February 2008

Notable Quotable

Is that a Rubber Chicken?
My rubber chicken came to work with us today, and hopefully had a good time. He got a little bored on our 40+ minute commute into the city and tried to drive, but Matt was having none of that.Now, I'm not sure how many of you have ever walked the streets of a major city carrying a rubber,…

Impossible food-wine pairings: fish tacos!
A couple of nights ago I had one of the storied dishes of Napa Valley. And no, Thomas Keller, I' m talking about the fish tacos at Taylor' s Refresher, a roadside joint in St. Helena! The horrendously bad cameraphone pic does not to the food justice but it is a piece of grilled mahi mahi,…

REthinkCompliance is Here to Help
As with any new website, when we released www.rethinkcompliance.com to our Inertia clients last Friday, we knew there would be questions about what it will do and how to use the site. Many of our clients have already responded to our announcement by registering for the site by using the Signup link…

Consumers lose in alcohol "control states"
I m on a family ski vacation in Utah, which is one of the most restrictive of the 18 alcoholic beverage control states. A control state is where the state maintains a monopoly over the retailing and/or wholesaling of some or...

Wine Chick Wednesday: Sour Grapes
By Jamie Gabrini, Special Columnist I’m sick of wine. I don’t quite know how this happened, but it’s true. At some point during the past year, I lost interest in wine and – quite frankly – don’t give a fig...

This blog came THIS close to a mention in the NYer, WSJ!
This excellent New Yorker article examines the phenomenon of measuring carbon emissions. The author, Michael Spector, mentions the study on the carbon footprint of wine that I wrote with Pablo Paster. And we were THIS close to a mention! Roll the tape: Last year, a study of the carbon cost of the…

A Wee Bit of Bottle Age
It's really amazing the difference a few months can make. Here are a few Loire Valley '05s that I enjoyed when I first tasted them, but that I really loved when drinking them recently. In each case, about 6 months passed between tastes. I always liked the Loire '05s, but this is…

The Open Wine Consortium
I've never really had the time or inclination to get involved in all those social network sites; facebook et al leave me more than a little non-plussed and apathetic. The stories and rumours surrounding a social network dedicated to the wine scene have final been realised with the launch of The…

Sicily Makes White Wine, Too
When you think Sicily you might think of big, brawny red wines that go along with ample bowls of pasta with red sauce. This side of Sicilian wine and food is well known--but Sicily makes white wine, too. The island off the toe of Italy's boot is known for its volcanic soil, and its rich whites…

2004 Vintage Bordeaux, A Timing Thing - Episode #414
We are going with Intense Friday instead of laid back Friday because I think there is a real opportunity to learn and exploit a huge oppertunity and I want to make sure all the Vayniacs out there have a chance to score! Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version. Comments on this…

What Wine Goes Well With Birthday Cake. WLTV Turns 2 Today. - Episode #412
Gary Vaynerchuk' s little tiny wine show turns 2 today and it makes Gary Ponder what wine goes well with birthday cake? Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version. Comments on this episode(20) Leave a comment HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WLTV! Looking forward to the Terrible Twos by…

Open That Bottle Night

Good Wine Under $20: Open That Bottle Night Is Coming Up

What is Open That Bottle Night, you ask? It's the brilliant annual event started eight years ago by Wall Street Journal wine critics Dorothy Gaiter and Jon Brecher. They ask people to open a bottle that they've "been waiting to open forever." Why wait? Do it now.

Open That Bottle Night Five Wines, One Selection

What a great idea! Go digging around in your collection and open something you’ve been saving for a long, long time.

Kathleen Lisson's Wine and Food Pairing: Open That Bottle Night

Which bottle on your wine rack is a good candidate for 'Open That Bottle Night?'

And the Wine Winner Is…

I hope everyone has a fantastic time this Saturday evening. No matter what the wine or how it tastes, you know you’ll be among good company and will have new memories to share.

Jump in and have some fun in the Wine Blogosphere

Feb 23rd is Open that Bottle Night. OTBN is always the last Saturday in February and was the creation of Wall Street Columnists,Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher. This should give you a great excuse to open that special bottle you keep saving.

Great

Book club, and wine blog awards, and new sites--oh, my!

Tom does a terrific job running these awards, and they provide a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the wine blogosphere. ...fellow blogger John G. from Quaffability has a new blog: the Web Tasting Room . It's a great new format: a combination of video blog, on-camera tasting, discussion with a winemaker, and wine store that is linked directly to the wineries involved.

Wine pairings, Tips on Cooking Wild Game

Syrah, with all it's funky aromas, and Spanish Rioja, are great pairings for wild game.

jamie goode's wine blog: A lovely Viognier

The palate has a lovely texture and great balance, with bright fruit, a hint of sweetness and a rich texture. Rich but not too rich, this is the qualitative equal of a good Condrieu.

la gramiere: Rayas Meets La Gramière...

We had another great visit to Chateau Rayas this year. ...one of the legendary properties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It has a unique terroir and setting... Tasting La Gramière at Château Rayas, one of the greatest wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Talkin' bout Two More Wines In the Italian Wine Satrter Kit This Month

It is a bit confusing but the result is a great bottle of wine. We have the 2005 Intrepid Aglianico. This wine as I stated before is a great introduction to the varietal.

Washington Wine from the Walla Walla Wine Woman

And the 2005 Couvillion "Hoobie" Sauvignon Blanc ($18) has the kind of great story behind it that always adds to my pleasure when I drink a glass of wine.

jamie goode's wine blog: A celebratory blind fizz

The palate is bright and elegant with good acidity and great balance. It's dry but not at all austere, even without the dosage. Just has great natural balance, which is what you want from a non-dosage fizz.

West Coast Wine Country Adventures: WBW: In Seven Words or Less 2005 Gaja Ca Marcanda Promis

This wine was fantastic and possesses a great balance between opulent cherry cola fruit notes, leathery tannins, and a lovely bracing acidity that lends Italian wines to pair so well with food.

Eats: 'The greatest wine on the planet'

There are good wines, great wines, and then there are legendary wines -- the ones even a devoted oenophile may never get to taste. Over on Slate.com, Mike Steinberger writes about one such "iconic Bordeaux," the 1947 Cheval Blanc:

Golly's Wine Drops: Domaine de Guiron - Wine as we know it

It's made of a mix of French workhorse grapes including Colombard and Ugni Blanc. It would taste great if you were picnicking on a sunny day...

Vintage Bottle Talk: 2003 Collazzi IGT

Great wine! 94PTS

jamie goode's wine blog: I love NZ Pinot Noir!

This Pinot is from Marlborough, and has that vibrant, slightly sappy berryish character that Marlborough Pinots share. It's a really great wine - not cheap at £17, but good value nonetheless.

Kathleen Lisson's Wine and Food Pairing: Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Primitivo and Merlot wine and food pairings

Danzante Italian Wines has done a great job of highlighting the importance of wine and food pairing. Their website features recipes and wine and food pairings for each of their wines.

Winetastic :: Scorpiiion GSM 2006 :: February :: 2008

The GSM represents the best bang for your buck and is a great option if you just want to buy, open and drink. ...Although I personally lean toward more savoury styles, $17 per bottle is a great price.

Virginia Vine Spot: Virginia Wine Showcase: And the winners are …

...the winner is a great bottle of wine. But, it is more of an after dinner dessert wine in my opinion; and that is how I have enjoyed this tasty and popular Loudoun County treasure in the past.

February and the Weather is Fine-Global Warming?

The Rose' was a great match with the Kumomoto oysters-fruity vs salty- and the Sauv Blanc went better with the more 'steely' Freshwaters.

Wine Consultant » Marketing Nonsense and Clichés

Alder at vinography has posted a great topic “wine marketing techniques that need to stop”. It’s a good fun and a great read.

WBW #42 - Seven Word Wine Review (Banfi Rosso di Montalcino)

Most wine lovers have at least heard about the famed wines of Brunello di Montalcino, from Tuscany in Italy's Central-west region. These suckers are famed because a) they're expensive, b) they taste great and can make amazing matches with roast meat dishes and c) need upwards of 20 years of aging ...

Interesting

Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: Coming Back to 05 Beaujolais

Lots of interesting 2006 Beaujolais is out now too. I'm telling you, there is just far too much interesting wine worth buying these days.

Benito's Wine Reviews: 2005 Pouilly-Fuissé

It had such a rich oak aroma that my friend Paul said it smelled exactly like an old church. It was an interesting combination: old leather, wooden pews, and the faint scent of Lemon Pledge.

Dim Lights Big Barolo Downstairs at Cru « Do Bianchi

But the most fascinating and certainly the most noteworthy story was revealed when the subject of modern vs. traditional was put on the table..

On the Wine Trail in Italy: Bloggers, Cloggers and Robot Jellyfish

I met Jeremy Parzen last month in NY and read his blog often. He is interested in intellectual ideas about wine and always has an interesting view of things.

Ch. Petrogasm: Wine Reviews From the Edge

Below are its two most recent reviews. Taken together they’re edgy. They have the potential to offend someone other than just the wine producer, which is an interesting switch.

Bigger Than Your Head » Let Me Spell It Out For You

What’s interesting about the issue, though, is a section in which the Spectator’s writers and reviewers go country by country and region by region and reveal the average price of the wines in the different scoring categories.

Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: By the Glass - Wines that I Don't Like Edition

At a delicious brunch at Deetrane's house he opened a bottle of NV Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs. What an interesting experience it was for me to drink this wine in all of its chemical candied glory.

Food and Wine Matching at The FrontLine - from Spittoon.biz

...I found it very interesting. It is big, ripe, perhaps a little over-extracted but with good structure and acidity. It cut through the rather mouth-clogging, unusual, dumplings wonderfully.

Vines & Wines » Blog Archive » Wine I’d buy again: Washington Merlot

We recently had an interesting Washington Merlot tasting that featured wines predominately from the Chateau St. Michelle wine group. Two wines stood out to me and both seemed worthy of another look even though more expensive:

Golly's Wine Drops: Malvis Douro Reserva - Porty Wine?

Portugal does seem to be producing some interesting wines at reasonable prices. This was great value at £5.50...

A Four-Dollar Gewurztraminer

And while not my favorite Gewurztraminer, it was certainly worth the try, especially for so little harm to my credit card.

Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: An Imaginary Wine Vacation in Bandol

In the end, very complex and interesting wine, and at 14%, relatively low in alcohol and drinkable.

Tempranillo: Climate change and wine: Friday morning

I've just been listening to interesting (and somewhat frightening) presentations at the 2nd Climate Change and Wine Conference.

V i n o V e r v e: Win(e)ding Roads: More From the Connecticut Wine Trail

Overall an interesting little winery, and certainly worth a stop.

BKWine Brief Blog: BKWine TV: Visual visit to Malhadinha Nova winery in Alentejo

A young ambitious family wine estate owned by the Soares family, making some very interesting Portuguese wines: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Alentejo, Portugal.

A Take on Global Warming from Experts such as Richard Smart, Pancho Campo, Michael Rolland and other Influentials of the Wine World!

I intend to talk more on this issue because I think it’s incredibly interesting, but for now, I’d be curious where you stand on the issue.

The Wine Conversation: Support your local winemaker

I read an interesting post on this topic over on vinoalvino.org (unfortunately it is in Italian so not all of you may be able to read it) written by the entertaining & knowledgeable Franco Ziliani. The gist was to pick up on a campaign in the US to "support your local winemaker".

The Wine Conversation: Virtual Stormhoek

For those following the story, this link will probably be very interesting: On the Stormhoek Trail

Psssst, I Got A Secret - Episode #410

Gary Vaynerchuk tells you about an area that’s producing some of the most interesting wines in the world.

Good Wine Under $20: Washington Wine from the Walla Walla Wine Woman

The Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman Shop focuses on wine that is from Washington state and is priced under $25. As always, you may find some exceptions along the way, but I found a number of interesting looking bottles that I will definitely be ordering after payday this month.

Seattle Wine Blog: First 2005 Bordeaux

Not complex, but interesting enough for the price.

Chateau des Campets 2003

Forget the preamble. This Corbières is the most interesting and, frankly, gorgeous wine I have tried in ages.

Mark Squires' Bulletin Board on eRobertParker.com - Interesting Study About Effects of Wine on One's Health

Looks like I'm drinking too much to have a positive effect....

Pancho Campo Poses a Question for Al Gore on Wine and Market Choices

Wineries who place conservation as a priority and the life of their consumers as a focal point is a winery that will have a better chance of succeeding in the future. Interesting thought, is it not?!

Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog: Putting Your Heart Into Wine PR

This leads to an interesting question: Your wine is very likely to appeal to the reviewer equally as well as MANY other wines they review. ...Why yours and not another's?

2007 Grape Prices. Go Pinot Go!

Some of the data are pretty interesting. I’ve highlighted a couple bits below.

la gramiere: Visiting Tavel

...my visit to Tavel was particularly interesting last week.

Samples | The Wine Knows

Tom Wark ...does an occasional post interviewing various wine bloggers. He asks the same questions to each blogger, so it's interesting to see their answers... One question whose answer interests me is, "Do you accept samples for review?" Many bloggers do not...At Wine Press Northwest - just like nearly every wine magazine - we gladly accept samples.

domaine547 » Central Coast week at d547: Palmina Wine

...it was interesting for us to have the chance to taste what Italian grapes do when grown in California terroir.

A quick confabulation with Aldo Vacca, winemaker and president, Produttori del Barbaresco « Do Bianchi

Aldo and I conversed in Italian and it’s interesting to note that he used the English “fleshy” to describe his impression of the wine.

Wine Blogging Wednesday

WBW Just 7 Words - the round-up - from Spittoon.biz

Luckily my slightly off-beat theme for Wine Blogging Wednesday seems well received; plenty of thoughtfully produced entries. Number of entries: 53 +1 (missed). All the wines (bar a handful) were Italian reds.

My Wine Education: WBW #42: Just Seven Words

I did a little research on using Just Seven Words to express a thought. It's currently a popular idea, thanks to Michael Pollan's new book "In Defense of Food."

Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine: WBW #42

How about if I blog about a red grape with Italian origins, but grown in Walla Walla?

domaine547 » WBW #42: Italian wine in seven words

We’re wordy folks. So the challenge of reviewing a wine in just seven words is a bit outrageous and daunting.

Good Wine Under $20: WBW #42: An Italian Red in 7 Words

This has to have been the most devilishly difficult WBW yet. So, without further ado, the review:

1WineDude: WBW #42 (Banfi Rosso di Montalcino)

Tricky, to say the least (get it?); especially for those of us whose prose, how shall I put this... does not value highly the elegance of the concise.

Cantine Sasso Aglianico del Vulture, 2005, Basilicata, Italy - from Spittoon.biz

...for this tasting note I neglected to photograph the bottle before it hit the bottom of the recycling-bin. Which is more important than normal for this note for it is my entry to Wine Blogging Wednesday where I set the theme as an Italian Red in Seven Words.

Dr Vino’s wine blog » Paitin, Serra Boella, Barbera d’Alba - WBW 42 - red in seven words

WBW 42: The assignment, describe an Italian red in seven words. The wine: Paitin, Serra Boella, Barbera d’Alba, 2006 $20. (find this wine) My seven words, in alphabetical order!...

WBW #42: Feudi de San Gregorio Rubrato Aglianico 2004

Smoldering pomegranate undulates; cherries, corseted, explode briskly.

Wine Blogging Wednesday 42: Just Seven Words

2004 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano...

domaine547 » WBW Logo Contest: win a blogger-pack from d547

We may not throw our hat in the ring from a design perspective, but we’d like to help properly reward the winner of the contest (entries due on March 31st) by supplying them with a Catavino-Pack of 3 Portuguese table wines.

the wine wanker

Sabazio Rosso di Montepulciano DOC La Bracceca 2004 Tuscany...

Wino sapien: Wine blogging Wednesday #42

After struggling with typical wine descriptors I opted for two metaphors and a venn diagram.

Winehiker Witiculture

“Decant today, and you will smile tonight.”

WBW: In Seven Words or Less 2005 Gaja Ca Marcanda Promis

I chose the 2005 Gaja Ca Marcanda Promis based on a recommendation from the commentary on a recent Sangiovese post and I was not disappointed.

Music & Wine » WBW #42: Just Seven Words

This months Wine Blogging Wednesday: sum up an Italian red (or Italian-style red, in my case) in just seven words. As a bonus, I’ve also made a haiku out of it.

Dr Vino’s wine blog » tasting sized pours

...Wine Blogging Wednesday theme has been announced: review an Italian red in seven words. Since having a good picture might help stretch that to 1,007, check out this month’s host and his tips on how to take better pictures of wine bottles.

LENNDEVOURS: Announcing: Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest

I'm excited to announce the new Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest, which starts today [Jan 25] and will run until March 31, 2008.

LENNDEVOURS: Three Quick Sips

I also have an update on the Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest that I announced almost a week ago. The prize pack for the winner is really starting to come together.

Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog: A Graphic Display of Wine

The venerable Wine Blogging Wednesday folks are having a logo design contest that will result in a new logo for the group. ...To get you started, here are my "Thinking Tips" for your approach to logo creation:

Wine Scamp » Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest

So I might fiddle around with some ideas for the Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest, but I harbor no illusions that I might actually win.

WBW 41 Summary Posted, WBW 42 Announced | Winecast

Much has taken place in the Wine Blogging Wednesday world since I last posted about our monthly virtual tasting, so I thought it would make sense to gang up all the news in one post.

Fermentation: Bloggerview #18: BrooklynGuy's Wine & Food Blog

I found myself wanting to participate in Wine Blogging Wednesday, and that was the final push for me to start my own blog.

Amazing

1999 Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage

The wine was amazing. I payed more for that bottle than I had thought I would ever justify paying for a bottle...but it was totally worth it, because it was a totally awesome bottle of wine.

Appellation Australia » Notes from a dinner

1981 Chateau Musar Cherry/kirsch, smoked meats, earth and honey. The palate shows amazing fruit sweetness that is balanced superbly by aged earthy, spicy characters. Complex and long. If this was deconstructed too much you may be able to pick out many faults, but amazingly all mixed together they have achieved harmony. 94/100

East Village Wine Geek: Expressing The Truth Behind the Varietal

...Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s most important grape has slowly crept into our vocabulary. It went from some weird, obscure wine found on the bottom shelf of wine shops and in the back of wine lists to a well known and well received wine that can have amazing quality.

le wine blog: The Yard: Top Aussie Shiraz in Years

It seemed to expand in the glass and get richer as it was exposed to air. I think this will be amazing after a few more years in the cellar.

the wine wanker

On Monday I attended an amazing tasting of 7 Ports and 3 Madeiras tutored by Rupert Symington, the managing director of Graham's and whose family has been involved in production of Port for fourteen generations.

Vintage Bottle Talk: 1996 Chateau Rayas Reserve

...juicy red fruit and just an amazing mouthfeel......the finish is long, complex, balanced with perfume, spice and minerals on the backend....Awesome wine! Classic! 97PTS

2005 Union of Grand Crus of Bordeaux - The best of the best!

my wine of the night was without a question Chateau Pontet Canet. It is an undeniable star of the vintage and a value no matter what you have to pay for it! ...Chateau Lascombes - ...AMAZING!!!!! 5/5; Chateau Leoville Barton - ...AMAZING!!!! 5/5

Two Corks are Better Than One

Amazing to think that someone 44 years ago made this mistake, probably by doing these corks by hand and we just discovered it. If it weren't such an expensive bottle, it would have been interesting to open it up and see if the floater changed the wine.

Thoughts on Wine...: Been a while...

The 2005 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel was amazing. One of the great zins I've had in a long time.

CellarBlog

The Wine and Chocolate tasting at Breaux was amazing.

Tablas Creek Vineyard Blog: Congratulations to my Dad!

It's still amazing to think that when we founded Tablas Creek in 1989, there weren't any Rhone varietals planted here, and there were less than two dozen wineries.

La Mission Haut Brion

It is an amazing achievement for administrator Jean-Bernard Delmas, his son, Jean-Phillipe, and the entire winemaking team.

Finger Lakes Weekend Wino: 2007 Finger Lakes Weekend Wino Wine Awards- White Wines

2006 Vidal Blanc, $8.99, 1.9% RS, very floral aromatics, layers of apricot and tropical fruits, an amazing value!

Sink or Swim with Gruner Veltliner

...even if the Smaragds were not as approachable, some of them, even to a GruVe neophyte like me, were obviously amazing wines.

Best

My best wine values of 2007

The list includes 34 red wines, 20 whites and two rosés; among them you'll find six sparkling wines and one dessert wine.

Tohu pinot noir was best wine of 2007

Our 2007 wine of the year is the 2006 Tohu Marlborough Pinot Noir, a New Zealand wine that was a great value for the price.

Good Wine Under $20: Tasting Burgundy

...I was particularly interested in this tasting because the organizers were emphasizing "Burgundy Best Buys" that cost less than $35. I wanted a chance to taste these wines, and to compare them with more costly wines from the same region. Here are my thoughts...

Finger Lakes Wineries Win Gold in Riesling Competition

Winemaker Tim Benedict of Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards... "There has been a consensus here in the Finger Lakes for a while now that our rieslings can stand toe-to-toe with the best rieslings in the world."

Meyney

Reputed to be one of the best Meyneys ever made!!

2006 Milton Park Thorn Clarke Shiraz

It is a Best Buy in savory Shiraz.

Washington State Wine Tasting

Along with Ciel du Cheval (Horse Heaven) Vineyard, Champoux is thought to be the best place for Bordeaux grapes in Washington State.

Wine Notes: Recent wines I’ve enjoyed

Champagne, Grand Cru 100%, Blanc de Blancs, Reserve Brut, Guy Charlemagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, NV - High strung and very toasty, this is a delicious and complex Champagne that shows the best of chardonnay in Champagne.

the vilafonte luxury wine blog: Preparation for harvest 2008

Please have a look at the site http://www.sablogawards.com/ which is about to start the nominations for South Africa's best blog.

Wine and Spirits / Introducing the latest palate charmers

Ben Hanna, Cabernet Franc, La Mariee, 2005. Best wine yet from this winery.

Merlooooooh! « Anything Wine

This was a big, complex, layered Merlot that shows the best of what California Merlot has to offer.

To bring a bottle to the restaurant, or not

The best way to try a new wine is when it is served with an excellent meal.

Sonoma Valley Wine, Olive and food tasting auction & event

Swirl, sniff and sip Sonoma Valley’s best wines

Cheers! The best wine in the world (and it only costs £30)

Forget Pétrus or Montrachet: in a blind tasting of 15,000 wines from around the world, an unheralded label from the Rhone valley came top. John Lichfield raises a glass to Clos des Papes

Good Wine Under $20: Winery Watch: David Coffaro Wine

Coffaro wines can be found through some retailers, but the best selection can be had when dealing directly with the winery.

BKWine Herdade do Esporao interview

In 1989 the first wine "Esporão" was considered one of the best Portuguese wines and three years later the brand "Monte Velho" was launched.

2006 Viña Cobos “Cocodrilo” Cabernet Sauvignon

This could compete with the Ridge for the best bottle I’ve had since starting this blog!

Argentine vintners make wine a family affair

Q: What's the best wine you ever had? Susana: Myself, I was able to taste the '89 Chateau Latour, and for me is was wonderful. The '90 Haut-Brion. And the 2000 (Penfolds) Grange was beautiful!

Bigger Than Your Head » It’s All in the Timing

Here are the 2008 “Burgundy Best Buys” from Sopexa.

Mano a Vino Montclair: Porteno Red Wine

Porteño, Mendoza - 2005; Described as "With its ruby red color and aromas of black cherries and plums, this Argentine red is simply one of the best wines to come out of Mendoza in years.

Trader Joe’s Wine - Top 10 Wines of January 2008

2006 Geyser Peak California Sauvignon Blanc ($8) – Wow! This is likely the best Sauvignon Blanc I’ve had that isn’t from New Zealand. Get yourself a bottle.

2002 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Poissenot

This is one of the best bottles of Burgundy that I have ever had.........95PTS

Favorite

Red Wine with Fish » Grenache Tasting

2002 Deisen Barossa Grenache ($30) My favorite. ...2005 Koehler Grenache Estate - Santa Ynez Valley ($20) This was my second favorite. ...2006 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha ($15) Lots of people’s favorite...

My New Favorite Wine

This is one of the smoothest, best tasting wines I have ever had. We are definitely going to buy more Ruffino Chianti 2005.

Trotanoy

...this young sample reminded me of the 1998 Trotanoy, one of my favorite Pomerols of the past 20 years.

LENNDEVOURS: Diploma Dispatches: Rhône Wines

My favorite red varietal is Syrah, and no one does it better. We tasted two iconic wines, Guigal’s Côte Rôtie “Brune et Blonde” 2003 and Jaboulet Hermitage “La Chapelle” 1996

A Tuscan Tasting

...this event had some great producers and some terrific wines were poured. Here are some of my impressions: ...One of my favorite wines from the tasting was the 2006 La Parrina Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario ($13), which had sea spray, floral, and citrus aromas and flavors.

Bench Grafts: Pinotblogger wine links

New website Rules of Thumb has a wine section. My favorite rule of thumb: “A winery’s standards start to slip if it produces more than 50,000 cases of wine per year,” by Chalone founder and COO Dick Graff.

The Best of Wine IMPORTERS!! Part Two

...my favorite wine importers, currently. The premise is simple. Think cheat-sheet for wine 'pickens'...

De Long Wine Moment » Are Oaked Wines Naff*?

My own mother - whose favorite wine is White Zinfandel (ouch! God knows I tried) – will insist on her preference for dry wine even though each sip of White Zin betrays it. Is sweet wine really that embarrassing? Will drinking it get you banished from polite society?

Cono Sur's Organic Cab-Carmenere :: Chile

At $10-$12 a bottle, it’s my new favorite “every day red.” The fact that the grapes are grown and the wine produced organically is a plus.

Wine Outlook » Next Wine Seminar: To Age or Not To Age

I will also discuss one of my favorite wine-related events: Open That Bottle Night, created by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, and will give attendees a chance to participate in the celebration...

Angelus

Picking a favorite between these two fabulous examples of their respective vintages is - for me - presently impossible.

Tastes Of Life: Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards wine tasting

...the first Chard was my favorite.

Weekly Wine Web Wrap-up - In-Flight Dining Edition

When We Got There, There Was No 'There' There Don't you just hate it when you fly to Bordeaux to visit the Chateau of your favorite French wine only to find when you get there that the place doesn't exist?

Sink or Swim with Gruner Veltliner

Of the Federspiels, my personal favorite was the Alzinger... So it was another wine, a more accessible wine that was my favorite of the night. The Nikolaihof Im Weingebirge Smaragd...

Wine.Woot : Corison Cabernet Vertical Two-Pack

Cathy herself says that her favorite time to drink her Cabs is seven to twelve years into their lives...

2005 Calistoga Cellars Cabernet Sauvingon

Great Wine Alert!: Today’s wine garners a 95 Point score from Agent Sparkle, who declares this her new favorite (non-bubbly) wine.

2007 Washington Wine Favorites

...here are my favorites of 2007

Merlot-quacious!

Taster A and I decided it was time to remind ourselves what Merlot was all about with a horizontal tasting of three Merlots from Sonoma County. We opened three very nice single-vineyard bottles, and compared them side-by-side. All had typically soft tannins, plumy nose, and subdued character. Of course, we did wind up with our favorites.

Another Year… « spume

A couple of the wine selections I’m excited about drinking while celebrating my birthday: Domaine de la Pepière 2006 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie (one of my all time favorite party wines); Peillot’s 2004 Altesse Rousette du Bugey; and Domaine de Sablonnettes 2004 Anjou “Les Genêts”.

La Mission-Haut-Brion

100 points Parker: "I am certainly not going to argue with anyone who believes La Mission-Haut-Brion's 1989 is every bit as profound as the 1989 Haut-Brion. It is a spectacular wine, and as it ages in the bottle, it is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite...

Wine Tasting and The Chain Gang Gourmet Cycling Tours

...my favourite is the dessert wine from Chateau Puy Servain in Haut Montravel, near Ste Foy la Grande in the Dordogne valley.

Locals Favorites Blog: Something New - Locals Favorites

Here at Locals we’re starting something new; a feature on our website titled Locals Favorites. Every so often we’ll be posting information about something in the area that is recommended by a local.

Good Wine Under $20: Winery Watch: David Coffaro Wine

...if you are a fan of luscious blends and interesting grape varieties at attractive prices, you need to know about this cult favorite among California wineries.

30 Second Wine Advisor: Valpolicella revisited - wineloverspage.com

Today, let's take a quick look at yet another tasty and table-ready Northern Italian favorite, Valpolicella.

Avenue Vine: PALLINI FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Limoncello is Italy's favorite liqueur. Rating: 90 - 95 SUPERB. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, BEST BUY, Wine Enthusiast

Great

This is the stuff that WOW is made of!

Yesterday was one of those great wine days, because we had the opportunity to taste the new releases from the great Tuscan and Piedmont portfolios of importer Neil Empson.

La Vie en Pinot: 2005 Blackjack Ranch Black Cap Reserve...

If you like Chardonnay and want a great wine for a special occasion, I suggest this. Yummy.

2006 Handley Pinot Noir Rosé

...it would be a great wine for a picnic this spring.

2005 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Home Block...

My third and last bottle. Still a great wine that distinguishes itself by virtue of its great minerality and finesse.

Au Bon Climat 2005 Pinot Noir, "Isabelle"

This is a great wine, and which will make your next special occasion even more special.

On the Prowl for a Great Wine? Herding Cats Delivers

...my family and I just enjoyed the 2007 Herding Cats Chardonnay | Viognier. We found it to be a really refreshing, easy apperitif...

Teperberg 1870: An underrated Israeli wine

...would be a great wine served for B’nai Mitzvot and Jewish weddings and other events (when a mevushal wine is needed).

Fruit, spice balance Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir is a great wine for mushroom lovers.

2005 Merlot

Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Kelley Creek Winery.

Great Conference – Great Wine

Gabi Kotsis produced at dinner one of the rarest bottles of wine – an original Pervasive 2004 wine ...The wine is great.

Wine Week 56: Blending to get top results.

This week two of our wines use grapes from various regions with great results, while the other uses a blend of red grapes to deliver a wine that is ideal for drinking now.

Drinking A 2005 Benson Ferry Old Vine Zinfandel With...

Also it is a great wine for the bitter cold that you just came in from or about to go into. When you come back to the wine after a break you will find everything coming together into a nice thick blanket of all of the above converging and coating your palate.

2005 Ladi Vineyard Syrah

Return to Trecini vineayards, revisit the Vicini family, and return with another of their great wines

Douro: Great wine from "Port" grapes

They have blended Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo) and Touriga franca into a nice table wine that has some of the distinct flavor of Port without the strong sweetness or alcohol.

Huntington Wine Cellars 2004 Sonoma County Reserve Syrah

The Wine Spies, through Top Secret negotiations with our inside operatives were able to secure an allocation of this great wine for our operatives.

Lost Canyon Winery 2005 Alegria Syrah

If you really love what you do, as they do, you’ll make magic happen regardless of were you are. Thanks for reinforcing this belief, Lost Canyon, and thanks for this great wine!

Wines of the Week

...in short, a great wine at a great price that will get even better over the next couple of years. ...the best Sarpe I have tasted in a long while

2004 Sonoma Carneros Pinot Noir

Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Ceja Vineyards.

Far Niente Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2005

All in all this wine was a great wine for a great occasion: if you like Chard, this is one to get.

Cooking Chat: 2007 Wine Bargains

...here are some of the great wine bargains I found in 2007

Dr. Frank's is Greatest Wine Producer Four Years in a Row!

Dr. Frank's 2005 Riesling Reserve was also named #1 in the "Greatest Quality Wines" category.

Wine review: Rock Rabbit shiraz, 2004

It's not an expensive bottle, and it's quite a crowd pleaser, so it's a great wine to bring to a party as well.

2002 Madonlina Toccata

Great wine for tomato-based foods.

Wine Blogs

Passing the Two-Year Mark of Living My Wine-Colored Dream

Other than that, I now have this wine blog in addition to my first one, and I just started a cooking blog.

Bloggerview #17: Thomas Pellechia

Who: Thomas Pellechia, Blog: Vino Fictions

The Many Wild Walla Walla Wine Women

So once my wine blog took off I started getting emails from readers interested in more stuff about the Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman and it got me to thinking - - e-commerce.

Music & Wine » A Wine Book Blogging Bimonthly

This one is brief and I’m sure most of you (especially the other wine bloggers) already know about it. Dr. Debs first posted the idea:

The Wine Conversation: More European Wine Bloggers

As Ryan, Gabriella (from Catavino) and I are working on the European Wine Bloggers Conference concept (get in touch if you want to know more, participate or sponsor it), I thought I'd go on a search of more UK & European bloggers.

I’m Too Sexy for This Wine

Alice e il vino is on of Italy’s most popular wine blogs

Wino sapien: Absent friends

After almost two years of blogging, one of the notable things is the rate of attrition. Bloggers come and by and large they go. ...A toast - To absent friends!

Wine Biz Radio

Then there’s Tom Wark (of Wark Communications and Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog) in the studio to discuss the top stories of the week.

Making Sense of "Wine 2.0" (Power to the People!)

It must be important if everyone's talkin' about it, right? Some wine blogs even have their own sections devoted to it. So what is this Wine 2.0 stuff all about?...

January 2008’s 5 Most Popular Articles : Serious About Wine

Global Top 10 Wine Blogs, Ranking the top global wine blogs.

Twisted Oak Winery: We're Number Six! We're Number Six!

Dunno what it means in the grand scheme, but it has come to our attention that according to this web site, El Bloggo Torcido is the 6th most popular wine blog in the world.

Bloggerview #18: BrooklynGuy's Wine & Food Blog

Who: Neil From Brooklyn Blog, BrooklynGuy's Wine Blog

Celebrate Wine: A Final Toast

Well dear readers, today is my last day as your intrepid wine blogger here at Celebrate Wine. ...But even though I won't be writing here, I will continue writing at my personal wine & spirits blog, Pour More.

Wine Online : Serious About Wine

...about half the millennials went to the Internet to obtain information about wine, indicating that producers should think about making more use of the Internet to communicate with this audience. 65% of the respondents logged onto wineries’ Web sites for information, about 40% went to Wine Spectator’s site, and about 26% used wine blogs for information.

Quaffability Help Wanted

Folks, within the few weeks I am going to be launching not one but two new blogs.

A Shot Heard Round the (Wine) World

Over the last few days, wine writers, bloggers, and pundits have published a number of posts and articles about Wine & Spirits ed-in-chief Josh Greene’s “State of the Industry” talk ...at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium...

Five questions with August Briggs Winery general manager Mark Koppen

Our new blog at www.augustbriggswines.com is all about connecting with people about what goes on at a small, family owned winery, and why, in our own small way, we’re unique.

Value

Wannabe Wino: Sauvignon Blanc Again!

I thought this bottle was a good value and one I wouldn't hesitate to pick up again.

2007 Finger Lakes Weekend Wino Wine Awards- White Wines

...what I‘m looking for is excellent balance - if dry, sufficient fruit- if sweet, sufficient acidity, excellent Flavor, varietally correct, and no off tastes, and those intangibles that elevate a wine above the rest, and good value [several excellent (and one 'amazing ') values found]

Expressing The Truth Behind the Varietal

Entry level just means a producer’s most value priced wine and does not by any means (at least for this producer) refer to the degradation of quality.

2005 Union of Grand Crus of Bordeaux - The best of the best!

my wine of the night was without a question Chateau Pontet Canet. It is an undeniable star of the vintage and a value no matter what you have to pay for it! ...Chateau Lascombes - ...AMAZING!!!!! 5/5; Chateau Leoville Barton - ...AMAZING!!!! 5/5

2006 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere

While it’s not for those who run for the hills when they hear descriptors like “New World, ripe, and jammy” this is awfully darn good for the rest of us, and a fantastic value.”

Wannabe Wino: A Long Time Coming

I think this is a really great value for the bottle, and a nice alternative to a New Zealand or South African Sauvignon Blanc.

New Wine Shop, Adonna Imports and New Friends Tasting Italian Wines

Now, I’m a bit hard boiled when it comes to value. I saw some very good wines for the less than $20.00.

wine: New Zealand whites

Good value, imo.

2006 Chateau des Bachelard Beaujolais

Overall, an excellent wine and a good value.

Layer Cake Aims for Quality and Value

Layer Cake is another of Jayson Woodbridge’s passion plays. But unlike his $250-a-bottle Hundred Acre Cabernet, or his new designer vineyard acquisition, Pickett Road, LC is aimed at value wines and hopefully will subsidize Woodbridge’s more ambitious vinous pursuits.

2006 Copain “L’Automne” Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

This is simply a great value in the world of pinot noir.

2006 Milton Park SHIRAZ (South Australia)

This was a good value in a soft, ripe, reasonably complex red.

Good Wine Under $20: Looking for a Sicilian Red? Check Out My Blogger Pack at domaine547

...some wine selections that combine terroir with great value. And the wines were selected by yours truly!

Epicuro Salice Salentino and Aglianico | Cheap Fun Wines - CheapFunWines.com

Epicuro wines are generally great value wines and this one is no exception.

Pessagno 2005 Lucia Highlands Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands...

At the amazing value of $11.99 at Total Wine and More I can't deem this anything but a good-great value.

Rosenblum's Sale Crucial for Zinfandel Lovers

Rosenblum has been one of the state’s biggest champions of Zinfandel. In any given year it can bottle up to two dozen single-vineyard wines from this grape as well as other often underdog varietals and, perhaps more significantly, it has emphasized value, which all wine drinkers prize.

Chardonnay from Unlikely Places « Anything Wine

Overall this was a great wine and the best part is after the euro dollar conversion it was about $7 (4,50 Euro). Holy cow, what a great value!

Tendral Crianza 2004, Priorato, Spain

In our view, this is without doubt the best value Priorat wine in the UK market, a fantastic example of this beautiful and expressive region."

Wannabe Wino: Getting French on You

...the wine was crisp, lively, light, with good acidity, a sprightly wine! ...Overall, I would say that this was a textbook example, and a very good value.

domaine547 » Good Wine Under $20 Wine Blogger Sampler Pack!

The 2003 Château Pesquié Les Terrasses is a stunning value that will instantly transport you to from the southernmost part of the Rhone with its aromas of crème de cassis, truffles, warm soil, and garrigue (the indigenous scrubby brush of the Rhone that imparts a warm, grilled herb note to their wine).

2006 Castaño MONASTRELL (Yecla, Spain)

Made from organically-grown grapes, this wine is a steal -- a gutsy, full-bodied, soft red for $8. ...Tremendous value. 88.

Serious, affordable white Bordeaux

The combination of oak, reduction and fresh, herb-tinged fruit results in a fairly complex, savoury, expressive white wine that I reckon will improve in bottle for perhaps five to ten years. It's a really interesting wine, in the style of serious white Graves, but it's affordable.

2005 Union of Grand Crus of Bordeaux

Chateau de Chantegrive - big blackfruit with smoke and subtle and a medium finish......everything in the right place and a huge value buy.

Shopping Like it’s $19.99 - You’ll recognize these vintners

I just couldn’t resist trying one more wine by this fantastic value from South Africa. This week I opened the 2007 Herding Cats Chardonnay/Viognier ... another one of my favorite wineries, Bogle. ...they make great wine at a fantastic price point. This week, I tried their 2005 Petite Sirah...

the wine wanker

I learned so much about the production and politics of both Ports and Madeira and was extremely impressed by the value of the wines...

The Corkdork - Wine and Food Musing: ZAP 2008 Round-up

Artezin Wines 2005 Dry Creek Valley - good value

Wannabe Wino: Bubbly Bubbly Bubbly

One of my favorites for value and quality is Prosseco from Italy. I also love it for its low alcohol content. ...This was a fun and easy sparkler and an excellent value!

Interesting

Serious, affordable white Bordeaux

The combination of oak, reduction and fresh, herb-tinged fruit results in a fairly complex, savoury, expressive white wine that I reckon will improve in bottle for perhaps five to ten years. It's a really interesting wine, in the style of serious white Graves, but it's affordable.

A Spectator's View of 2005 CA Pinot

...I decided to take a look at what the Wine Spectator has had to say about CA Pinots from the 05 vintage. ...Interesting isn't it.

Blah, Blah, Blah Wine

Dr. Debs’ interesting post at Good Wine Under $20 about jargon got me thinking about the way we communicate about wine.

More Terry Theise Grower Champagnes

NV Réne Geoffroy Empriente Brut, $55 - I'm a big fan of Geoffroy's Champs. I love the entry level wine, called Expression, an interesting blend that is mostly Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, with a touch of Chardonnay thrown in for good measure.

Pairing Winter Vegetables and Wine

If you are adding a non-grilled vegetable side to a 'red wine' loving entree, choose a less tannic Pinot Noir, especially if the dish includes mushrooms. Another interesting pairing option is the oft forgotten Rose - it has most of the bold flavor of a red wine without many of the tannins.

Northwest Visions - 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

As usual, the wine took some interesting tangents as our tasting progressed into dinner...

A Bargain Charmer

...the wine is like a softened version of a Cote du Rhone. Juicy, grapey and fun, it still has enough structure and grip to keep it interesting.

Port Wine Now Available in Pink!

In the cask, it looses sweetness and becomes more complex and very interesting, much like an old Tawny.

Groundhog's Day Edition

Welcome to the first edition of the Weekly Wine Web Wrap-up (W4..?), where Dude shares some of his favorite wine news bites from the past week (Dude spends a goodly amount of time trolling the 'net for interesting wine tidbits)!

Book review: Real Wine, by Patrick Matthews

It’s interesting to note, of course, that with the passing of time since the book’s publication perhaps many of the people referenced here have lost their way, that the road to natural wine in California (and beyond) has become twisted and convoluted.

The Wine Book Club Spins the Bottle: Wine and Philosophy

I found Jamie Goode's question, "whether as wine taster we all share the same (or at least an approximately similar) taste world" particularly interesting as someone who is keenly interested in how and why we know what we think we know about wine.

wine: wine tasting party

At this point we aren't really sure how to create a fun and interesting (but not too complicated) evening. Neither of us has ever held or attended a wine tasting, so we would welcome suggestions about how to structure it...

Our missing Menu for Hope Winner

I am starting my tastings for the wine guide, so please bear with me. It's going to be a very busy, but very interesting 2 weeks. I'll do my best to keep you up to date.

Reviewing Rust Ridge Sauvignon Blanc

...I found the word order of its name interesting: Rust Ridge Ranch and Winery. Seems the grower/winemaker was a race horse trainer and even worked with a Hall of Famer who was on Seabiscuit’s team. They even call their wine club Winner’s Circle, so it’s no surprise to see horses on the label or to find they have a Racehorse Red.

Off again

I am off to a Biodynamic class at Joseph Phelps Vineyards tomorrow. Philippe Armenier and his wife are teaching it and it should be very interesting.

More from the 2008 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

Joshua Greene, editor of Wine&Spirits Magazine has uploaded the notes from his speech at the symposium. I think this is one of several interesting points that Greene makes:...

So where do you buy your wine?

...at Tesco, Dan Jago said that his aim, ...was to make it the kind of place even those in the wine trade would be happy to buy their wine. He has certainly overseen an interesting expansion of their range... Unfortunately, I personally can't see Tesco or any supermarket being a 'cool' place to buy your wine, however good the range

Super Bowl, Super Wine, Super Food

What was most interesting about the Morgon is that it did not change a bit in the course of being open the whole day. ...This stability means that this wine will grow and expand for years to come.

Headache in the bottle

I now think I should keep a diary of offenders. Wouldn’t it be interesting to collate hundreds of drinker’s lists and see whether common culprits begin to emerge?

This Week's Wine

Rimon Winery, in the Upper Galilee region of Israel, where grapes grow and wine is made, is growing pomegranates and making wine from them. A tasty, interesting, 2004 Pomegranate Dessert Wine has been released in time for next week’s celebration of Valentine’s Day.

Some thoughts on WBW Just Seven Words

What did result from the exchange with the editor was a rather interesting thought - if you can't find the exact word, why not invent one?

Lasseter's Reef - Good with neighbours

This wine was an interesting alternative to Chardonnay, and easy drinking. It's reasonable value at £5-6 but not one I'll be searching out.

Bloggerview #18: BrooklynGuy's Wine & Food Blog

My goal is to learn, and to interact with other people who also care very much about learning about wine. If other people find this interesting and want to follow along and interact with me, I welcome that.

Wine Biz Radio

...the first installment of Kaz and Randy’s Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Adventure (what a mouthful!), where they find and interview the truly interesting folks that were at the big wine industry trade show in Sacramento last week.

Bargains

My 2006 Pinot Noir And A Tasting Note

This Bruno wine is simply delicious. If you like John Thomas' Acme nonvintage Pinot Noir, this will be right up your ally. And for $15, or $9 (!!!), it's a ridiculous bargain.

Mondavi Pinot Noir Private Selection 2006 wine review by (PB)

Unreal and a super bargain so worth pursuing and drinking to the new year!

Reds for Winter

Jason shares both bargain and splurge wine recommendations for each of the Big Red varietals that he features in the article, so you can put your newfound red knowledge to good use immediately (or at least before the weather warms up).

2005 Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Becs Fins

This is an excellent wine at a bargain price. Excellent value.

10 Dollar Wine The Inexpensive Wine Resource

Your Guide to the Best Wines For 10 Dollars a Bottle or Less

Cono Sur's Organic Cab-Carmenere :: Chile

At $10-$12 a bottle, it’s my new favorite “every day red.” The fact that the grapes are grown and the wine produced organically is a plus.

Finger Lakes News & Notes

Mrs Wino & I picked up some terrific bargains during the Seneca Lake Wine Trail's Bargain Bash weekends, like Wagner Alta B Blush for $3.99!!!

Wine Notes

Although I prefer the big Bouzy Champagnes, this is an excellent wine and a bargain at $46.

Cooking Chat: 2007 Wine Bargains

...here are some of the great wine bargains I found in 2007

A Bargain Charmer

These days, it’s hard to get excited about a $7 bottle of wine. Too many are pleasant enough, but simple and, ultimately boring. So it’s a pleasure to discover one that’s a real gem - with enough verve and energy to interest even the most jaded oenophiliac.

Wine review: Rock Rabbit shiraz, 2004

It's not an expensive bottle, and it's quite a crowd pleaser, so it's a great wine to bring to a party as well.

WTDOMN: The Bridesmaid White 2006

I found a bargain Napa Valley white at our local wine shop. The Bridesmaid will run you about $19 .

Not my favourite, but perhaps the perfect wine for you: Domaine de Ribonnet Clément Ader 2001

The location means it can only ask for a fraction of what you'd expect to pay: $18.75, or a total of exactly $225 for a case. So this, folks, is where your bargain wine is at.

The Wine Retailer Nobody Talks About

Wines on offer through Garagiste range from $10 bargain finds to wines that are many thousands of dollars...

Notable Quotable January 2008

* How to Remove Wine Stains:From Port Saturated Luggage

* Wine Blogging Wednesday News
All sorts of news regarding our monthly tasting adventure - Wine Blogging Wednesday. First up, there's a logo contest. You can win all sorts of great wine-related prizes that are being lined up as I type. So if you're a...

* When Words Get in the Way of Wine
An interesting discussion broke out on Twitter a week or so ago among a band of wine bloggers. The topic was wine jargon--which terms did you use, which did you hate, which didn't make any sense to you. It was an interesting exchange, all the more so to me because I realized all over again that words--the currency of the wine writer--often get in the way of the wine we are trying to write about when we pick up a ...

* Rubber Chickens - The Rules!
I know what you're thinking: Rubber Chickens should run free! (And we agree, which is why we have established the Rubber Chicken National Forest.) But El Bloggo Torcido readers can be quite devious at times, so we need to spell...

* Links for 2008-01-28 [del.icio.us]
Help Out With a Great Wine Story: Kids amp; Wine Do you parents let your small children, say 4, 5, 6, 7-years old taste wine? Is it a proper, even healthy, thing to do? If you do, is there a fear in the back of your mind that the agents of the state will break down your door and make an example of you?

* Are families who enjoy wine together more recession-proof than those who don’t?
History, it is said, teaches us that when times are hard, people don' t particularly choose to drink less. Often, we drink more. Factor in our desire to celebrate the good times with the alcoholic beverage of our choice, and it' s easy to see why beer, wine, and spirits appear recession-proof: there' s always a good market [...]

* Some Montepulciano
The wine was a 2004 La Valentina Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (Sheesh, these Italian varietals are often a mouthful!). It clocked in at 13.5% alcohol by volume, had a real cork closure, and cost around $13 at MV Wine and Spirit in Madison, CT.An unforgiving nose on this one. Some barnyard funk (not in a good way) when I opened the bottle that eventually blew off, but underneath that, there was not much there. Maybe some spice, oak, and currants. In the ...

* Chicken Soup for the Wine Book Lover’s Soul

* Culinary Travel Becomes Popular
I ve often posted news about food and wine excursions and these culinary-focussed vacations are becoming increasingly popular. According to a 2006 study from the Travel Industry Association, about one in 10 American travelers reported that food or wine were a major factor in choosing their destinations for vacations. From MSNBC.com : The culinary travel experience includes everything from visiting a farmers market, sampling artisan products, attending a food or wine festival, going wine, beer or cheese tasting, or driving ...

* Rubber Chicken Photos and Videos
Being guidelines, legal mumbo jumbo, and stuff... 1. Let's get the mumbo jumbo out of the way first... by sending your photos and/or videos to Twisted Oak, you agree to let us publish them on our web sites and publish...

* News, Notes & Dusty Bottle Items

* Announcing: Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest
The trusty Wine Blogging Wednesday logo that you see here has served us well. It's been plastered all over the blogosphere, appearing on participant sites, host blogs and over on WineBloggingWednesday.org. But, as everyone's favorite virtual wine tasting event enters...

* Good Grape Turns 14 in Dog Years

* 4th Annual Long Island Real Ale Festival: Mild Preview
By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist Last year I attended the Long Island Real Ale Festival with my beer writer hat on. This year, I'll be there as a brewer. On January 6, my brewing buddy, Mike Voigt, and I mashed-in...

* Announcing "Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week"
OK, today it isn't about wine - it's about chickens. Rubber chickens to be exact! During the week of February 4-10, 2008, we are asking everyone to pick a day and take your rubber chicken to work! And while you...

* Twisted Logic
By Jamie Gabrini, Special Columnist Please note: the rather forceful opinions of Jay are in no way, shape, or form, a reflection of Lenn’s, or of any other contributor on this site. Indeed, they often wish she’d get off the...

* So Far, I Stink at the Wine Splurge
Just like you, I have my limits on what I'll spend on a bottle of wine. When I'm buying a case of wine for everyday drinking purposes, the average cost per bottle is about $15. And I've gotten really good at buying wine at this price point - BrooklynLady and I drink really good wine on an everyday basis. My mistakes have been at the splurge price point, which for me is wine over $50. Why $50? Remember, I'm not ...

* WBW 42 - Just Seven Words
One show in BBC Six Music (a digital only station that I listen to all the time) has a fun little text message section where you describe what you did last night in 7 words. Amazing how inventive some people are and how much you can imply and impart in just seven words. Can you see where this is heading? Before I go further I should just say that I have no idea if this will work. I've not tried ...

* The Sweet Hereafter
By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Escarpment Correspondent One of the coolest parts about living in an area with a burgeoning wine region has to be the fact that you get to literally watch history unfold. Of course, some history takes place...

* Something Twisted This Way Comes
The wine for the night was a 2005 Twisted Oak Sierra Foothills %@#$!. I purchased the wine in a club shipment from WineQ for $23.99(with free shipping!). It's a Rhone style blend made of 58% Roussanne and 42% Marsanne. The wine clocked in at 14.1% alcohol by volume and had a real cork closure. Many more Twisted things will be showing up at the Wannabe Wino house in the near future, as I was a very good Wino this year ...

* Rock Hollow Sextet - $44.99
Winemakers like those at Rock Hollow are experts at a lot of things. They understand what it takes to coax first-rate fruit from the California Central Coast soil. They know how to use a combination of stainless steel and oak fermentation to produce a bright, rich Chardonnay. They’re privy to the kind of oenic arcana that bestows the power to produce superlative reds like this Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. But they’re not too good at predicting the future. They thought ...

* Domaine547
I've been meaning to do this review for quite a while, and have been really remiss in not getting it up sooner. Several months ago, Jill of Domaine547 contacted me and asked if I would like to receive a blogger sample pack for review. I accepted her kind offer and shortly thereafter a box with 3 bottles of wine, cute Domaine547 coasters, a newsletter, and descriptions of the wines arrived at my doorstep. I've reviewed two of those wines, the ...

* Bedell Cellars Set to Release New Red Blend, Musee
Remember Bedell Cellars' Cupola, their flagship red blend? Well, they haven't made it recently, apparently deciding to discontinue the product line. Instead, they've released a new high-end blend with their 2005 Musée, price at $65, making iti their most expensive...

* Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
It might be wintertime, but there are still plenty of wines events going on around the country to keep you busy! One in particular is the Newport Seafood t thin of a better way to spend a mid-winter weekend! Here are the details: Newport Seafood & Wine Festival - February 22, 23 and 24 at Rogue Ales Warehouse, 2320 OSU Drive, Newport, Oregon Wines from over 70 wineries from around the northwest, including the Noble Estate Vineyard, Chateau Benoit, Sake ...

* The 60 Second Taster
I' ve now been a wine professional for over thirty years. Before I got in the wine making side of the business I was a wine distributor for almost twenty years. The low point of that experience was more-often-than-not the presentations to retailers. You' d take samples of wines from small estates, where the producers sweated every day over their vines and wines passionately trying to make the best wines they could, and present them to the buyers. Often you ...

* Glorious new year’s challenges
This new year seems to be roaring out of the starting gate! With all that' s been going on in my life since the first of January, I' m finding myself hard-pressed to keep up with the blogging here on Winehiker Witiculture. California Wine Hikes, now in its third season, is selling tours at its fastest rate [...]

* Teaching Your Children About Wine
Eat, drink, and be merry Originally uploaded by jwlphotography Every Friday night during my suburban Philadelphian childhood my parents ate dinner by themselves, shockingly late (by an 8 year old's standards) at 9:30 pm, at a table lit with candles. Food that my brother and I would not tolerate was prepared for these meals, and the house often smelled of exotic Indian spices, unfathomably slippery entrees like Coquilles St. Jacques, and homemade split pea soup. On the Friday closest to ...

* Resveratrol Could Treat Diabetes
Resveratrol. Is there anything it can t do? It sure seems to be the wonder compound of the century, helping with a variety of medical conditions. The latest of these is diabetes. Decanter reports that the Massachusetts-based drug company, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals has found that a reformulated version of resveratrol improved the body s ability to break down sugar: In trials Sirtris s SRT501 drug was showed that those taking resveratrol improved their score on an oral glucose tolerance test, which ...

* WBW #41-White Friuli Wines
Jack and Joanne of Fork and Bottle are our kind hosts for this edition of WBW, the brainchild of Lenn of Lenndevours. The task they set us to for this month was to find a white wine from Friuli, any white we wanted. Though they suggested that we spend $18 or above or else we might be disappointed in the wine we chose.This was a difficult assignment for me. I checked our usual local haunts and had not luck. Three ...

* Random Ramblings of a Weary Winemaker: Last 2007 Installment
And She’ll Have Fun, Fun, Fun ‘Til Her Daddy Takes the Ripple Away - Sat. Dec. 8, 2007 Sweet fortified wines like Night Train, Ripple and Thunderbird were the backbone of the California wine industry from repeal up into the 1960’s. Whether all grape like Port or Muscatel, or flavored like Ripple, these wines were the beverage of choice for budget minded alcoholics, aka winos. The sugar helped it go down easily and provided some energy, and wine was the ...

* Wine 2.O

* Back to ‘School’
I think there are a few more slots available for the first wine seminar this Wednesday at 6:30. Call 510-995-4100 if you' re interested in the Zinfandel History and Tasting or the next one Component Analysis on January 30. I' ll update on the other classes as they get closer. Alameda wine classes, Rosenblum wine [...]

* Tumasonis Cellars is Born
So last year I made some (6 cases to be precise) un-oaked cabernet franc at Raphael out in Peconic. I had "my" own row of vines that I didn't spend as much time caring for as I had hoped, but...

* We have a Wine Chick now...one of the originals
If you've been dipping your toe in the wine blogging pool for very long knows "The Wine Chicks,"one of the most irreverent wine blogs around. You may have also noticed that The Wine Chicks seem to have flown the coop...

* Helix Three-Pack Plus One - $59.99
Ah, the rare and exquisite quadruple helix! Four bottles! Three wines! Together, they can unlock some of the most intriguing riddles that face humankind. Riddles like: Hey, how’s that ‘05 Cabernet Sauvignon taste? Alright, maybe that’s not so much a riddle as just a question. Regardless, this wine.woot three-pack-plus-one is just what you’ll need to discover the answer. Here’s a hint: With its subtle whiffs of vanilla and sprinkles of oak spice, the Cab-Sav is a woot launch wine to ...

* Collecting goals: How much wine is enough?
If you re a wine collector, have you ever given any thought to the number of bottles you need to be satisfied with your cellar? Many wine collectors that I meet buy wine without really planning their purchases or balancing...

* Long Island Wine Needs a Book. And I'm the Man to Write it.
I've been toying with the idea of writing a book about Long Island wine for some time. But, between buying a house a couple years back, having a baby, etc. I just haven't had the time. Okay, who am I...

* Wine Book Club: Book 1
There is a LOT to learn about wine. Sometimes I freak out about it and wonder if I can ever learn enough, and at the speed I need to learn it. (I feel the same about technology at times as...

* Galloping into the Sunset: The Iron Horse Inn
We've had a rash of closings lately. We suddenly lost the Encore Bistros in early December. At the end of the month, One Restaurant in Mason sadly closed. Now, we lose the Iron Horse Inn in Glendale. In every Cincinnati...

* Protero Feedback
An email from Rosemary Baldasso was in the in-box this morning. Who she? Only one of the proud owners of Protero Wines that I reviewed on Monday! Love it when retailers or producers take the trouble to comment on a scribble. It would seem that sadly the importer of their wines in the UK abruptly closed-shop recently (hence perhaps the marvellous offer from Cooden Cellars on the two wines - they 'normally' retail at £17.99 a bottle) so the wines ...

* Does Social Media Work For Wine?
A fair question posed by Josh at Pinotblogger today reacting to yesterday' s news that Stormhoek' s UK partner, Orbital, has closed. How could this happen to a wine brand that has grown so quickly in sales while spending so little on marketing? The retail wine business is cruel and unforgiving. And it' s worse in the UK. For those not [...]

* I Remember When...
I remember when it was easy to buy two of my favorite beverages, Champagne and Cognac. A few decades ago you could hardly go wrong with either no matter the brand available. They were the perfect start and finish to any evening. The big brands were the best brands and wines like Veuve Clicquot Brut and spirits like Remy Martin were liquids to be contemplated, not just quaffed. Today these labels are more suitable for cocktails than snifters or flutes ...

* Have the Winery to Yourself
Or almost, anyway. After a mind-boggling December, January is starting off very slowly. While this is not such good news for me and the rest of the crew, it is good news for you, the Rosenblum fans out there. Typically our least busy month, January is the perfect time to come visit the [...]

* Coming Soon: Brickhouse by the Juice Crew
And the winning design is: All the Juice Crew-ers should expect to receive their cases in the very near future.

* I can't believe it's not Stelvin!
There are those who cling to the 'romance' and 'tradition' of popping the cork prior to imbibing. Then there are those who think such 'romance' and 'tradition' are ridiculous if these totems potentially mean stinking, spoiled wine. Both camps have...

* Wine in the New Year
As I've said before I'm not too big on resolutions. I rarely keep to them, and never feel accomplished. I, however, did set some "plans" last year, with the encouragement of Dr. Debs who had asked what our wine resolutions were. And again this year, she has the same question.Looking back on last year, I set some general goals, which were to buy a house and go to Oktoberfest. We got the house, which then sort of got in the ...

* Press Credentials for Wine Tastings
Do you think a blogger like me would qualify for press credentials at a wine tasting event? I would love to attend the DC International Wine and Food Festival, but am unsure if I would be considered "press."You can find the press policy here.Anyone have any thoughts?

* Falling Asleep To...
Normally it is the Archers on the BBC's Listen Again to which I fall asleep too. Tonight though an audio/podcast from WineCast is playing - although I hasten to add that I'm listening to it and not falling asleep! Basically a chat between some of the top wine bloggers - Dr. Debs, the Catavino duo (Gabriella & Ryan), Alder... it has been on my 'must listen too' list since its posting on the 19th of December. A little America-focused, understandably, ...

* The Wine Book Club: the First Edition
In the spirit of the New Year, a group of bloggers decided to start an online Wine Book Club. Many of us want to read more--hands up if you've got a stack of books sitting on your bedside table with an inch of dust on them--and anyone reading this blog probably wants to learn more about wine. So let's give it a go in 2008 and actually read some wine books together. (potential logo for the Wine Book Club to ...

* Wine Writer Hits Free Agency. Is Wine Spectator Interested?

* I’ve Decided To Write A Book
Right after I posted my goals for the year yesterday, I went to a local bookstore to see what I could find with the gift card I received on Christmas. After browsing the bargain books and business sections, I found myself looking over wine books. I really haven' t shopped for wine books since I get [...]

* One less bottle of Grange...
The worst that has happened to me is loosing some shampoo and arguing whether toothpaste is a liquid or not - but you have to empathise with this guys pain... News.com.au A Melbourne brewery executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best-known wine at Melbourne Airport. Neil Grant, southern region general manager with Foster's Australia, ran foul of the tough air security rules as he was about to board an Emirates ...

* New year, new world, new camaraderie
Image source: Twitter.com Earlier today, while working on my upcoming presentation, I kept a running tab on my internationally-scattered group of Twitter friends, one of whom, Carol Bancroft of Celebrate Wine, realized she hadn' t updated her blogroll* to include a number of her wine-blogging Twitter friends. She offered to add whomever she had heretofore omitted to [...]

Fantastic

Vintage Blog Post...

From Mendoza, Argentina comes 3 distinct single vineyard wines. Their name is La Posta del Vinatero , "the tavern of the winegrower". ...Two Malbecs and 1 Bonarda. They are all absolutely fantastic.

Running Brook Update #2

Vidal Blanc – The Vidal was the last varietal to be harvested. We finished harvesting it on November 12th and it looked/tasted fantastic. The juice chemistry test results were close to perfect so we did nothing but whole cluster press, settle the juice and ferment at a cool temperature.

Chile: the last day

Odfjell is a Norweigan-owned producer making almost exclusively red wines, including some fantastic Carignans.

2005 UGC Tasting Recap!

Château Olivier Blanc, This was also fantastic with great acidity and vibrant citrus flavors and lanolin-like texture. The sémillon in this wine, ...really stood out and gave it a distinctness that separated it from the pack.

1995 Château Gruaud Larose - fantastic!

1995 Château Gruaud Larose - fantastic! One of the tightest wines I can recall - nice to hear some of the 95s are getting there.

Weekend Wino-ers: Merlot-quacious!

We had a fantastic food pairing for Merlot Night: Stuffed Portobello mushrooms with scalloped potatoes and baby spinach topped with a warm bacon-Bordeaux dressing.

Amazing

2005 Union of Grand Crus of Bordeaux - The best of the best!

Chateau Lascombes - ...AMAZING!!!!! 5/5; Chateau Leoville Barton - ...AMAZING!!!! 5/5

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese - 2005

96 PTS Sweetness, structure and balance. This is an amazing Riesling. Retails for around $30-$35 a bottle and worth every penny. Exceptional.

Pessagno 2005 Lucia Highlands Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

At the amazing value of $11.99 at Total Wine and More I can't deem this anything but a good-great value.

2005 UGC Tasting Recap!

Sexy Saint Julien: An amazing line-up of wines! It was hard to find a bad wine here.

Pata Negra in NYC

Can you tell I am a bit excited? This the most amazing cured meat product ever!

The Next Wine Movie (trailer included)

Director Randol Miller has assembled an amazing and talented cast, but he uses them on a disjointed script which never seems to find its focus.

James Suckling | Proof in the Bottle with the Editors

I just finished an amazing tasting with the senior editors of the magazine and owner/publisher Marvin Shanken. We tasted old California reds from the 1960s and 1970s in a secret hideway during editoral planning meetings for the magazine.

2005 Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux

Château Troplong Mondot - amazing fruit intenstity and nice underlying earthiness

Wonderful Woodhouse Wine Weekend

After working very late, we opened a bottle of Kennedy Shah 2005 Merlot from Woodhouse Family Cellars in Woodinville. It was so amazing that we easily polished off the bottle.

One day - sooner than later...

Check out the AMAZING reviews on the hottest Argentine wine portfolio ever here.

Sagrantino Di Montefalco and Heart to Heart!

Gary Addresses what’s going on with all this talk about ending the show and focuses on some amazing wine.

Recent wines I’ve enjoyed

I’ve had this very nice sparkling wine many times lately; several bottles at home and then one interesting experience at a wine bar. First for the wine bar experience

Wine and Travel Advice for Valentine's Day

Okay -- maybe this article isn't totally wine focused, but the travel tips alone warrant a look at these amazing tips.

Travelling in Tuscan Wine Country

We show you some views of the vineyards and the amazing landscape, a visit to a wine cellar, a virtual tasting of the wines.

A short visual visit to V Innocenti winery in Montepulciano

We visit his amazing treasure chest of barrel aging Vin Santo in the cellar and see some breathtaking views from the terrace outside winery.

Italian food and wine pairing

Pinot Noir is a wine with amazing flavors; Pinot lovers can ensure that the wine is the star of the show by pairing a glass with a simple preparation of Pasta with olive oil.

2005 Union of Grand Crus of Bordeaux

When producers of this pedigree are producing amazing wines like this you know you are in a great vintage. 4/5

Interesting

When Words Get in the Way of Wine

An interesting discussion broke out on Twitter a week or so ago among a band of wine bloggers. The topic was wine jargon

How to make wine based cocktails and warm winter drinks

Darryl Beeson's recent article, 'Beyond Sangria: Lively Mixes for Wines,' features several interesting drink ideas using wine.

Recent wines I’ve enjoyed

I’ve had this very nice sparkling wine many times lately; several bottles at home and then one interesting experience at a wine bar. First for the wine bar experience

Washington State Wine Tasting

Interesting that the website says they used almost 60% new oak on this wine, because I didn't find it intrusive at all.

Planning for the Big Game: Super Bowl Sunday

Putting together a guide highlighting some of the best, most interesting gear & grub we can find—products for tailgating, entertaining, and expressing your team allegiances while you eat—has really gotten me into the spirit this year.

Chateau des Campets 2003

Forget the preamble. This Corbières is the most interesting and, frankly, gorgeous wine I have tried in ages.

Kathleen Lisson's Wine and Food Pairing: What is Umami? Benefits of the Umami diet

David Kasabian, author of "Umami: Cooking with the Fifth Taste," is quoted extensively in an interesting article on MCNBC entitled, 'Recipes for the 'fifth' taste: Umami, Dishes featuring the savory flavors that make food tastier.'

Dulling the Cutting Edge - ShipCompliant

Practical compliance with the opinion will raise interesting administrative issues on which the Court of Appeals offered no guidance.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #42 Announced: Just 7 Words

This should be a fun one and it will no doubt be interesting to read through all the submissions.

Interesting Wine Reads Online

We haven’t been posting much lately, but a lot of folks on the internet have been writing about wine. To get your fix, check out some of these interesting blogs and news articles I ran across lately.

Wine Chick Wednesday: Come On. Get Happy!

Marla has made it her modus operandi to seek out interesting wines from lesser-known areas, and I’m pleased to report that she has both Scheurebe AND a biodynamic Gamay by the glass. Swoon.

Best New Beverages:: Part 3

A unique beverage on it’s own, Sence also adds an interesting spin to your classic cocktails.

Preparation for harvest 2008

This year we did something really interesting in one of our Malbec vineyards by taking a daily photograph of the same vine from pre- to post veraison.

A Pair of Pinots from Adelsheim

As the wine opens a bit, there is some spicy cedar and a bit of earth in the finish to keep things interesting. Very good QPR ...

Spy Mountain Riesling - Zippy

New Zealand is starting to produce some interesting non-Sauvignon Blanc choices

Oklahoma Wine News

Another interesting thing about Tulsa's new winery is their "Adopt a Plant Membership Program". For the first time in Oklahoma, you can enjoy your own vineyard experience by joining Whispering Vines’ Adopt a Plant Program. Details on their website

Winery Watch: David Coffaro Wine

But if you are a fan of luscious blends and interesting grape varieties at attractive prices, you need to know about this cult favorite among California wineries.

Cono Sur's Organic Cab-Carmenere

My friend Karen has one of the same bad habits I do: buying wine simply because the label is pretty, interesting or unusual.

What does chewy mean anyway?

When I see it on a tasting sheet, I ask the pourer what it means. I get some interesting answers.