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Inspired by a comment I received from Josh at Pinotblogger in response to my review of a BioD wine (found here). He raised the question, a very valid question, about whether I would enjoy the wine as much if I tasted it blind. He’s right. How much is my tasting the “vitality” in a BioD wine related to my own psychosomatic predisposition to being intrigued by BioD wines made with natural yeasts?
But, just as soon as you start to go down one path of mental resolution, you open up a $22 bottle of BR Cohn Silver Label Cab and a Trader Joe’s $5 bottle and you realize that the TJ’s wine is better. A normal predisposition would say the more expensive wine is better.
It’s all subjective; fortunately I’m a sales and marketing guy with a liberal arts degree so I don’t have to get bound up in quantifying the science in it all. This subjectiveness is illustrated as much by our desire to date to attractiveness (or, in my case, marry) demonstrated by eHarmony (it don’t mean a thing without the picture). Blind tastings and personalities matches are great, but, yeah, I guess the label does matter.
Thu Feb 24th, 2005, New York City Italian Wine & Food Gala Thursday, Februrary 24, 2005 New York City The Italian Wine & Food Gala, to be held from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m., will showcase more than 60 producers and over 400 of Italy's premium wines and will offer a panoramic view of Italy's diverse wine regions and a rare opportunity to discuss wines with the experts who produce them.
As the head bartender at the famed New York restaurant One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Mike Lombardozzi knows a thing or two about martinis. But even he was surprised when he replaced the premium vodka in his specially created Pomegranate martini with O2 Sparkling Vodka, the first of its kind.
Martini Alert - Inventor's O2 SPARKLING VODKA Comes to U.S. from England
"Everyone says that it is the best martini they have ever had," says Lombardozzi, who has christened the drink the CosmO2.
O2 is the creation of Philip Maitland, a British entrepreneur and inventor, who spent two years researching and developing a process to create a sparkling spirit.
"Many thought it would be impossible," says Maitland, "but I persevered and was awarded a patent in 2003."
Feb 25th-Mar 18th 2005, Cupertino Outside of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhône Valley lie lesser-known regions that provide exciting wines, which often can be obtained at prices that rival or even beat California wines.
St. Helena, Calif. -- As wine consumption in the United States reached an all-time high in 2007, wine producers celebrated the long-awaited arrival of a "wine culture" in America. But according to an 18-month study commissioned by Constellation Wines U.S., a large segment of the consumer population is still "overwhelmed" by wine. The results of "Home & Habits," the second phase of Constellation's "Project Genome" study, were released March 7 at a press conference.
"Our industry needs to do more to become more customer focused," said José Fernandez, president and CEO of Constellation Wines North America.
The original 2005 study of 3,500 wine drinkers was one of the largest consumer research projects ever conducted by the wine industry. The new study examined the purchases of 10,000 premium-wine consumers--defined as those who purchased wine priced at $5 and higher--over an 18-month period. While the first Project Genome study asked online survey participants to recall their wine purchases during the last 30 days, the Home & Habits study tracked the actual purchases of Nielsen Co.'s Homescan® consumer purchase panel, which employs in-home bar code scanners and surveys to map consumer buying behavior across a demographically balanced sampling.
Nielsen measured consumer attitudes and purchase behavior within multiple purchase channels, including warehouse clubs, supermarkets, mass merchandisers, drug stores, liquor stores and wine shops. The scan data were supplemented with online interviews to classify consumers by Project Genome consumer segments identified in Constellation's original study: Enthusiasts, Image Seekers, Savvy Shoppers, Traditionalists, Satisfied Sippers and Overwhelmed.
Like the Eighty Years' War (1568 - 1648), this post involves the Dutch, Spanish, and English. If I'd been particularly creative I could have recreated certain key battles using cubes of the cheese and historical dioramas. I hope that a few standard photos of wedges will suffice.
Naked Goat is, as you might imagine, a goat cheese. It hails from Spain where it goes by the local name queso de Murcia curado. Purchasing this was one of those slightly anxious moments in the grocery store when I sincerely hoped that a price check was not needed. I could just imagine the following blared over the intercom: "PRICE CHECK ON NAKED GOAT... WE GOT A GUY WITH NAKED GOAT HERE..." This is a firm goat cheese, close in texture to a standard Swiss cheese. In addition to the texture and a slight nutty characteristic, you get classic goat cheese flavors, if not as sharp as fresh chevre.
Cablanca is a Dutch Gouda variant made with goat's milk. Firm but not crumbly or hard with a nice tangy quality. A refreshing change of pace on the cheese plate, and if you're interested in all the many goat versions of your favorite cheeses, just Google "goat _____" and somebody out there makes it. In general I don't eat a lot of Dutch cheese. I respect the love of Edam and Gouda, but the aromas of each draw me back to a trip to Amsterdam. I had a great time there (museums and art galleries rather than hookers and pot), but I vividly recall walking past a cheese shop and being overwhelmed by a blast of warm, funky air. Think back to high school and the bag of gym clothes you accidentally left in the back of your locker for a month.
The British Cheese Board tells us that Red Leicester is "a good partner for beer". Not "enjoy this with a pint o' your best bitter and a heap of bangers and mash" nor "works well with a firm stout and a bit of toad in the hole", merely chow down on this while drinking beer. I had entirely different motivations. After the crazy, surrealist dreams induced by English Stilton, I figured I would attempt to induce dreams of my past with this product. I had a chunk of Red Leicester each night for four consecutive nights and didn't manage to produce a nostalgic dream. Maybe it only works if you ate it in the past? Flavor-wise, Red Leicester is virtually indistinguishable from a sharp cheddar. It was good, but if I want a great cheddar experience I'll get something aged from Vermont or Wisconsin.
Spain's most popular cheese, Manchego, is made from sheep's milk, and I've covered many goat cheeses from the country as well. But the second most popular cheese is a cow's milk queso called Mahón. It's produced on Minorca, one of the Balearic Islands off the east coast of Spain. My particular sample was fairly young, meaning that it was still a little soft, creamy, and nutty. Kind of like a cross between mild white cheddar and brie. Excellent with fresh fruit and a sparkling white like Cava. Maybe some olives and anchovies, and prosciutto and assorted tapas fare.
Hey, let's finish things off with a pink cheese. No, it didn't come with a Hello Kitty label as part of a tea party kit aimed at five year old girls. Rather it's the stodgy-sounding Windsor Red from the Long Clawson Dairy in Bottesford, England. It's based off a sharp pale cheddar that is flavored with a little Port and brandy. But the color doesn't come from the Port: rather it is produced by cochineal, a vibrant red pigment made from pulverized bugs native to Mexico. For anyone repulsed by eating dried cactus parasites, relax. Cochineal is used in all sorts of things, including cosmetics. When a woman reapplies her lipstick after dinner and, perhaps, leaves a red smudge on your cheek at the end of the evening, Miss Manners suggests that you do not describe the biological origin of that coloring if you wish to enjoy repeat performances.
What a great idea! Although it's been open for more than a year, I just learned of California's first chocolate tasting bar, Wine Country Chocolates. As befits a chocolatier in wine country, Wine Country Chocolates makes their own chocolates, many with wine as an ingredient. Offerings include such items as Cab-infused ganache truffles and wine bottle-shaped molded treats, all made without preservatives or additives. Patrons can also dip fresh fruit into a chocolate fountain. It just might be a reason to make a trip to California wine country (like I need a reason).
Wine Country Chocolates is located in Jack London Village shopping center, 14301 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, CA.
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"Consumer Learnings for Make Benefit Glorious Zinfandel Future" Christian Miller, owner of Full Glass Research--a wine industry research firm--chose this title for an opinion study on Zinfandel as a joking reference to the movie Borat. (See the movie's wine episode here.) And it?s pretty appropriate, because depending on who you talk to, zinfandel means different things to different people. There?s an almost Babel-like confusion involved in the language of zinfandel.
Last week we took a trip to the Sunshine Coast, a couple of hours driving north of here. After a visit to the Buderim Ginger Factory I came away with a packet of organic uncrystallized ginger. This is like crystallized ginger but without the sugary coating. Across the road is the Macadamia Nut factory and after sampling the entire line up of flavoured nuts we decided on a 1kg bag of raw macadamias.
After a little thought I decided macadamia nuts and ginger would make perfect partners for white chocolate and matcha. I googled white chocolate pots and the first one up was one from my favourite Tartelette.
Earlier in the week I made another Tartelette recipe - Lemon Madeleines. Without the lemon glace icing you can see the perfect little bumps. These would be perfect served with my adapted Tartelette recipe for white chocolate pots. WHITE CHOCOLATE AND MATCHA CREAM POTS WITH MACADAMIA NUTS AND GINGER (Enough for two greedy people or 4 sensible people)
1/2 cup heavy cream 100 mls whole milk 150 grams white chocolate 3 egg yolks 25 grams raw macadamia nuts roasted in oven for 10 minutes and finely chopped 25 grams crystallized ginger, sliced, or if you can get it, uncrystallized ginger. 2 teaspoons matcha powder dissolved in 4 teaspoons milk
1. Combine milk and cream and bring to the boil. 2. Melt white chocolate over hot water 3. Whisk egg yolks into melted chocolate 4. Pour boiling cream into chocolate and eggs whisking constantly. Bring temperature up to 71C (160F). It will take about 3 1/2 - 4 minutes. 5.Remove from heat into stainless steel bowl placed in bath of iced water. 6. Cool, stirring constantly with whisk till it comes down to 32C (90F), about 4-5 minutes. 7. Divide mixture into two bowls. To one add the chopped macadamia nuts. 8.To the other add the matcha and chopped ginger. 9. Pour macadamia mixture into glass and leave to set in fridge for a couple of hours. 10 Add matcha and ginger flavoured chocolate to top. Leave to set in the fridge.
The matcha flavoured chocolate is not as green as I hoped and maybe I need to add more. If anyone has a formula for flavouring with matcha please leave a comment.
After four decades in the wine industry, Harry McWatters, the spirited, fun-loving, and sometimes outspoken president of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery in Summerland, British Columbia, is stepping down.
Harry?s accomplishments are legendary. He helped found the British Columbia Wine Institute, Wines of Canada, VQA Canada, the BC Wine Information Society, and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society. In 2003, he was a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and is considered instrumental in propelling British Columbia?s wine industry onto the global stage.
But even more important, Harry is known and loved for his tireless commitment and enthusiasm. To be in a room with Harry, is to be instantly caught up in a contagious passion for all things wine-oriented. His wit is razor sharp, his smile impossible to resist, and few can match the sheer depth of his knowledge.
But there?s clearly no slowing down on Harry?s immediate horizon. Effective May 1st, 2008 ? the day after he officially steps down as president of Sumac Ridge ? Harry intends to begin work establishing The Okanagan Wine Academy, an educational program offering in-depth wine educational programs primarily to consumers. In addition to providing consulting services, he will also continue on as president of the Black Sage Vineyard.
And he?s going to finally be able to devote some time to completing his cookbook, Wine Country Cooking, British Columbia, a project he says ?has been talked about and gathering dust for several years.? He smiles with that characteristic twinkle in his eyes. ?This is by no means retirement, but an opportunity to find new reasons to get out of bed in the morning and shift gears, as I plan to remain active in the future growth of this great industry.?
Like everyone who has ever had the privilege of meeting this incredible man, we wish Harry every success and look forward to seeing what shifting gears will bring. We?ll also be first in line to try out some of his Wine Country Cooking recipes.
This is from Stonewell in the sub-region of Marananga. The winemaker is Barossa superstar Troy Kalleske and the executive producers are brothers Pierre and Bert Werden. The name JaJa is an acronym derived from the names of their four children - Jake, Andrew, Jordan and Alana. Bert has had another kiddy called Tara since so maybe they should call future releases JaJaTa…which sounds a bit like a cracker and could be wholly appropriate based on the quality of this first release.
Aromas of blackberry, plum, raspberry, aniseed and meaty malty coffee oak with just a suggestion of fresh mint. On the palate full bodied and packed with an array of lush blackberry, dark cherry and raspberry fruit backed with savoury meaty toasty oak. Beautiful ripe textural tannins here. The mouthfeel is outstanding. Finishes long with blackberry/raspberry and toasty espresso flavours. This is a classic Barossa shiraz offering deep yet vibrant fruit and altogether too much value for money.
How does the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of America tell American wine consumers to F*ck Off? Like this:
"The American consumer who?s complaining that he can?t get some obscure frou-frou wine produced and bottled by Croatian virgins is missing the point. The reason he even WANTS that bottle of wine is because of the incredible variety that is already on the shelves! And how did it get there? WE put it there!" Jack Goldenberg, Chairman of WSWA at their annual convention in Las Vegas
It's a pretty simple and straight forward attitude that these wholesalers bring to the table: You want a wine we don't feel you should have? States need more tax revenue that can come from direct shipping? Fuggetaboudit! Take your "frou frou" wine and keep whining. This is OUR monopoly and we'll run it the way we want it run!
The very notion that wine lovers want access to the thousands upon thousands of wine wholesalers don't carry only because wholesalers have provided access to a slim variety of wines turns the idea of reality on its head.
Mr. Jack Goldenberg is now the chairman of an Association who has as one of their primary goals to keep wine out of the hands of legal adults. They literally believe they can convince consumers that the wines they want, but can't get because of wholesalers' efforts to block access to them, amounts to a service they are providing to th public. I have no doubt that Alice from the land of Wonderland is on the payroll at WSWA. Nothing else can explain this absurd line of reasoning.
But here's the real crack up. At the same convention where Chairman Goldenberg literally told wine lovers across the country to F*ck Off, the WSWA CEO, Craig Wolf, attempted to justify a monopoly system that serves mainly to benefit wholesalers as the only line of defense against people dying from tainted alcohol:
"Look around the world. People are dying from drinking tainted alcohol. Just read the news: deaths in India, Nepal, Paraguay, Nicaragua and elsewhere. And get this ? In 2006, Russia ?celebrated? the fact that there were ONLY 26,000 deaths from alcohol poisoning. A one year drop of almost 30%. What an achievement...You just don?t see that here in the United States, because wholesalers deal exclusively with reputable, licensed suppliers and there is never any question of the integrity of the product that my members distribute."
Did you catch that? According to the CEO of the WSWA, people will die if wholesalers don't control all access to alcohol. LAST CALL FOR THE TRAIN TO WONDERLAND. ALL ABOARD!
You are going to be seeing the wholesalers talk a lot about the dangers of any wine arriving in consumers' hands that did not first get sticky in their hands. If you are in favor of better access to wine and in favor of a rational system of wine distribution that accounts for the realities the new market and new consumer attitudes, then PRAY the wholesalers base their case for keeping total control in their own hands on the idea that people will die without without the wholesaler. If they do indeed take this route, they will be laughed out of the room and change will come even faster.
GrapeRadio is proud to announce that it has won the award for “Best Wine Podcast and Video Blog” from the American Wine Blog Awards. A panel of wine industry insiders selected the finalist in each category and the winners were then selected by popular vote of the listening public. So thanks again to all of our listeners.
Summary of all Winners:
BEST PODCAST OR VIDEOBLOG Grape Radio The crew that produces Grape Radio deliver one of the finest wine radio shows in America. And they have for quite some time. In my mind, what sets them apart from other wine related radio broadcast, be they originating on the Internet or via broadcast, is their willingness to treat their listeners with the respect they deserve, not talking down to them and not assuming they all need remedial education. The American Wine Blog Awards is hardly their first piece of recognition. The Grape Radio crew is now twice honored as a James Beard Award Nominee.
BEST WINE BLOG WRITING Vinography www.vinography.com Last year Alder Yarrow’s Vinography took the prize for Best Wine Review Blog. I consider this award offering even broader recognition to what has become the standard bearer of the wine blogging effort. Alder has not built a substantial readership based on marketing and promotion. He’s earned it through his thoughtful, insightful writing and analysis.
BEST SINGLE SUBJECT BLOG Good Wine Under $20 www.goodwineunder20.blogspot.com Deb Harkness, aka Dr. Debs, the LA college professor and wine blogger has probably been the most newly noticed wine blog of the last 12 months or so. This is all due, as far as I can tell, to her enormous passion for both wine and her readers’ passions for wine. Her subject matter has of late broadened beyond recollections of her search for good wines under $20. This is very good news because she is quick witted and has an excellent eye for the curious and newsworthy. Yet her focus on value remains true and will likely be what delivers even more readers to her outstanding blog.
BEST WINE BLOG GRAPHICS Chateau Petrogasm www.chateaupetrogasm.com Benjamin Saltzman and Andrew Stuart have done something remarkable. They created something new and very, very good in the world of wine reviewing. When I first came across Chateau Petrogasm I was knocked by in my chair by their graphic approach to reviewing wines. How simple. A single picture to convey their impressions of a wine. The approach is both highly cerebral as well as arresting due to its implications for how sophisticated and precise the simplest form of communication can be. There is no doubt a coffee table book in the Chateau Petrogasm’s future.
BEST WINERY BLOG Tablas Creek www.tablascreek.typepad.com Tablas Creek has one of the longest running winery blogs. Any really good winery blog must impart the experience of working at a winery and running a winery. The Tablas Creek blog not only does this but is able to do so by also imparting the excitement they possess for being in the business, the seriousness with which they take their efforts and with the occasional self deprecating approach. It is a joy to read that takes one inside the head of someone who thinks clearly and communicates clearly about the business and fun of growing grapes and making wine.
BEST WINE REVIEW BLOG Good Wine Under $20 www.goodwineunder20.blogspot.com This was for me by far the most interesting group of nominees in this year’s awards. All four nominees do give their readers an educated and passionate glimpse into their view of the world of wines. Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20 did not necessarily win this category running away, but she did win it convincingly, with both the public and the judges. Why? I think it’s because voters and judges see in her reviews exactly what we all want when we encounter a wine we’ve not tasted: an excitement stemming from true discovery. Dr. Debs is clearly becoming an important person in the world of wine blogging and wine reviewing.
BEST BUSINESS BLOG The Wine Collector www.vinfolio.com/thewinecollector The raise to win Best Business Wine Blog was easily the closets of them all. In the end, Steve Bachmann’s The Wine Collector took the prize, actually garnering the most votes from both the public and the judges. The Wine Collector was the winner of last year’s prize for Best Single Subject Wine Blog. This year it was honored for what it does best: deliver exceedingly high level analysis of the wine market and wine selling from the perspective of someone who knows markets and knows about selling wine. Steve’s blog posts, however, are not so far in the air above people’s heads that they won’t appeal to a broad market. What accounts for this is the straightforward nature of his writing. The Wine Collector is a deserving winner.
I'd heard about Bern?s Steakhouse from a few people, so when I was in St. Petersburg last week I made it a point to go across the bridge to Tampa and try the place out. Here's the executive summary: If you're a wine enthusiast, you should definitely give the place a try.
"Over the top" is the phrase that kept coming to mind, from the decor (which I've heard described more than once as "19th century New Orleans brothel"), to the management of their food sources, to the 172-page wine list. Bern's boasts an impressive collection of awards from the Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and other magazines, and it's easy to see why.
The restaurant started in 1954 in one small space in a strip mall. As the steakhouse became more and more successful it took over all the other spaces in the mall, and the original location is now just one of several dining rooms. A second story was also added, as well as a huge kitchen space.
After dinner (I'll get to that in a moment), diners have the option of touring the kitchen and wine cellar, and if you're a wine or food geek you should definitely do that. If you do, you'll see the computerized command center; the humongous charcoal grill that can accommodate up to 200 steaks at once; the areas where they bake their own bread; their onion ring production system; and where they raise the sprouts that they put on their salads (from seeds imported from England). At the top of the stairs to the wine cellar is the wines by the glass station, where one busy bartender pours from a selection of around 150 different wines.
Then it's down into the cellar, which isn't fancy but is nonetheless impressive. There are about 100,000 bottles down there and 8,600 different selections, ranging in price from about $20 to $10,000 and in age from centuries-old vintages to quite recent. Bern's backup inventory, which totals somewhere around 500,000, is stored in three different nearby warehouses.
My two dinner companions had mostly gone along to humor me, so I ended up ordering a Martini (regular Bombay Gin, straight up with olives and three drops of vermouth from the eyedropper our waiter carried) and two reds from the by-the-glass list. I chose a Pčre Anselme Crozes-Hermitage 1978 ($6.50) and a l?Aventure Optimus 2005 ($16.50) to accompany my aged, one-inch-thick Porterhouse, and both wines, while very different, were quite good. The ?78 was medium-bodied and had plenty of fruit still, but paled in comparison to the Optimus, which was huge, rich and satisfying, and an excellent match for the steak. I spent a good, long time with my nose in the glass, inhaling its wonderful bouquet.
I wish I could say that I was as blown away by the food as I was by the Optimus, but it was just a steak. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but it wasn't exceptional, either; I can make a better one at home. Still, it was a very nice meal, and not outrageously priced ? my steak was $52.48, and came with French onion soup, a salad, baked potato, onion rings and a medley of vegetables raised at Bern's own organic farm. We didn't have dessert, but if we had we would have gone upstairs to the Harry Waugh Room to select from 39 different desserts and who knows how many dessert wines and after-dinner drinks.
Would I go again? You bet I would, and I'd recommend the experience to any wine lover. Just go with the expectation that wine is the star and food is the accompaniment, rather than the other way around.
I have been eagerly anticipating Alice Feiring’s book, “The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization.” Then, however, I started reading it.
And, while the book is eminently readable, it is very memoir-ish and very much in the mode of “chick lit.” It is not at all the erudite dis-mantling of “Parker’s palate” that I that I was expecting. It is smart, but also personal with much allegorical reference between her love life (not that interesting) and wine.
My personal tastes in non-fiction aside, I do have to diverge from Feiring’s agent provocateur approach to book promotion. With her op-ed pieces in the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle whereby she paints the entire California wine industry with the same brush, I have to note the hypocrisy in doing so.
How can you rail against homegenization in New World wine, leveraging Parker as your foil, and then write op-ed pieces in California’ two largest daily newspapers deriding virtually the entire California wine industry?
It’s a very subtle point here. But, if you’re going to attack Parker for his influence in creating a “house style” for wine, touting nuanced wine in France, for example, you better damn be sure you’re not pimping your own book in a fashion that is similarly dogmatic in opinion.
It’s like she’s saying, “Parker’s palate be damned. Hail my similarly one-sided opinion, and I’m taking California down with me.”
It rings a little hollow for me. Instead of rattling cages, it might be better to cite chapter and verse in well-reasoned opinion.
Isn’t there a difference between reasoned analysis that leads to provocation and broadside slanted opinions? I think so. That’s where Feiring is falling short. She may be able to write, but she needs a better publicist.
FishEye Merlot caught my eye at the supermarket yesterday when trying to find a good cheap wine to pair with my pasta and chicken dinner.
Nice and fruity, I think the strongest aroma was plum. This wine was a good match to my dinner, and a good value for $5.89. I’d like to try their Cab one of these days.
As we enter the holiday season, I thought it time to up the caliber of my wine recommendations, to put the focus on some truly outstanding wines, which are somewhat costlier than those I have recently recommended. For many, they are special occasion wines, and they can help make those occasions that much more special.
*Wave* Hi! I'm just getting into the wonderful world of vino, and I can safely say that my experience is fairly limited. My fiance got me into wines, more specifically red wines. I've had my share of Merlots and Cabernets, but those always tended to have too strong of a finish for me (I do love me a good Merlot from Blackstone winery though...YUM.) More recently, however, we went out to dinner at the Tasting Room with some friends, and ordered a Speri Valpolicella ripasso. I was in HEAVEN. Not too sweet, with a light finish.
On the white side, I like 'em sweet...Gewurtztraminers and Rieslings. I had a Pinot Grigio once...too dry. Chardonnay is middle-of-the-road to me, and champagne is just NOMMY.
However, there is a point to all of my ramblings...this is my wine experience so far, and I have a dillemma. My Blackstone Merlot, for example, is described as having "rich fruit aromas, elegance, supple oak characters and soft tannins. With lifted dark cherry and berry aromas and a touch of spicy clove, this wine is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The texture is ripe and soft in the mouth, with bright cherry fruit flavors and a soft, lingering finish." However, I don't taste ANY of that. My mouth goes "hmmm....strong, heavy with a mouthpuckery finish." I don't taste the "lifted dark cherry" or the "bright cherry". How, then, can I develop my palate? (Or is the wine description merely a longwinded way of saying "hey, this is a Merlot"?)
*Edit* I just realized I missed a "t" in the Tasting Room link...the Tasing Room sounds like a restaurant I'd want to avoid. ;)
Tasted by Anonymous. leichte, verhaltene Nase nach Stachelbeeren, am Gaumen intensiv nach Kiwi, ein wenig Stachelbeeren, cremig - Tasted 5/19/2008. [FIND IT!]
Four VinesThe Peasant 2005 $36 Wine Label says: Temprance, like chastity, is its own punishment. 40% Mourvedre, 32% Syrah, 17% Grenache, 7% Counoise, 4% Tannat Rabbi Tuchman says: This Paso Robles wine gets SIX thumbs up from our dinner group. This is not a subtle wine. The descriptors going around the table were “full bodied” and “sharp.” We also [...]
Lemberger is often the victim of mistaken identity. Tell people you are having some Lemberger and they are likely to ask you why you like smelly cheese. Sometimes, it's not called Lemberger at all, but Blaufrankisch.
As if the name thing isn't hard enough, it's hard to find, too. When you look on most wine store shelves you don't see a lot of Lemberger for sale. This is strange, because it basically tastes like a Merlot that took an unexpected turn and ended up somewhere in the neighborhood of the Beaujolais.
The 2005 College Cellars of Walla Walla Lemberger was a very good QPR wine. ($12.00, Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman) It was like a Merlot in its color--dark ruby-purple. There were nice aromas of cherries, spice, and perhaps even some roses. Initially there was a bit of funkiness and a very sharp acidity, but the wine opened up and mellowed out quickly into high-toned cherry and cranberry flavors. The wine was at its best with food. It's full-flavored but not heavy--and it's a great red wine for the summer' s grilled or BBQed food.
College Cellars of Walla Walla is the not-for-profit teaching winery attached to the Center for Enology and Viticutlure at Walla Walla Community College. Proceeds from the sale of their wine go to scholarships for WWCC students. I highly recommend contributing to this good cause and getting some good wine to boot.
And try a Lemberger if you get a chance. I mean the wine, of course, not the cheese.
Tecnorati
As the head bartender at the famed New York restaurant One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Mike Lombardozzi knows a thing or two about martinis. But even he was surprised when he replaced the premium vodka in his specially created Pomegranate martini with O2 Sparkling Vodka, the first of its kind.
This is from Stonewell in the sub-region of Marananga. The winemaker is Barossa superstar Troy Kalleske and the executive producers are brothers Pierre and Bert Werden. The name JaJa is an acronym derived from the names of their four children - Jake, Andrew, Jordan and Alana. Bert has had another kiddy called Tara since so maybe they should call future releases JaJaTa…which sounds a bit like a cracker and could be wholly appropriate based on the quality of this first release.
How does the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of America tell American wine consumers to F*ck Off? Like this:
I'd heard about 
