way. There’s a growing group of young winemakers in California who are well educated not only on winemaking science, but on the traditions that made European wines the standard for greatness in the past. They are on the cutting edge of California winemaking not because of their use of the latest technologies, but by their return to the methods of the past. They are making textured, complex wines that don’t bury the characteristics of the variety under excess and manipulations, but that proudly and clearly show their California personality. For me, these wines were nothing short of exciting. As you might expect, very little wine is produced at wineries such as these. I’d suggest you get on the mailing list now.
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 [...]
The Pride of New York Harvest Festival at the Desomond Hotel in Albany, New York was a wonderufl success. Many celebs of the New York wine world were seen walking the floor, including Hunt Country's Art Hunt, Fox Run's Scott Osborn, Matt Spacarelli of Benmarl, Chris Reno of Lafayette Reaneau, and many other winery owners and winemakers, as well as scurrying sales staffs.
Its been a good year for many wineries, and this event was a great mixture of New York gourmet foods and New York wine.
The Prosecco DOC? di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Consorzio? has applied to the Italian government for promotion to the higher DOCG? status.
At the same time, the basic IGT? (Indicazione Geografica Tipica?) level Prosecco grown in the lower plains will also have to go though stricter quality control, the DOC says.
Some IGTs will be elevated to to DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata?) while others will be demoted, losing the right to put 'Prosecco' on the label.
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita?), established in 1963, is the highest legal category of Italian wines.
The Prosecco Consorzio has applied to the Ministry of Agriculture to allow promotion of the best Proseccos in 2009.
Speaking at the Consorzio tasting in London on Monday, Consorzio director Giancarlo Vettorello told decanter.com it was time 'to push ahead with our UK promotion as sales in UK are on the rise and Prosecco seems to be all the rage.'
There were 37 producers at this year's tasting, 12 more than last year.
Today the Prosecco DOC produces some 57m bottles of which 15m are exported worldwide. The currently imports 6% of total exports, the equivalent of 1m bottles exported in 2007.
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
Tecnorati
