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Friday night thoughts a day working from home today. A bit of a late start, but then some serious work on Brettanomyces, that most complex and interesting of wine 'faults'. Found out that the theme for my next Sunday Express column has been changed at short notice - this goes with the territory. Forgot to do some much-needed invoicing (I'm not the most financially motivated of writers). Walked the dog twice. Then I took elder son to play golf at what turned out to be a really nice nine-hole course in Ascot calle
Les Alcusses tinto Bodega: Celler del Roure País: España Año: 2004 D.O. Valencia Variedades: Merlot Monastrell / Mourvedre Syrah Tempranillo
Road Trip: Tennessee and Kentucky Our next stops on our road trip across these United States of America were Tennessee and Kentucky. We headed for Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and visited three Tennessee wineries, Mountain Valley Winery, Apple Barn Winery, and Smoky Mountain Winery. My opinion after these three visits is that Tennessee is not yet serious wine country. The only wines I could recommend (and barely at that) were Merlots using Washington State grapes. Everything else, using local grapes, was pretty weak in my opinion. Th
Tercera edición de Syrah San Juan 16/05/08 Con la organización del Centro y el Consejo Profesional de Enólogos y la Escuela de Degustadores, y el auspicio del gobierno provincial se realizará en San Juan la Tercera Degustación Syrah de San Juan 2008. Las muestras comenzarán a recibirse desde el 19 y hasta el 31 de mayo en la sede del Consejo (Rawson 497 Norte). La evaluación se hará del 9 al 14 de junio y los 10 mejores vinos seleccionados serán presentados en una jornada de degustación dirigida el 21 de junio próximo, en el
Rem on Reds over power? was the sound-bite Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa was offering to sum up his Epicurean 2005 Bordeaux blend at its Johannesburg launch last week. Finesse is certainly flavour of this month. On Monday evening, Rhône ranger Remington Norman was arguing that Shiraz ?can be wonderfully elegant if you treat it right.? [...]
Rusack 2005 Santa Barbara County Syrah The Rusack Winery 2003 Santa Barbara County Syrah is made with grapes from the estate vineyard and two neighboring vineyards in Ballard Canyon. The grapes were cold soaked and then fermented in small open-top bins, with punch downs, by hand, twice a day. Aged in 47% new French oak for 16 months. At blending 7% Petite Sirah and 5% Grenache was added for complexity. Bottled unfiltered. In the glass the wine has a dark, dense, ruby color with hints of purple. The nose reveals dark cherry, blackbe
Cielo Nero d`Avola Syrah 2006 Itália Tinto, Nero d`Avola, Syrah, 2006 Vinícola: Cielo e Terra Preço: R$ 25,00 Outro bom italiano que experimente recentemente. Este é feito de um corte de Syrah e Nero d´Ávola, uva que até então, não conhecia. Tem uma bonita cor rubi, demonstrando certa evolução, aromas de frutas vermelhas e especiarias. Notei também um toque terroso, provavelmente pela presença da syrah. Bom corpo, taninos presentes, suaves e toques adocicados no final. Gostei. Um vinho bom, bem feito e vale o preço.
Iberoamerica en cata 10 yo un dilema con esta convocatoria la cuál me resultó un poco dificil de comprender ya que estuve dándole vueltas a buscar algún vino que pudiera dar lugar a un juego de palabras entre el vino, un lugar y una persona. Pero creo que era todo más fácil, sencillamente buscar un vino que compartirias, luego con quién y donde sería sencillo.Entre los últimos vinos que he probado he seleccionado un vino de las Islas Baleares, concretamente el AN/2 2005. La razón es sencilla, es de lo último que
Into the deep dark Syrah wine was one of the darkest, if not THE darkest, Syrah I have ever seen. In fact, I think it's intense purple color can only be compared to the teeth staining ability of a a typical Petite Sirah....it was that dark and my tongue and teeth were that blue after drinking my 2 glasses. The wine was a 2004 Teldeschi Syrah that we picked up at the winery on our recent Sonoma trip. I am still slugging through the posts regarding our various vineyard visits, I certainly have more than a few left t
Sentius tinto Bodega: Joan Simó País: España Año: 2004 D.O. Priorat Variedades: Cabernet Sauvignon Carinyena Garnacha Merlot Syrah
Nubac tinto Bodega: Can Just País: España Año: 2006 D.O. Montsant Variedades: Garnacha Merlot Samsó Syrah
Habla Nº3 tinto Bodega: Trujillo Bodegas y Viñedos País: España Año: 2005 D.O. Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura Variedades: Syrah
Vinos Premium: Martúe Crianza 2006 Premium: Martúe Crianza 2006 Aunque su presentación como ?vino de mesa? y su módico precio, exponen al Martúe Crianza 2006 como un modesto vino, es casi seguro que cuando se lo prueba se desvela una agradable sorpresa. Con un marcado toque de frutas se despliega en nariz . Sus notas balsámicas le proporcionan un particular sabor en boca y aporta a su largo final. Leer más » Por Malbec el 15 Mayo 2008 ? 7:05 am Publica un comentario | Publicado en » Enología
2005 Margerum ?M5? Santa Ynez Valley Wine: 2005 ?M5?, Santa Ynez Valley Producer: Margerum Appellation/Region: Santa Ynez Valley, CA Composition: Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, and Counoise. They Said: We had been holding this one for a couple of years and finally popped the cork last night when dining with friends at FireFly in Noe Valley. This is one of Jen?s favorite wines, and it lived up to our expectations once again. It?s a very interesting Rhone-style blend, that is a mix of 5 grapes from 12 vineyards in the
Gróf Buttler Syrah-Trilógia 2005 Buttler Syrah-Trilógia 2005 forrás: Bortársaság Nem puffogtatok közhelyeket és nem zengek ódákat. Igazi terroirista borok, melyek bizonyos szemmel nézve csodálatosan hasonlóak, másfel?l ég és föld a három. Mint a külön szexepillel és egyéniséggel bíró hármasikrek. Frissen nyitva mindháromban a szarvasgomba volt a vezet? ízjegy, abból is a kokira kitekert resonance-al hangolt változata. Párom és Öcsém szerint is kilógott a sorból a középs? tétel, egy más, bizserget?bb, eltér? gyümölcsöket
Antiyal receives accolades from Wine Spectator in recent article: ?Chile Returns to its Roots? receives accolades from Wine Spectator in recent article: ?Chile Returns to its Roots? The Flash Player and a browser with Javascript support are needed.. ¶ Posted 14 May 2008 ? derek § Antiyal in Pictures § Criticism & Accolades § Wine Spectator ? Comments (0) ° Tagged: , , Antiyal, cabernet, chile, Kuyen, maipo, syrah, Wine Spectator
Toast to the Northwest This event, held last weekend at the Dempsey Indoor on the University of Washington campus, brought together two of my favorite things, Huskies and wine. As a graduate of the University of Washington, I am a tried and true Husky fan. In fact one of my favorite pastimes is attending UW sporting events with my family. So an event that features wine and supports the Huskies is right up my alley. In its third year, Toast to the Northwest featured about 40 wineries or wine companies (distributors, i
1998 Hermitage La Chapelle Vi försöker minnas inhandlingen av denna flaska. Det bör ha varit någon gång under 2001. Efter en långpromenad längs Årstaviken måste barnvagnen ha rullat vidare upp till butiken i Söderhallarna. Magneten som drog var säkert Per-Henrik Månssons omdöme i Wine Spectator, garnerat med hela 96 poäng: "What a great wine. Full-bodied, with crushed berry, smoke and grilled aromas, all presented quite subtly. Stands out for its natural, down-to-earth taste of clean, pure, shining fruit. A pleasure to d
Open-textured, silky and appealing for its cherry and plum flavors, shaded with coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes, which come up stronger on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 4,000 cases made.
Keller Estate's Syrah-based 2007 Sonoma Coast Rose is a delight. I'm always searching for a rose from California that's not too pink and not too sweet (not to mention a lot of fun to drink & great with food) and this one fits the bill just right. Made for the winery founder's 75th birthday, this medium pink-hued quaffer offers up delightful aromas of watermelon Jolly Rancher candy (always a favorite), caramel, chamomile, rose water and a kiss of pink grapefruit...
Here's a handful of Petite Sirah reviews I've been sitting on for a bit...
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Regardless of how it's spelled, I almost never pass up a Petite Sirah. The 2005 Redtree Petite Sirah is from the Lake County AVA, California. $13, 12.5% abv. The bright red synthetic cork was a surprise, and it kind of reminds me of a shotgun shell without the brass jacket. Redtree take note: you've got an untapped market of duck hunters out there.
It's rich and jammy and chock full of blackberry flavors. Fairly light tannins, though a few show up on the aftertaste. The hunting idea above made me think that this would be great with something like a wild duck breast cooked with a splash of wine and a handful of hand-picked berries, either blueberries or mulberries depending on season. Or maybe grilled quail wrapped in bacon. Mmmmm...
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Around my house, "bad dog" is more of a nickname for the two household canines than a verbal punishment. So the label of this wine brought a smile to my face and I thought I'd give it a shot. 2005 Bad Dog Ranch Petite Sirah, $10, 12.5% abv. One of the dozens of labels held by the massive California-based Bronco Wine Company. Decent enough everyday Petite Sirah, with some blueberry and coffee elements.
In the foreground is a roast acorn squash, a frequent request from The Girlfriend. The old acorn squash is pretty versatile and one of them is perfect for one person as a side dish. I slice off the stem end, scoop out the seeds and strings, and then place the squash cut side down in a Pyrex dish. Add an inch of water and bake at 350°F until soft. After that you can do pretty much anything with it, but on this occasion we added butter and brown sugar and mashed up the inner squash flesh. I've also had good luck with olive oil, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs.
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Paul and I got together for a guys' night a few weeks ago, and I popped open a bottle of the 2003 Marietta Petite Sirah from Geyserville, California. A fun blend of 88% Petite Sirah and 12% Syrah, about $12. A little grilled steak, some blanched white asparagus wrapped in paper-thin slices of coppa crudo, and a bit of potato salad.
The wine was a little dusty on the first whiff, but after a brief period of breathing, a lovely aroma of dark fruit opened up, mostly blackberry. Deep berry flavors followed, with a velvety mouthfeel and light tannins. This is an inexpensive wine that has aged beautifully and would probably hold up for a few more years. Natalie's in Cordova seemingly has the entire line of Marietta wines and I find myself picking up a bottle almost every time I drop by.
You can feel safer in your bed tonight knowing that the United States government is protecting you from another danger. That new evil is, of course, Brunello di Montalcino that might have a bit of cabernet or merlot adulterating the sangiovese grosso. These are the same consumer protectors that brought you the 75% rule for American varietal wines, which requires that the stated variety make up at least three quarters of the named wine. So while it’s fine for an American producer of pinot noir to blend in 25% syrah or anything else the missteps of a few producers in Brunello will bring down the wrath of the TTB on all producers.
It’s great to know that our government is always on the watch.
The assumption of the American Viticultural Area (appellation) program is that there is something unique about those areas that are granted AVA status?that there is something about Oakville, Anderson Valley, Finger Lakes and Green Valley that make them distinct.
However, the subtext of this quasi-appellation program administered by the federal government and completely embraced by the American wine industry is that the wines the emerge from specifically designated American Viticultural Areas are themselves unique because they somehow contain identifiable characteristics that can be traced to the uniqueness of the AVAs in which the grapes were grown.
This is the assumption that Appellation America has always embraced and promoted in its fantastic journalistic efforts and its the proposition that it hopes to bring real clarity to with its recently announced "Best of Appellation Evaluation Program".
As described, the Best of Appellation Evaluation Program "obliges the [program's] assessors to systematically evaluate the wines, individually and collectively, for place characteristics."
Appellation America's publisher, Roger Dial, goes on to explain, "In the days, months, and years going forward we will be doing what our readers continually ask us to do. We?re going to look at every appellation in North America, building an on-going, ever-developing picture of the mosaic of regional character and diversity that we hope will enrich our wine culture."
This is a monumental task that strikes me as being the kind of effort that will bring as much criticism as it does praise. However, the praise will be deserved and the criticism will simply be sour grapes.
What happens when the regional characteristics of Oakville Merlot are defined in a way that identifies one famous Oakville producer's Merlot as uncharacteristic of the appellation? This won't make the Oakville Merlot producer very happy. But I think this unhappiness is a natural result of winemaking philosophies that treasure style over regional characteristics. Now, I don't want to suggest that focusing on producing a specific style of wine rather than achieving regional reflection is a bad thing. It's just a thing. It's just not a very interesting thing.
Others have previously used the evaluation processes to focus on regional characteristics. For example, Dan Berger, who runs the respected Riverside International Wine Competition, recently announced that Anderson Valley's Navarro Vineyards won that competition's Terroir Award trophy, given to the winery that displays the best regional character in its wine. It should be no surprise that Appellation America sponsors this trophy.
Down the road, if Appellation America is successful, I expect we'll be able to go to their website and read something along these lines: "Carneros Syrah is a wine that typically displays X,Y and Z aromas with flavors of A, B, and C. These characteristics are best found in the Syrahs of X Vineyard, Y Cellars and Z Estate."
I, for one, hope they succeed in their quest. I'm not positive it will lead to more interest in wine or greater sales of wine or more exploration of different wines from America's many AVA's. But I am positive that it will make the wine world much more interesting.
Argentine wines are not as well-known in North America as those of Chile, but the areas just below the Andes Mountains, such as Mendoza and San Juan, produce excellent, red wines, including Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Malbec, a red wine grape that is at its best when grown in Argentine soil. Learn more about the wines of Argentina in this video from Geobeats.
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Argentine wines are not as well-known in North America as those of Chile, but the areas just below the Andes Mountains, such as Mendoza and San Juan, produce excellent, red wines, including Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Malbec, a red wine grape that is at its best when grown in Argentine soil. Learn more about the wines of Argentina in this video from Geobeats.
Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.
When I contemplate the lowly rutabaga, it makes me think about economics. You always see them in the grocery store, but who buys them? Despite the efforts of the Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute, I've never heard someone mention a craving for one. What more popular vegetables subsidize the presence of fresh rutabagas year round? It's also odd to buy a root vegetable encased in wax. Not just the sheen of gloss put on apples and cucumbers, but a thick protective coating that preserves the root vegetable. At a Burns' Night dinner years ago I had some "neeps & tatties" (rutabagas and potatoes) alongside the haggis, and I recently had a rutabaga purée in Cleveland, but I'd never fixed one myself.
I had an idea for a fancy preparation incorporating an ingredient that looked like a prop from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I peeled the softball-sized rutabaga. It takes forever with a peeler and is somewhat dangerous with a knife. Then I divided it into a ¼" dice and boiled it in chicken broth until tender (roughly 45 minutes). Mashed up with some roasted garlic, popped into a ramekin and topped with some buttered orzo, basil and a parmesan chip, one of those magical garnishes that ups the price of a dish by $5.
Verdict? I'm more likely to use acorn squash when I want a savory, non-potato starch. The rutabaga was good in this dish but not necessarily worth the trouble of prep. I also can't shake the association of rutabagas with hard times and starvation such as the Steckrübenwinter of 1916-1917, when the population of Germany had to survive on rutabagas.
Unlike the subjects of the Kaiser, I got to enjoy mine with some beef, a refreshing salad, and the 2005 Columbia Crest Two Vines "Vineyard 10" from the Columbia Valley of Washington. $9, 13.5% abv, a proprietary blend of Syrah, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bright, with big red fruit flavors, some lingering tannins but overall a decent blend for the price.
I've always found Columbia Crest to be a reliable producer, and at some point I'm going to try their higher end offerings. One blend I miss is their Semillon-Chardonnay, which I last remember seeing in the late 90s. When you got to serve that to someone that had never tasted any other white than straight chard, it was delightful to watch his or her face brighten up.
In terms of export trends, it seem as though higher-end Argentine Malbec/Cab types of blends imported to the North American and UK markets have garnered better consumer reception than single varieties.Don?t get me wrong, I have enjoyed many of these and will continue to do so, though recently I must confess that I?ve been feeling a bit bored.This is precisely when I need to turn to a winemaker who can think outside the box and take me somewhere different than the usual Cab/Malbec blends.Who could I turn to?
Susana helped me think outside the box?Susana Balbo, that is.One of Argentina?s premier winemakers, her Syrah-Bonarda blend is one of various compelling examples of her brilliance.It?s an intelligent value steal and as a bonus, it is meant to be consumed more or less young.Argentine Syrah as a whole doesn?t get all of the credit that it deserves?combined with the second most planted red, Bonarda, you get this beauty, with meaty tannins and lots of dark fruit/red fruit complexity.My favorite aspect of this one revolved around the irresistible, concentrated plum, cherry and black raspberry flavors, with the Bonarda contributing the nice red berry acidity.The oak and warm spices are a great, subtle backbone that won?t overwhelm with one of those cheap death-by-vanilla finishes.As with a great deal of grapes harvested from the Andean foothills (elev. about 2300ft), both components of this 50/50 blend were hand-harvested from vines in Mendoza?s Rivadavia department that are on average, 40 years old.
What a wonderful blend to try with grilled meats now that the weather is improving.Yet another excellent example that shows what finesse Mendoza blends can have without Malbec involvement.
Susana Balbo?s Crios wines are made available by Vine Connections, the premier boutique Argentine wine importer out of San Francisco.If you?re having trouble finding it in your area, try Wine-Searcher or the importers themselves.
In terms of export trends, it seem as though higher-end Argentine Malbec/Cab types of blends imported to the North American and UK markets have garnered better consumer reception than single varieties.Don?t get me wrong, I have enjoyed many of these and will continue to do so, though recently I must confess that I?ve been feeling a bit bored.This is precisely when I need to turn to a winemaker who can think outside the box and take me somewhere different than the usual Cab/Malbec blends.Who could I turn to?
Susana helped me think outside the box?Susana Balbo, that is.One of Argentina?s premier winemakers, her Syrah-Bonarda blend is one of various compelling examples of her brilliance.It?s an intelligent value steal and as a bonus, it is meant to be consumed more or less young.Argentine Syrah as a whole doesn?t get all of the credit that it deserves?combined with the second most planted red, Bonarda, you get this beauty, with meaty tannins and lots of dark fruit/red fruit complexity.My favorite aspect of this one revolved around the irresistible, concentrated plum, cherry and black raspberry flavors, with the Bonarda contributing the nice red berry acidity.The oak and warm spices are a great, subtle backbone that won?t overwhelm with one of those cheap death-by-vanilla finishes.As with a great deal of grapes harvested from the Andean foothills (elev. about 2300ft), both components of this 50/50 blend were hand-harvested from vines in Mendoza?s Rivadavia department that are on average, 40 years old.
What a wonderful blend to try with grilled meats now that the weather is improving.Yet another excellent example that shows what finesse Mendoza blends can have without Malbec involvement.
Susana Balbo?s Crios wines are made available by Vine Connections, the premier boutique Argentine wine importer out of San Francisco.If you?re having trouble finding it in your area, try Wine-Searcher or the importers themselves.
Pax Mahle has been making some of the most interesting and complex Syrah in California for nearly a decade now. Although he makes other Rhone varietals, Syrah is his focus with several vineyard designated offerings each year. In tasting 2005 Pax Syrah from the barrel last year, I was impressed with the range of aromas and flavors he brings out with distinct wines even made from within the same vineyard.
All Pax Syrah have a similar thread running through them: they are big. Some are fruit bombs, others super concentrated and structured for aging and some are masterpieces of balance even at 15-16% alcohol. When I asked Pax about his process, he pointed to the traditional techniques of France’s Burgundy region where whole-cluster fermentation and the minimum of cellar treatment was the norm at the finest vineyards for centuries. Somehow, Pax has taken these Old World techniques and combined them with aggressive crop management in the vineyard to produce stunning wines.
The Syrah from Griffin’s Lair in the Sonoma Coast AVA is one of the most massive wines in the lineup with very concentrated fruit along with firm tannins. Although this wine is quite enjoyable right now, I would suggest at least another 5 years of cellaring before you will fully comprehend all the nuances this wine brings to the table.
I enjoyed this Syrah last night paired with traditional Steak Frit at a restaurant in San Francisco. I shared this bottle with Alan Baker who longtime listeners of the podcast will remember from Winecast 51 where we tasted Pax Cellars Walker Vine Hill Syrah. Over the 90 minutes we enjoyed this wine it evolved quite a bit but I would imagine even more aromas would have been present on day two. If you open a bottle now, decanting is highly recommended.
Pax Cellars, Syrah, Griffin’s Lair, Sonoma Coast 2004 ($70) - Very dark purple-black in color with massive aromas of blackberry, meats, fennel, green olive, chaparral, leather and baking spices. Huge, mouth-filling blackberry fruit flavors with cracked black pepper finishing with firm, but fine-grained, tannins. The finish lingers for nearly a minute making this one of the most stunning wines I’ve tasted from Pax Cellars to date. This wine will continue to improve for at least another decade in the cellar.
Just in case? you were wondering; Matt Kramer (winespectator.com) writes:
You've probably been in this situation yourself. You're the one choosing the wines for a dinner with friends. You look at the menu and perform the usual mental matchups about what goes with what. But then, much more subtly?even furtively?you also do a mental matchup about which wines go with, ahem, the guests.
If you're a lover of Italian wines, especially traditional-style? versions, you might find yourself in this situation more often than most.
This subject is not much discussed because it makes you feel like, sound like, or realize that you actually are, a snob. Nevertheless, most people who know their way around wine pay as much attention to the "who's drinking" as to the "which dish."
This lesson is often first (painfully) learned at the family Thanksgiving table. You trot out some of the treasures you've been hoarding for that special moment. Big? mistake. Emergency wards are filled with wine lovers traumatized by watching guests guzzle their prized bottles like elephants at a watering hole.
I thought about this when deciding recently which wines to bring to a high-end Italian restaurant. A good host, by definition, wants his or her guests to feel comfortable. Our guests were, thankfully, wine lovers. However, that's not the same as wine savvy. No crime there, of course. But when the time came to reach for Barolo or even Barbera, my hand hovered over those bottles and then, Ouija board-like, moved to red Burgundy and California Pinot Noir.
Now, maybe it was timidity on my part. Perhaps I've lost my belief in the redemptive, even transformative, power of fine wine?never mind the grape variety? or region?. Surely a traditional Barolo can move not merely the uninitiated but even the unreceptive, especially when served with the right food.
I used to think so. Ask any of my long-suffering friends who have been subjected to my evangelical enthusiasm for, say, Gattinara. Or Recioto? della Valpolicella. Or more bizarrely yet, the caramel-colored, sediment?-rich delights of Italy's new-wave/old-way whites, fermented with skin contact?, from Radikon, Massa Vecchia, Castello? di Lispida or Josko Gravner, among others.
But now I find myself hesitating. I've come to the conclusion that really characterful wines?none more so than traditionally made Italian wines?often require a certain receptivity, maybe even a little study. That you can't just spring upon an unsuspecting, not-especially-interested-in-Italian-wines guest the magnificently traditional likes of, say, Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo or even the easier to understand but still true-to-its-old-school Brunello di Montalcino from Tenuta? Il Poggione.
This flies in the face of today's wine democratization?a belief that anybody should be able to understand, without any fuss, any wine put in front of them. And if they don't, well then, it's the wine's fault, not theirs.
This, of course, is why so many Italian reds today are so modernistic, slathered with the creamy? vanilla? toastiness of new French oak??, miscegenated with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and practically hot-waxed to a tannin?-free smoothness. Do they sell? They sure do. They're easy to understand, familiar-tasting, and?here it comes?you can serve them to anybody.
Do these wines represent the best of Italy? For me, they do not. But they are ambassadors of Italian wines, and for that reason alone they're worthwhile. Italian wines at their best?the reds especially?are different from all others. And this difference, which lies at the very root of Italian wine greatness, is not an instantly seductive one.
The taste? of France is rich and smooth? in the mouth (think foie gras) while that of Italy?classically anyway?is about a slight, mouthwatering bitterness (think Campari). It's easy to see why France's seductive model has become universal, including in Italy. The rigors of traditional Barolo, Brunello, Barbera and Aglianico, among others, are formidable and not immediately come-hither.
So that's why I stayed my hand in choosing the traditional Italian reds I've come to love when deciding what to serve my guests. They're not instantly likable (the wines, not the guests). Of course, I could have chosen modern-style Italian reds, wines that I know are made for just this very easygoingness. You can use instant polenta? these days, too.
Maybe I didn't give my guests enough credit. Or maybe?just maybe?it's fair to say that some people just aren't ready for some wines. Is that snobbish? Or is it a fair reality?
Some might say Christophe Baron had rocks in his head to plant Syrah in 1997 in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley. But actually, it is the vineyards of Cayuse that are loaded with rocks. As with most of his colleagues, Christophe feels the answer to great wines is to work hard work in the vineyard. But, the weather is a tough variable here in Southeastern Washington. To keep the vines from freezing during the harsh winter, Christophe must bury the vines with rocks and dirt. And, since grafting is a problem because of the cold winters (grafts would have difficulty surviving), all of his vines are all on their own rootstalks.
Join us as we listen to this fascinating vigneron, and his take on working among the stones to make great wines from the Walla Walla Valley.
Yes, that was basically the point of this quick weekend post.Over the past week I made the best attempt I could at finding all six single-variety wines that the South African producers released, and have only achieved partial success (3/6).Though not so entirely happy with one of the whites (sadly the only one I could track down), I return to the reds to find a very interesting Shiraz.
A small clarification about how I view value wines though.Obviously, the MAN Shiraz is no Crozes-Hermitages, but that simply isn?t the objective with a value selection recommendation.It doesn?t make it better than say, a Northern Rhône Syrah that usually sells for more.Value selections like this one are unusually interesting for the price point.That shortsighted all-or-nothing approach people have the tendency to apply to so many things in life seems absurdly inappropriate even with wine.I thought about that today when I read the latest post over at The Pour, which somewhat deals with a new book on wine reminiscent of that 20/20 segment from 2005 which relegates the value of art and art criticism (good parallel with wine) to that of upper-brow contempt for the masses.How many certifiable idiots have you overheard in a hotel lobby asking trite questions that more or less resemble ?which one?s the best, Flemish art or Florentine art?The inanity of an exchange like this swiftly reveals the poverty of knowledge, or perhaps more crucial to the matter, lack of genuine appreciation which the participants must have for art.
As someone who seriously studies literature and has a couple of degrees to back that up, I have always cringed at those book club type questions where two writers from completely different perspectives and time periods are given the old CNN Crossfire treatment, ?George Sand or Danielle Steele??On a whole, more people would likely prefer Steele, who no doubt is an accomplished writer; her work could thus be considered better, right?No, no and no.As with artists or writers, let?s please leave wine out of that sort of thing.
At any rate, this Coastal Region Shiraz is all about straightforward flavors and food-accompanying functionality.I thought it a bit complex for the price point, with nice plum, berry, spice and smoke.Balance wasn?t too far off, with medium acidity, high body, medium-high tannin and solid fruit which stood up to the vegetal and spice flavors for three days after opening.An added bonus, considering most sub-$10 reds, was that the oak presence was never overwhelming.I?ll certainly consider the MAN Syrah and Pinotage again when looking for value-priced accompaniments to grilled meats and those ostrich burgers I have come to enjoy recently.
Tecnorati
The assumption of the American Viticultural Area (appellation) program is that there is something unique about those areas that are granted AVA status?that there is something about Oakville, Anderson Valley, Finger Lakes and Green Valley that make them distinct.
