At InterWined.com, you’ll find buyer recommendations, wine reviews, wine videos, clothing, and a whole lot more.
Here’s a preview of just one of the things you'll find at InterWined.com:
Friday, June 22, 2007
Onwards & Upwards
At InterWined.com, you’ll find buyer recommendations, wine reviews, wine videos, clothing, and a whole lot more.
Here’s a preview of just one of the things you'll find at InterWined.com:
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
CO2 Zero
During the course of Interwined's struggle to get together some good wine entertainment, Interwined's writer, Jacob Gaffney, is sometimes asked to do other things. In this case, Gaffney recently wrote a few articles on Carbon Neutral wineries, published by Wine Spectator magazine(subscription recommended).
So now the Oregon Environmental Council is asking for Gaffney to speak at a conference on Global Warming and the Wine Industry in mid-July. Naturally, Gaffney is honored and excited, especially at the prospect of writing an incredibly self-indulgent mini-biography, which Interwined will now share with you:
International wine journalist, Jacob Gaffney, has contributed frequently to Wine Spectator magazine for nearly eight years. His personal interests in the environmental issues and impacts of the wine industry have grown greatly since his move to London six years ago, where the weather continues to grow warmer and warmer year after year. Jacob greets the sunnier skies with suspicion.
Gaffney's recent coverage for Wine Spectator has included the decision by many wineries to go Carbon Neutral. His focus is on the correct implementation of a CO2 zero strategy for wineries. But his eco-expertise doesn't stop there. Gaffney was also honored recently to be the guest speaker at the launch of Organico, Britain's first and only dedicated organic and biodynamic wine shop.
The 2.4 tons of Carbon emission from Gaffney's flight to Oregon will be offset by UK-based Climate Care, at his expense. Gaffney intends to exercise full bragging rights for committing this nobly selfish act.
Also, Gaffney is not a big fan of Fairtrade. It's best not to ask him about that if you have somewhere to be in the next five minutes.
So now the Oregon Environmental Council is asking for Gaffney to speak at a conference on Global Warming and the Wine Industry in mid-July. Naturally, Gaffney is honored and excited, especially at the prospect of writing an incredibly self-indulgent mini-biography, which Interwined will now share with you:
International wine journalist, Jacob Gaffney, has contributed frequently to Wine Spectator magazine for nearly eight years. His personal interests in the environmental issues and impacts of the wine industry have grown greatly since his move to London six years ago, where the weather continues to grow warmer and warmer year after year. Jacob greets the sunnier skies with suspicion.
Gaffney's recent coverage for Wine Spectator has included the decision by many wineries to go Carbon Neutral. His focus is on the correct implementation of a CO2 zero strategy for wineries. But his eco-expertise doesn't stop there. Gaffney was also honored recently to be the guest speaker at the launch of Organico, Britain's first and only dedicated organic and biodynamic wine shop.
The 2.4 tons of Carbon emission from Gaffney's flight to Oregon will be offset by UK-based Climate Care, at his expense. Gaffney intends to exercise full bragging rights for committing this nobly selfish act.
Also, Gaffney is not a big fan of Fairtrade. It's best not to ask him about that if you have somewhere to be in the next five minutes.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Vertical Magnums, Dude
This entry will not be as exciting as the title makes it sound.
There will be no snow, no young kids self-propelling, with the aid of gravity, down some slope on some stick of wood of some sort.
Two things: Magnums are big bottles of wine that hold the equivalent of two bottles of wine (1.5 liters).
Interwined recently had two Magnums. The idea is that magnums, which look cool and work great for dinner parties, mature at a much different rate. Wine matures quickly in a big vat, not as quick in a smaller barrel and even slower in a tinier standard bottle of wine. Think of a magnum as between a bottle and barrel.
The 2003 Bodegas Olvena Magnum from Somontano, Spain was purchased after some hard bargaining between Interwined and the fabulous wine shop, Planet of the Grapes. One of the owners, Matt, said, "Hey, Interwined, buy that bottle for 20 quid and stick it on your blog."
It was an offer Interwined couldn't refuse.
(two bottles worth for 20 pounds equals ten pounds per 'bottle,' the far end of the Interwined budget-per-bottle.)
As expected, the magnum was smoother and more elegant that it's single bottle counterpart. The black cherry was also expected, but no less enjoyed. There was a hint of tarty flint, which would be more pronounced, and likely less enjoyable, in a single bottle offering. Delicious. 8.7 points.
The 2003 Magnum of Vendange California Cabernet is a example of a big American wine in a big American bottle.
Interwined sees visions of drivers in hybrid cars, humming through the highways of Los Angeles, driving around with long, silly-slurp straws poking out the top of a magnum of Vendange. Ready to drink on a Friday night, this one, and the new oak abounds with black berry. Simple and effective. Let breath for two hours to one day. 8.5 points.
The second thing: Verticals are a wine tasting technique where one is offered several consecutive vintages of the same grape, from the same producer. The aim here is to appreciate vintage, the year in which the grapes were picked. In this case Vina Ventisquero Pinot Noir, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.
The 2005 will be the best. Eventually. Now it's the 2003. The 2002 is on its way out, and so lacks fresh vivacity and sandal soapiness of a Chilean Pinot Noir. The 2004 had too much rain, and that is evident in the wine, especially when running against the others.
A vertical of the Cabernet Sauvignons 2003, 2004, 2005. All decent. New Oak and mineral. The evening was sealed as winemaker Felipe Tossa Bruna presented a sneak peek of Ventisquero's latest Iconic wine, Pangea. The wine is a collaboration of John Duval of Penfold's Grange fame. The wine is being launched at the end of June, and will retail for around 25 GBP per bottle.
Out of the league for Interwined's wallet, which doesn't want to give away any tasting notes on Pangea just yet, except for this: buy a bottle for a special occasion. It is an incredibly delicious and drinkable wine.
Pangea rocks, dude.
Even more than those bitchin' Vertical Magnums.
There will be no snow, no young kids self-propelling, with the aid of gravity, down some slope on some stick of wood of some sort.
Two things: Magnums are big bottles of wine that hold the equivalent of two bottles of wine (1.5 liters).
Interwined recently had two Magnums. The idea is that magnums, which look cool and work great for dinner parties, mature at a much different rate. Wine matures quickly in a big vat, not as quick in a smaller barrel and even slower in a tinier standard bottle of wine. Think of a magnum as between a bottle and barrel.
The 2003 Bodegas Olvena Magnum from Somontano, Spain was purchased after some hard bargaining between Interwined and the fabulous wine shop, Planet of the Grapes. One of the owners, Matt, said, "Hey, Interwined, buy that bottle for 20 quid and stick it on your blog."
It was an offer Interwined couldn't refuse.
(two bottles worth for 20 pounds equals ten pounds per 'bottle,' the far end of the Interwined budget-per-bottle.)
As expected, the magnum was smoother and more elegant that it's single bottle counterpart. The black cherry was also expected, but no less enjoyed. There was a hint of tarty flint, which would be more pronounced, and likely less enjoyable, in a single bottle offering. Delicious. 8.7 points.
The 2003 Magnum of Vendange California Cabernet is a example of a big American wine in a big American bottle.
Interwined sees visions of drivers in hybrid cars, humming through the highways of Los Angeles, driving around with long, silly-slurp straws poking out the top of a magnum of Vendange. Ready to drink on a Friday night, this one, and the new oak abounds with black berry. Simple and effective. Let breath for two hours to one day. 8.5 points.
The second thing: Verticals are a wine tasting technique where one is offered several consecutive vintages of the same grape, from the same producer. The aim here is to appreciate vintage, the year in which the grapes were picked. In this case Vina Ventisquero Pinot Noir, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.
The 2005 will be the best. Eventually. Now it's the 2003. The 2002 is on its way out, and so lacks fresh vivacity and sandal soapiness of a Chilean Pinot Noir. The 2004 had too much rain, and that is evident in the wine, especially when running against the others.
A vertical of the Cabernet Sauvignons 2003, 2004, 2005. All decent. New Oak and mineral. The evening was sealed as winemaker Felipe Tossa Bruna presented a sneak peek of Ventisquero's latest Iconic wine, Pangea. The wine is a collaboration of John Duval of Penfold's Grange fame. The wine is being launched at the end of June, and will retail for around 25 GBP per bottle.
Out of the league for Interwined's wallet, which doesn't want to give away any tasting notes on Pangea just yet, except for this: buy a bottle for a special occasion. It is an incredibly delicious and drinkable wine.
Pangea rocks, dude.
Even more than those bitchin' Vertical Magnums.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Champagne, Sparkling Wine, Oz Clarke, Jancis Robinson, 60 Pound Australia Wine
Let's get one thing straight, Champagne can only come from France. Champagne, France to be exact. The method of making Champagne is oft repeated, but nothing matches the earth of Champagne. Many other producers add gas to make a wine sparkle, many other producers don't -- but in Champagne, the wine goes in the bottle with some extra yeast.
The cork goes on.
The wine ferments a second time and releases gas. The Carbon can't escape a corked bottle, but instead pushes and pushes until it 'pops' free. Boo-yah. Global warming in a bottle.
Some people, who incorrectly label their sparkling wines, presumably for phony marketing, and sometimes even add extra ingredients, as with an Almond Champagne are bending the rules. Interwined is told this Almond Champagne is the bomb. But it is wrong, so wrong.
Can't wait to try it.
Ruinart is a Champagne house that appeals both in taste and in price. In fact, their lower priced bottlings are tremendously delicious. Unfortunately, the Blanc de Blancs (only Chardonnay) is not worth the 45 GBP price tag. (It was a celebration.)
Other positives are the Lanson Black Label which frequents the cheapside London party scene. Not sure of the price, but it's nice.
But, it's the Bollinger NV that takes the cake. Minerality, mainly flint, a nice, crisp profile with a touch of tarty green apple. Not to mention a decent weight and enjoyable finish. 8.8 points. Bollinger also continues to bubble for FOUR days after being opened. Now that's gas.
A black cab driver (his taxi is painted black para mi Gringos) aired his wine grievances to Interwined during a 35 GBP fare today. The French keep the best wine to themselves, as do the Australians, he said. He claimed to have once called Oz Clarke a wine snob to his face and maintained that he watches Jancis Robinson's TV show, Uncorked Italy, in order to fall asleep.
Harsh stuff. And unfair. Interwined regrets not telling the driver it was not necessary to drive all the way through Hampstead Heath, but Interwined is not in the business of judging the jobs of others.
The cabbie did add that he felt Argentina trumps Chile with its block-buster Malbec and that 2005 Ribera del Duero was going to be a very promising vintage (!). Would have name-dropped Interwined.com, but he admitted to not owning a computer.
His daughter also does these puppet commercials for Italian sauce company, Dolmio, and is often on set in Australia. She returned with a 60 GBP bottle of wine and opened it with much fanfare at the house. She gave him a glass, he took a sip, and told her, "Darling, I wouldn't even rate this wine."
And Interwined agrees. From now on, when Interwined tries a bad bottle, not word will be written. That way if you see a rating behind a wine, just remember its name.
And know it's all good.
The cork goes on.
The wine ferments a second time and releases gas. The Carbon can't escape a corked bottle, but instead pushes and pushes until it 'pops' free. Boo-yah. Global warming in a bottle.
Some people, who incorrectly label their sparkling wines, presumably for phony marketing, and sometimes even add extra ingredients, as with an Almond Champagne are bending the rules. Interwined is told this Almond Champagne is the bomb. But it is wrong, so wrong.
Can't wait to try it.
Ruinart is a Champagne house that appeals both in taste and in price. In fact, their lower priced bottlings are tremendously delicious. Unfortunately, the Blanc de Blancs (only Chardonnay) is not worth the 45 GBP price tag. (It was a celebration.)
Other positives are the Lanson Black Label which frequents the cheapside London party scene. Not sure of the price, but it's nice.
But, it's the Bollinger NV that takes the cake. Minerality, mainly flint, a nice, crisp profile with a touch of tarty green apple. Not to mention a decent weight and enjoyable finish. 8.8 points. Bollinger also continues to bubble for FOUR days after being opened. Now that's gas.
A black cab driver (his taxi is painted black para mi Gringos) aired his wine grievances to Interwined during a 35 GBP fare today. The French keep the best wine to themselves, as do the Australians, he said. He claimed to have once called Oz Clarke a wine snob to his face and maintained that he watches Jancis Robinson's TV show, Uncorked Italy, in order to fall asleep.
Harsh stuff. And unfair. Interwined regrets not telling the driver it was not necessary to drive all the way through Hampstead Heath, but Interwined is not in the business of judging the jobs of others.
The cabbie did add that he felt Argentina trumps Chile with its block-buster Malbec and that 2005 Ribera del Duero was going to be a very promising vintage (!). Would have name-dropped Interwined.com, but he admitted to not owning a computer.
His daughter also does these puppet commercials for Italian sauce company, Dolmio, and is often on set in Australia. She returned with a 60 GBP bottle of wine and opened it with much fanfare at the house. She gave him a glass, he took a sip, and told her, "Darling, I wouldn't even rate this wine."
And Interwined agrees. From now on, when Interwined tries a bad bottle, not word will be written. That way if you see a rating behind a wine, just remember its name.
And know it's all good.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Wine Basics, How to Taste Wine, Wine 101
A guest just left the Interwined palace. This guest also reads this blog religiously.
After dinner with some wine importers, the guest declared the very same wine importers had "finally taught [this person] the correct way to drink wine."
Again, this person reads Interwined religiously.
---------- So -------------
How to taste wine:
1. Sniff the empty wine glass. This will reveal if there is any left over soap or vinegar residue that would confound the wine's aromas and flavors.
2. Do not fill the glass past one-third full or one-fourths empty. This leaves enough wine to swirl, enough wine to get a decent sip.
3. Swirl the wine to release the aromas. Smell. Do this step before each sip to truly appreciate the way wine evolves as the alcohol evaporates (among the other chemical reactions that cause the wine to 'mature' in the glass).
4. Drink the wine and then suck in some air. This will evaporate the wine on your palate and release 'smells' for you to 'taste.'
5. Swallow the friggin' wine. Observe body, weight, finish. Or spit and observe how wine stains clothes when zurburred.
6. Skipping any of these steps will equal less enjoyment.
Now, let's get back to work.
P-S -- Ignore the cork, legs, robe, etc. Have little to do with wine drinking and only serve to confuse.
After dinner with some wine importers, the guest declared the very same wine importers had "finally taught [this person] the correct way to drink wine."
Again, this person reads Interwined religiously.
---------- So -------------
How to taste wine:
1. Sniff the empty wine glass. This will reveal if there is any left over soap or vinegar residue that would confound the wine's aromas and flavors.
2. Do not fill the glass past one-third full or one-fourths empty. This leaves enough wine to swirl, enough wine to get a decent sip.
3. Swirl the wine to release the aromas. Smell. Do this step before each sip to truly appreciate the way wine evolves as the alcohol evaporates (among the other chemical reactions that cause the wine to 'mature' in the glass).
4. Drink the wine and then suck in some air. This will evaporate the wine on your palate and release 'smells' for you to 'taste.'
5. Swallow the friggin' wine. Observe body, weight, finish. Or spit and observe how wine stains clothes when zurburred.
6. Skipping any of these steps will equal less enjoyment.
Now, let's get back to work.
P-S -- Ignore the cork, legs, robe, etc. Have little to do with wine drinking and only serve to confuse.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Reisling, Verdicchio, London Underground, Biodynamic Italian Rose
Picture a jar crammed full of pennies. Now picture Interwined stuffed at the bottom of that jar. Also, put that jar out in the sun, surrounded by rotten eggs. That is about a close as one could get to imagining a journey on the London tube during rush hour last week.
What's worse is that the cost of the journey is about the same price for a nice bottle of wine!
Interwined likes to pass the time on the tube thinking about wines, of course, and pairing food and wine, and cheese and wine, if it's late in the evening, pairing chocolate and red wine, etc. But what sort of wines pair well with a packed subway car?
Oddly, summer wines!
(TIP: Don't overuse exclamation points, the point becomes diminished when you do!)
A 2004 Riesling from the German winery, Schloss Schonborn, in the Rheingau proved to be the perfect pair. This wine had a slight greasiness with a flinty aroma. The body is soft and easy and swirling is unusually fun. Hint of apricots and a lower than average ABV means you can have two glasses before flinging yourself headfirst into a wall of stinky flesh and not lose your cool.
Forget the pennies imagery, come to think of it. Getting on a packed tube feels more like you're a rusty key being sunk into a bucket of cream cheese. German Riesling with packed public transport: 8.8 points.
Other runners up include a Verdicchio from central Italy. Verdicchio oftens look like a chardonnay, but tastes better. In this case the clear, hay yellow hue of the wine was tinted with light green (thus the use of 'verde' in its name). The first day it was opened it was crisp and lively, if too tart. The second day all had balanced out. By the fourth day, a day that most Chardonnays would spoil by, this Verdicchio tasted like a chardonnay!
!!!!
A great grape to look for and experiment with.
There is a biodynamic rose on the go right now… so check back this week for a review.
What's worse is that the cost of the journey is about the same price for a nice bottle of wine!
Interwined likes to pass the time on the tube thinking about wines, of course, and pairing food and wine, and cheese and wine, if it's late in the evening, pairing chocolate and red wine, etc. But what sort of wines pair well with a packed subway car?
Oddly, summer wines!
(TIP: Don't overuse exclamation points, the point becomes diminished when you do!)
A 2004 Riesling from the German winery, Schloss Schonborn, in the Rheingau proved to be the perfect pair. This wine had a slight greasiness with a flinty aroma. The body is soft and easy and swirling is unusually fun. Hint of apricots and a lower than average ABV means you can have two glasses before flinging yourself headfirst into a wall of stinky flesh and not lose your cool.
Forget the pennies imagery, come to think of it. Getting on a packed tube feels more like you're a rusty key being sunk into a bucket of cream cheese. German Riesling with packed public transport: 8.8 points.
Other runners up include a Verdicchio from central Italy. Verdicchio oftens look like a chardonnay, but tastes better. In this case the clear, hay yellow hue of the wine was tinted with light green (thus the use of 'verde' in its name). The first day it was opened it was crisp and lively, if too tart. The second day all had balanced out. By the fourth day, a day that most Chardonnays would spoil by, this Verdicchio tasted like a chardonnay!
!!!!
A great grape to look for and experiment with.
There is a biodynamic rose on the go right now… so check back this week for a review.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Rose wine, Summer Time, Languedoc, Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
As the days heat up, the sun heralds a rush to the wine shop for 'seasonal' wines. Roses, blush wine, chilled whites. Mundo Pinot Grio.
Well, that will be the first few sentences of every single wine blog out there, people. But not here. White-washed wine writing makes Interwined see red.
Look, you can drink any wine in any weather. Kick around the idea of sloshing a bottle of Brouilly or Pinot Noir in an ice bucket. Or even an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Well, actually, that advice is kinda stupid when looked at in reverse: sticking Chardonnay in the oven for Christmas. If that oven isn't on, and that wine isn't going in the roasting tin to do whatever it is wine does to the chicken, then it just isn't right.
Interwined's former NYC roommate (a current MySpace friend) once decided he needed to chill out with a beer and a walk before an big time network TV interview, arranged by yours truly. Quickly: he was meant to comment on whether the book "How to Get Women," fulfilled its sexy promise. So, of course, the little guy was worried, weren't you [name deleted after threatened legal action].
So an hour before the walk, he put some beers in the freezer to get cold quick. By the time of the walk, he had ice brews. So he decided to, then, put the beers in the (hot) oven to liquefy. But, he forgot to take the bottles out before going on the walk. Needless to say, the interview took place in an apartment that smelled exactly like a overcrowded, fermented nursing home.
So, ovens and alcohol don't mix. Except for cooking. Even then, you're playing with fire. (ouch!)
TIP: When writing, avoid a play on words. Only work in conversation, and even then, rarely.
Many rose wines from the South of France tend to be dry, often mainly Syrah, but Mouvedre and Grenache factor heavily enough. Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest growing region around here, on the Med, and the largest in France.
So, quality is often iffy when you don't know the producer, the soil, the microclimate, you know, all the things you aren't going to know.
So, find a negociant. That is, some French guy who drives around, drinks a wine, and says, "yeah, this is good," then takes it and sells it. But not after putting his name on the bottle.
Case in point. Went into a wine shop after seeing a bottle of Languedoc rose with Gerard Bertrand's name on it. Wanted to buy that wine, but the store was out. So, for the same price, 6 GBP, purchased another Gerard Bertrand, a Roussillon. Huh? Exactly. What?
I think it will still sourced from the South of France, only way south, in the Basque regions, because of the tell-tale red and gold striped flag on the label.
The 2006 Sang & Or is tarty and full-bodied. Hint of watermelon. An unpleasant hotness from unharmonious alcohol levels. Smells crisp and delicious, finishes dry, way dry. 8.3 points, which is good for a Rose.
Come to think of it, a good red wine to chill would be the 2004 Wolf Blass Cabernet Saugvignon, for around 7 GBP. Cedar and dill will flourish with a little chill. The hard-nosed alcohol edge and grapiness will diminish. 8.5 points, much better than the 2003, BTW.
Well, that will be the first few sentences of every single wine blog out there, people. But not here. White-washed wine writing makes Interwined see red.
Look, you can drink any wine in any weather. Kick around the idea of sloshing a bottle of Brouilly or Pinot Noir in an ice bucket. Or even an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Well, actually, that advice is kinda stupid when looked at in reverse: sticking Chardonnay in the oven for Christmas. If that oven isn't on, and that wine isn't going in the roasting tin to do whatever it is wine does to the chicken, then it just isn't right.
Interwined's former NYC roommate (a current MySpace friend) once decided he needed to chill out with a beer and a walk before an big time network TV interview, arranged by yours truly. Quickly: he was meant to comment on whether the book "How to Get Women," fulfilled its sexy promise. So, of course, the little guy was worried, weren't you [name deleted after threatened legal action].
So an hour before the walk, he put some beers in the freezer to get cold quick. By the time of the walk, he had ice brews. So he decided to, then, put the beers in the (hot) oven to liquefy. But, he forgot to take the bottles out before going on the walk. Needless to say, the interview took place in an apartment that smelled exactly like a overcrowded, fermented nursing home.
So, ovens and alcohol don't mix. Except for cooking. Even then, you're playing with fire. (ouch!)
TIP: When writing, avoid a play on words. Only work in conversation, and even then, rarely.
Many rose wines from the South of France tend to be dry, often mainly Syrah, but Mouvedre and Grenache factor heavily enough. Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest growing region around here, on the Med, and the largest in France.
So, quality is often iffy when you don't know the producer, the soil, the microclimate, you know, all the things you aren't going to know.
So, find a negociant. That is, some French guy who drives around, drinks a wine, and says, "yeah, this is good," then takes it and sells it. But not after putting his name on the bottle.
Case in point. Went into a wine shop after seeing a bottle of Languedoc rose with Gerard Bertrand's name on it. Wanted to buy that wine, but the store was out. So, for the same price, 6 GBP, purchased another Gerard Bertrand, a Roussillon. Huh? Exactly. What?
I think it will still sourced from the South of France, only way south, in the Basque regions, because of the tell-tale red and gold striped flag on the label.
The 2006 Sang & Or is tarty and full-bodied. Hint of watermelon. An unpleasant hotness from unharmonious alcohol levels. Smells crisp and delicious, finishes dry, way dry. 8.3 points, which is good for a Rose.
Come to think of it, a good red wine to chill would be the 2004 Wolf Blass Cabernet Saugvignon, for around 7 GBP. Cedar and dill will flourish with a little chill. The hard-nosed alcohol edge and grapiness will diminish. 8.5 points, much better than the 2003, BTW.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Italy, England, Denbies, Carpineto, Imus… Justin Timberlake Marries American Idol
So, those of you who landed on Interwined after googling any of the above terms, welcome aboard.
Two dinners. The first guest brought a bottle of 1990 Carpineto Chianti Classico Reserva (primarily Sangiovese grape). Back then it went for $13 bucks, today the bottle is probably worth ten times that. It was ranked at 87 in Wine Spectator by Italy expert James Suckling. And, as usual, he is right: "Very firm and solid with complex berry, mineral and plum character. Full in body and tannins but quite refined and elegant." The years have since eroded the full-body and stronger tannic structure, but the wine is now extremely refined and elegant. Also there are mushrooms. Chestnut mushrooms. Probably would score 89 point on the WS scale if tasted today, but as a gift from good friends (who also cooked, spaghetti with grouper and sardines with fennel): 93 points.
But there is a point here to be made about aging potential. The Carpineto was "drinkable now" back in 1990. If the wine would have instead been rated as "better after 2000" then the wine would have been nearly undrinkable in the 90s. Tight, tannic, mouth puckering, eye watering. It's important to distinguish that such characteristics are examples of a wine's quality, not its lack of….
Easter dinner was a first for Interwined, where everything was English. The turkey was reared in the black forests of England and lived free range. Doubts persisted on whether the butcher's claim to this effect was valid. But once roasted with some chicken fat and oregano, the bird flesh hinted notes of wet earth, wood and thistle. Truly an animal of the forest. Gobble, gobble.
Incidentally, the Turkey also went perfect with the English wines Interwined's guests brought round. The first time Englaish wines have been sampled, in the seven years in England.
Guess it is 'bout time.
Both from Denbies winery, England's largest, the wines proved perfect for the locally sourced food. The Bacchus (grape) wine from 2004, was crisp with a hint of lemon. Grassy. Long finish. The body was a little heavy, but it was not nearly the train wreck expected. Perhaps bringing such a bad rep to the table made the wine appear more delicious.
Doubt it. 8.6 points.
The pudding wine from Denbies is number one in one regard: the worst wine name, ever. The 2005 Surrey Gold even came in a frosted bottle, leaving the wife to first wonder aloud "who brought the Vodka?" The name, the look. Denbies, work on it.
The wine is just fine. Kinda floral (some jasmine) and easy going. Light and not too syrupy, the funny thing is that the wine finishes dry, when sweet was expected. Individual. 8.4 points.
Two dinners. The first guest brought a bottle of 1990 Carpineto Chianti Classico Reserva (primarily Sangiovese grape). Back then it went for $13 bucks, today the bottle is probably worth ten times that. It was ranked at 87 in Wine Spectator by Italy expert James Suckling. And, as usual, he is right: "Very firm and solid with complex berry, mineral and plum character. Full in body and tannins but quite refined and elegant." The years have since eroded the full-body and stronger tannic structure, but the wine is now extremely refined and elegant. Also there are mushrooms. Chestnut mushrooms. Probably would score 89 point on the WS scale if tasted today, but as a gift from good friends (who also cooked, spaghetti with grouper and sardines with fennel): 93 points.
But there is a point here to be made about aging potential. The Carpineto was "drinkable now" back in 1990. If the wine would have instead been rated as "better after 2000" then the wine would have been nearly undrinkable in the 90s. Tight, tannic, mouth puckering, eye watering. It's important to distinguish that such characteristics are examples of a wine's quality, not its lack of….
Easter dinner was a first for Interwined, where everything was English. The turkey was reared in the black forests of England and lived free range. Doubts persisted on whether the butcher's claim to this effect was valid. But once roasted with some chicken fat and oregano, the bird flesh hinted notes of wet earth, wood and thistle. Truly an animal of the forest. Gobble, gobble.
Incidentally, the Turkey also went perfect with the English wines Interwined's guests brought round. The first time Englaish wines have been sampled, in the seven years in England.
Guess it is 'bout time.
Both from Denbies winery, England's largest, the wines proved perfect for the locally sourced food. The Bacchus (grape) wine from 2004, was crisp with a hint of lemon. Grassy. Long finish. The body was a little heavy, but it was not nearly the train wreck expected. Perhaps bringing such a bad rep to the table made the wine appear more delicious.
Doubt it. 8.6 points.
The pudding wine from Denbies is number one in one regard: the worst wine name, ever. The 2005 Surrey Gold even came in a frosted bottle, leaving the wife to first wonder aloud "who brought the Vodka?" The name, the look. Denbies, work on it.
The wine is just fine. Kinda floral (some jasmine) and easy going. Light and not too syrupy, the funny thing is that the wine finishes dry, when sweet was expected. Individual. 8.4 points.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Here to Stay
This week marks the week that Interwined was awarded Permanent Residency status in the United Kingdom, and therefore Europe.
There is nothing to stop us now (insert fiendish laughter).
First person to hear the news was my Student Loan officer.
Hello Melodie in Indianapolis! Who's the deadbeat now?
The 2005 Saint Emilions are just now coming out and they look vibrant and fresh, if a little too ripe. Nonetheless, these 'mainly Merlot' blends show a great deal of limestone and muscle. A fact sure to be reflected in higher-than-average prices.
A recent excursion on set reminded Interwined of its own humble start about ten years ago. The launch of the wine lover began at a small restaurant in the suburbs of New Orleans. As a waiter, a good waiter, solid wine knowledge is a must. And the first bottle of wine chosen by Interwined, was Hawk Crest California Cabernet Sauvignon.
This decision was based on only one deciding factor: Interwined like the pretty bird on the label.
And did it go down well? Well, what do you think?
So imagine the surprise when this week's blog research led to Soho Wine Supply, in London. Soho Wine Supply is one of Interwined's favourite destinations for its favourite hobby: buying wine. A small space, with a decent selection at great prices. However, it is not the place to give a hyperactive cat a strong cup of coffee. Oh no, it is very quiet there.
But back to the blog. See, around the same time that first bottle of Hawk Crest passed over the scanner at the check-out of the local Winn-Dixie, a promise was beginning elsewhere.
That promise was that Chile was the next big thing. We had the Mondavis down there, they said, the Rothschilds. Arid climate, decent land, cheap labour force… and winemaker know-how. A formula sure to result in inexpensive wines that knock the socks off.
So imagine the surprise when a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile happened to be lying next to a bottle of Hawk Crest at the Soho Wine Supply. Both at around 8 pounds.
Was there ever a reason to compare two completely unrelated wines (besides the grape)? Didn't think so.
2002 Hawk Crest. The older of the two and ready-to-drink. Strongly Californian. Strong powerful nose, heavy body and a powerhouse finish, though short. A bit roasty-meaty and a bit blackberry. Not complex, but still as pleasing. Thanks for the memories Hawk Crest, but really, considering the nature of wine production, how can you remain so consistent? Curious comment, sure to have its share of detractors. 8.7 points.
2004 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley. Other names on the bottle, such as 'Estate bottled' and 'Antiguas Reservas,' are just smoke and mirrors. Don't mean it good, don't mean it bad.
The label says 14% ABV, but the legs walk a 15.5%. Strong alcohol in the aroma confirms. Opened two hours and the smell is still there. Best opened a day prior, and immediately recorked. Some caramel, and a touch of minty lamb.
The most shocking thing about this wine is likely due to critic-bias (a name Interwined just invented to explain how a wine taster cannot completely discount their own subjectivity based on their own experiences). For example, for reasons best left unexplained and unexplored, the Cousino-Macul smells, and even tastes, vaguely of Hawaiian Punch. 8.6 points.
OK, so the review didn't exactly back up the aforementioned argument. But still unconvinced Chile is pulling its price-for-value weight.
Anybody feeling the same vibe? Drink up and tell on.
There is nothing to stop us now (insert fiendish laughter).
First person to hear the news was my Student Loan officer.
Hello Melodie in Indianapolis! Who's the deadbeat now?
The 2005 Saint Emilions are just now coming out and they look vibrant and fresh, if a little too ripe. Nonetheless, these 'mainly Merlot' blends show a great deal of limestone and muscle. A fact sure to be reflected in higher-than-average prices.
A recent excursion on set reminded Interwined of its own humble start about ten years ago. The launch of the wine lover began at a small restaurant in the suburbs of New Orleans. As a waiter, a good waiter, solid wine knowledge is a must. And the first bottle of wine chosen by Interwined, was Hawk Crest California Cabernet Sauvignon.
This decision was based on only one deciding factor: Interwined like the pretty bird on the label.
And did it go down well? Well, what do you think?
So imagine the surprise when this week's blog research led to Soho Wine Supply, in London. Soho Wine Supply is one of Interwined's favourite destinations for its favourite hobby: buying wine. A small space, with a decent selection at great prices. However, it is not the place to give a hyperactive cat a strong cup of coffee. Oh no, it is very quiet there.
But back to the blog. See, around the same time that first bottle of Hawk Crest passed over the scanner at the check-out of the local Winn-Dixie, a promise was beginning elsewhere.
That promise was that Chile was the next big thing. We had the Mondavis down there, they said, the Rothschilds. Arid climate, decent land, cheap labour force… and winemaker know-how. A formula sure to result in inexpensive wines that knock the socks off.
So imagine the surprise when a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile happened to be lying next to a bottle of Hawk Crest at the Soho Wine Supply. Both at around 8 pounds.
Was there ever a reason to compare two completely unrelated wines (besides the grape)? Didn't think so.
2002 Hawk Crest. The older of the two and ready-to-drink. Strongly Californian. Strong powerful nose, heavy body and a powerhouse finish, though short. A bit roasty-meaty and a bit blackberry. Not complex, but still as pleasing. Thanks for the memories Hawk Crest, but really, considering the nature of wine production, how can you remain so consistent? Curious comment, sure to have its share of detractors. 8.7 points.
2004 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley. Other names on the bottle, such as 'Estate bottled' and 'Antiguas Reservas,' are just smoke and mirrors. Don't mean it good, don't mean it bad.
The label says 14% ABV, but the legs walk a 15.5%. Strong alcohol in the aroma confirms. Opened two hours and the smell is still there. Best opened a day prior, and immediately recorked. Some caramel, and a touch of minty lamb.
The most shocking thing about this wine is likely due to critic-bias (a name Interwined just invented to explain how a wine taster cannot completely discount their own subjectivity based on their own experiences). For example, for reasons best left unexplained and unexplored, the Cousino-Macul smells, and even tastes, vaguely of Hawaiian Punch. 8.6 points.
OK, so the review didn't exactly back up the aforementioned argument. But still unconvinced Chile is pulling its price-for-value weight.
Anybody feeling the same vibe? Drink up and tell on.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Again With the Supermarkets
A wine merchant here in England recently complained that the big supermarkets would bring in new brands no one had heard of, and then offer the bottles at a steep discount from the 'regular' retail price.
In a market where the 5 to 10 GBP range is very competitive, granted it is always easy to take a shot at those at the top, how well to two such suspects stack up?
Both from Sainsbury's:
2000 Castillo de Caltrava Reserva has all the look of a Rioja Tempranillo, in fact, it is a Tempranillo, but that is where the similarity ends, except for the fine gold wire 'basket' the bottle is wrapped in. Centrally located and mountainous, La Mancha is known for some great wines, as is Rioja. The Calatrava was slashed by three pounds, if memory holds, from eight pounds to five pounds. The initial taste was one of disappointment. However, after recalibrating for decision-bias, the study continued more upbeat.
The wine is very ripe with a perfumed (like sandalwood) and sweet nose. Light and airy on the tongue, unlike the high expressions found in many of Spain's major wine regions these days. No this is classy for a fiver, once on it airs. Short finish and unbelievably harmonious, except for a bit of burn, predictable since it is only a Reserva and not a 'Gran(d) Reserva' which would denoted up to a year longer in oak, depending on the region. In La Mancha 12 months in oak, 24 in bottle for Resverva, 24 months in oak and 36 months in bottle for Gran(d) Reserva (these are minimums here). Maybe not worth eight pounds, but great at five. 8.5 points.
South Africa's First Cape (as in 'of Good Hope') 2005 shiraz, cabernet blend was also on sale for a few pounds off, bring it to five or six pounds per bottle as well. Like the Caltrava, it seemed new to the shelves, and stood out only because of the red tag marking it reduced. (But, isn't that the point?) Lovely colour and a lot like Pinotage. But this is way tart, way tart. Also smells like wet, black pepper, with a red meat kind of slappiness to it (getting hungry here). Seems to be quite a lot going on in there and will most likely taste better tomorrow. 8.3 points.
[Did you know? Interwined is the only wine blog that tries wines over the course of several days. If a wine doesn't hold up for at least a day, it's point are reduced. So, it's all not wham, bam! We drag it out here, people. Oh yeah, we draggggg it out.]
In a paragraph describing the character of the wine, there is only one real tasting note: 'subtle berry flavours.' Well! Can't get more elusive than that!
Guess they had a hard time figuring it out to.
In a market where the 5 to 10 GBP range is very competitive, granted it is always easy to take a shot at those at the top, how well to two such suspects stack up?
Both from Sainsbury's:
2000 Castillo de Caltrava Reserva has all the look of a Rioja Tempranillo, in fact, it is a Tempranillo, but that is where the similarity ends, except for the fine gold wire 'basket' the bottle is wrapped in. Centrally located and mountainous, La Mancha is known for some great wines, as is Rioja. The Calatrava was slashed by three pounds, if memory holds, from eight pounds to five pounds. The initial taste was one of disappointment. However, after recalibrating for decision-bias, the study continued more upbeat.
The wine is very ripe with a perfumed (like sandalwood) and sweet nose. Light and airy on the tongue, unlike the high expressions found in many of Spain's major wine regions these days. No this is classy for a fiver, once on it airs. Short finish and unbelievably harmonious, except for a bit of burn, predictable since it is only a Reserva and not a 'Gran(d) Reserva' which would denoted up to a year longer in oak, depending on the region. In La Mancha 12 months in oak, 24 in bottle for Resverva, 24 months in oak and 36 months in bottle for Gran(d) Reserva (these are minimums here). Maybe not worth eight pounds, but great at five. 8.5 points.
South Africa's First Cape (as in 'of Good Hope') 2005 shiraz, cabernet blend was also on sale for a few pounds off, bring it to five or six pounds per bottle as well. Like the Caltrava, it seemed new to the shelves, and stood out only because of the red tag marking it reduced. (But, isn't that the point?) Lovely colour and a lot like Pinotage. But this is way tart, way tart. Also smells like wet, black pepper, with a red meat kind of slappiness to it (getting hungry here). Seems to be quite a lot going on in there and will most likely taste better tomorrow. 8.3 points.
[Did you know? Interwined is the only wine blog that tries wines over the course of several days. If a wine doesn't hold up for at least a day, it's point are reduced. So, it's all not wham, bam! We drag it out here, people. Oh yeah, we draggggg it out.]
In a paragraph describing the character of the wine, there is only one real tasting note: 'subtle berry flavours.' Well! Can't get more elusive than that!
Guess they had a hard time figuring it out to.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A Question of MySpace
My brother posted this question on MySpace blog to Peter, the owner of Organico, Britain's first and only dedicated wine shop:
Peter,
You claim to "reject more Organic wines than you buy". On what basis would an organic not qualify for your store(s)?
Congratulations on the store. Here's a toast to positive growth!
John
PETER'S RESPONSE:
"Good question, John.
When in the business of retailing and selling into the trade the principal question we ask is ‘do we think the public will buy it?’ Generally, also we have to like the wine as well, although we have to put aside personal taste. The choice is never left to just one of us.
Often, the wines we reject are at the lower end of the price range. We are constantly looking for lead in wines which can be used as a ‘wine by the glass’ in a café/bistro or wine bar and which therefore have an attractive price tag. This is a struggle.
The wines are out there but the majority are of a quality which would not encourage a new organic wine drinker to want another glass. This gets the ‘organic’ tag a bad reputation and could put an ‘organic aspirant’ off for good.We have the perception that some of these low quality wines are coming from modest sized producers of poorly made wines who think they can pass their product off to the public by getting it certified ‘organic’, thus giving a false impression of ‘quality’ to the public.
It is more than a perception that some larger producers of organic wines are not producing quality. In certain ‘terroir’ areas it is not easy to make good wine organically without a lot of care in the vineyard. Care which can be very difficult to give on a large scale. Conversley, in such countries as Chile and Argentina, where many of the standard growing problems don’t exist, excellent wines are being made on a pretty big scale.
We very rarely reject wines on quality when one moves up a notch in price, i.e. in the UK retailing on our shelves at £7.50 upwards.
Hope this helps..."
Peter
Peter,
You claim to "reject more Organic wines than you buy". On what basis would an organic not qualify for your store(s)?
Congratulations on the store. Here's a toast to positive growth!
John
PETER'S RESPONSE:
"Good question, John.
When in the business of retailing and selling into the trade the principal question we ask is ‘do we think the public will buy it?’ Generally, also we have to like the wine as well, although we have to put aside personal taste. The choice is never left to just one of us.
Often, the wines we reject are at the lower end of the price range. We are constantly looking for lead in wines which can be used as a ‘wine by the glass’ in a café/bistro or wine bar and which therefore have an attractive price tag. This is a struggle.
The wines are out there but the majority are of a quality which would not encourage a new organic wine drinker to want another glass. This gets the ‘organic’ tag a bad reputation and could put an ‘organic aspirant’ off for good.We have the perception that some of these low quality wines are coming from modest sized producers of poorly made wines who think they can pass their product off to the public by getting it certified ‘organic’, thus giving a false impression of ‘quality’ to the public.
It is more than a perception that some larger producers of organic wines are not producing quality. In certain ‘terroir’ areas it is not easy to make good wine organically without a lot of care in the vineyard. Care which can be very difficult to give on a large scale. Conversley, in such countries as Chile and Argentina, where many of the standard growing problems don’t exist, excellent wines are being made on a pretty big scale.
We very rarely reject wines on quality when one moves up a notch in price, i.e. in the UK retailing on our shelves at £7.50 upwards.
Hope this helps..."
Peter
Monday, March 19, 2007
Organic Wine (More)
Gave a talk many months ago at the opening of Britain's first (and, for now, only) dedicated Organic wine shop, called Organico. It was a real honor for me and... Since then, the owner of the shop, and one of the hardest "working" men in the wine business, Peter, has been following the Interwined blogs.
Reading all this trash talking of organic wines, and now he's had enough. There is a point to clarify, best to let Peter do it in our email conversation.
From Peter to jacob.gaffney@yahoo.co.uk:
Hi Jacob,
Trust all well with you and yours.
I have been reading your recent blogs on organic wine. It comes over as if you are disillusioned somewhat. I thought you were a great champion of our cause. You never said when you were here with us that you thought organic red wines were 'thin' etc. - at least those at the lower end of the price range. You tasted several here in the £6/7.50 band and thought they were fine.
Are you happy for me to protract the debate by putting these comments on your blog or shall we talk about it?
I would be interested to hear what possible technical reason there can be for a naturally produced red wine to lack the taste descriptors you mention. Our experience is the opposite and we have gathered a lot of anecdotal evidence from our drinkers in the last 18 months which would bear this out. Also our wines certainly do come from vineyards where yield is lower.If you are trying to differentiate large scale Bonterra type producers from the majority of much smaller growers then maybe some of your comments might apply but your blog doesn't make this clear.Of course I'm not trying to say that because it's organic a wine must taste better - we reject more than we buy. But the latter is not always out of the Interwined 'value for money' range.
Best wishes,
Peter
The response, in uncharacteristic first person:
Peter, how's it going? Great to hear from you and I totally agree, my point is that the more mainstream organics, available to the greater public, are a bit thin... yours are great and I am totally with you... I would like to even put your comments on my blog, as you raise some thought-provoking points.
I can always use a good counterpoint to bring me back to earth when I shoot off my mouth too much. All of my problems would be solved if there was an Organico in my neighborhood. Although, this planet of the grapes shop is also getting there. I just love that you are reading my blog!
Reading all this trash talking of organic wines, and now he's had enough. There is a point to clarify, best to let Peter do it in our email conversation.
From Peter to jacob.gaffney@yahoo.co.uk:
Hi Jacob,
Trust all well with you and yours.
I have been reading your recent blogs on organic wine. It comes over as if you are disillusioned somewhat. I thought you were a great champion of our cause. You never said when you were here with us that you thought organic red wines were 'thin' etc. - at least those at the lower end of the price range. You tasted several here in the £6/7.50 band and thought they were fine.
Are you happy for me to protract the debate by putting these comments on your blog or shall we talk about it?
I would be interested to hear what possible technical reason there can be for a naturally produced red wine to lack the taste descriptors you mention. Our experience is the opposite and we have gathered a lot of anecdotal evidence from our drinkers in the last 18 months which would bear this out. Also our wines certainly do come from vineyards where yield is lower.If you are trying to differentiate large scale Bonterra type producers from the majority of much smaller growers then maybe some of your comments might apply but your blog doesn't make this clear.Of course I'm not trying to say that because it's organic a wine must taste better - we reject more than we buy. But the latter is not always out of the Interwined 'value for money' range.
Best wishes,
Peter
The response, in uncharacteristic first person:
Peter, how's it going? Great to hear from you and I totally agree, my point is that the more mainstream organics, available to the greater public, are a bit thin... yours are great and I am totally with you... I would like to even put your comments on my blog, as you raise some thought-provoking points.
I can always use a good counterpoint to bring me back to earth when I shoot off my mouth too much. All of my problems would be solved if there was an Organico in my neighborhood. Although, this planet of the grapes shop is also getting there. I just love that you are reading my blog!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Wonders Never Cease
Stepped into the Londis near my house. Normally avoid it since my wife hates the lady at the till. Cheap, decent wines! 2003 Babich Pinot Noir, £5.49. Decent cherry, almost crystal clear, so a very light body. Touch of pepper and a bit sour. Little finish, little tannin, little oak. Great price. 8.5 points.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Blown Away
Well, not exactly.
But, the organic issue won't seem to die down. Since last week, many people have come to the aid of organic wines. The problem is one of investment, according to this guy who used to work with drink giant Brown Foreman. Brown Foreman owns Bonterra, the organic wine producer in California. The guy talking was Trygve (pronouced Trig). He used to work with Robert Blue at Bonterra and described the amount of time, effort and MONEY it took to develop vineyards capable of producing vast amounts of organic grapes to produce full-bodied organic wines. So the problem is that many small growers switch to Organic practices, searching that 'autheti-seek' principle described on this blog by Matt Brown ages ago. In short, Organic wines are competing with Fair Trade, Biodynamic wines, etc.
So, we buy the wines, but they tend to be flabby, tepid, flacid, weak, well, you get the point.
Not Bonterra. Bonterra 2004 Merlot and Zinfandel, ruby and peppery, respectively. Both full-bodied, but somewhat sweet. Well-priced and easy to drink. The lower blend of Shiraz-Carignan, whatever, cost around 5GBP, and is about as tasty an Organic table can get. However, the wife won't touch the stuff. Says Bonterra is too predictable. Why drink the wine, when you already know how it is going to taste.
Do Organic wines, mass-produced, steal the spirit of adventure in wine tasting. Until we know, no points for Bonterra.
It doesn't for the Vida Organica 2005 Sangiovese Bonarda blend from ARGENTINA. This nice little wine sells for 6GBP at one of London's more impressive wine shops Planet of the Grapes It's peppery and smooth, very ripe with aromas of vine fruits. The label says red current, but Interwined tastes it as raspberry. Fun. 8.5 points.
So enough with Organic, at least for now, this post was supposed to cover Oregon Pinot Noir. So SEAN, if you are reading this, STOP NOW. Don't read the following tasting note. Instead, go to you kitchen RIGHT NOW. Don't care if you are at work. GO!
Try the Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Pommard and post you tasting note on this blog, without reading mine. Let's see if we get any comparable tastes.
2002 WVV Pommard. Aromas of blackberry with a hint of vanilla. Tastes of grape lollipop and smoky oak. There's something floral and vivacious, that is muted out by the folds of jasmine perfume that come and go. 9.1 points.
So, we buy the wines, but they tend to be flabby, tepid, flacid, weak, well, you get the point.
Not Bonterra. Bonterra 2004 Merlot and Zinfandel, ruby and peppery, respectively. Both full-bodied, but somewhat sweet. Well-priced and easy to drink. The lower blend of Shiraz-Carignan, whatever, cost around 5GBP, and is about as tasty an Organic table can get. However, the wife won't touch the stuff. Says Bonterra is too predictable. Why drink the wine, when you already know how it is going to taste.
Do Organic wines, mass-produced, steal the spirit of adventure in wine tasting. Until we know, no points for Bonterra.
It doesn't for the Vida Organica 2005 Sangiovese Bonarda blend from ARGENTINA. This nice little wine sells for 6GBP at one of London's more impressive wine shops Planet of the Grapes It's peppery and smooth, very ripe with aromas of vine fruits. The label says red current, but Interwined tastes it as raspberry. Fun. 8.5 points.
So enough with Organic, at least for now, this post was supposed to cover Oregon Pinot Noir. So SEAN, if you are reading this, STOP NOW. Don't read the following tasting note. Instead, go to you kitchen RIGHT NOW. Don't care if you are at work. GO!
Try the Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Pommard and post you tasting note on this blog, without reading mine. Let's see if we get any comparable tastes.
2002 WVV Pommard. Aromas of blackberry with a hint of vanilla. Tastes of grape lollipop and smoky oak. There's something floral and vivacious, that is muted out by the folds of jasmine perfume that come and go. 9.1 points.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Planet Organic
It seems that British Supermarket giant, TESCO, is set to open a chain of organic mini-supermarkets in the States next year. Oftentimes, the label 'Organic' is poorly regulated and means very little. Take the idea that something such as honey can be Organic and it all begins to sound a bit odd -- since all of the flowers visited by the bees would have to be free from pesticides and fertilizers.
In the European Union, many products need only be 80 percent organic to be labelled 'Organic.' And even this percentage is not highly regulated. There just aren't enough Green Cops on the beat.
Anyways, the health practitioner to my first child once proclaimed that Organic produce only benefits the finances of the grocer. But this is a step too far. True organic produce is readily distinguishable by its superior taste, owing to a higher nutritive value.
Take the simple apple as an example. An organic apple relies only on its own immune system to fend of bugs, fungus, etc. – use of pesticides would require the apple to produce less antioxidants to defend itself, as the threat of invasion is low -- in order to keep it alive longer, thus raising its potential for seed dispersal, and thereby ensuring a greater chance of maintaining the line of the tree which bore it. (Actually, this blog is getting a little boring, seeing as Interwined just won an award for world's longest sentence… so let's move on..)
TIP: If you find that the fruits in your fruit bowl tend to get bruised often, place a layer of peanuts, still in the shell at the bottom. This acts as an attractive cushion, and is another healthy snack.
Man, that is ONE lame tip…
Yeah, yeah, that above stuff doesn't really ring true with Organic wines, which tend to lack the structure and body in typical red wines. Organic reds are usually thinner, and can't pull its weight. A £6 bottle of Organic Rouge describes itself as 'supple, warming Mediterranean wine.' From Cotes de Thongue in the South of France, this non-vintage wine is full of red berry, but should have a more robust flavour profile. The wine was more stretched thin than supple, and more hot than warming. Not really the 'sun in the cup' the label made it seem.
The next day, it was oxidized, left with about four-fifths still in the bottle. Undrinkable. If a wine can't last longer than a day, then what is it worth? For my blog, always under 8 points. 7.7 points.
By contrast, the Fetzer Shiraz lasted four days (see earlier blog). One glass each evening for more than half a week. That's added value, but not organic.
Wine is rarely organic by its own right, rather made with organically grown grapes.
The Organic Rouge was a cheap one for being organic… but the Interwined budget was blown quickly this week. This is curious since grapes produced using Organic methods are of no smaller yield than commercial farming, as a rule. So, the label 'Organic' usually just means a few more pains in the pocket. Just go to that phoney Organic monolith, Whole Foods, and you get the meaning.
All food should be Organic, according to Burgundian Antonin Rodet, and we agree, but we shouldn't have to pay more for it just because…
Better was the 2004 Quinta do Coa, a Vinho Tinto from the Douro river valley in Portugal, known as Duero in Spain. Wines from the Duero are just sooo good. But this is the first Organic Douro to hit these lips. At £9.25, it's getting a bit pricey, and while the wine should pack more of a punch, the elegance of the blackberry and hints of bitter chocolate satisfy the mouth, if not the wallet. 8.4 points.
At nearly £12, the 2004 L'Orangerie de Haut-Nouchet from Pessac-Leognan is easily the best, but that's expected to go with the price tag. The terroir and elegance were there, but the most important aspect was the harmony. The wine is not too tannic, nor is it too thin. It's well-balanced and ready-to-drink… with almost anything. But it is 28% too expensive. 8.5 points.
More Organic later this week.
In the European Union, many products need only be 80 percent organic to be labelled 'Organic.' And even this percentage is not highly regulated. There just aren't enough Green Cops on the beat.
Anyways, the health practitioner to my first child once proclaimed that Organic produce only benefits the finances of the grocer. But this is a step too far. True organic produce is readily distinguishable by its superior taste, owing to a higher nutritive value.
Take the simple apple as an example. An organic apple relies only on its own immune system to fend of bugs, fungus, etc. – use of pesticides would require the apple to produce less antioxidants to defend itself, as the threat of invasion is low -- in order to keep it alive longer, thus raising its potential for seed dispersal, and thereby ensuring a greater chance of maintaining the line of the tree which bore it. (Actually, this blog is getting a little boring, seeing as Interwined just won an award for world's longest sentence… so let's move on..)
TIP: If you find that the fruits in your fruit bowl tend to get bruised often, place a layer of peanuts, still in the shell at the bottom. This acts as an attractive cushion, and is another healthy snack.
Man, that is ONE lame tip…
Yeah, yeah, that above stuff doesn't really ring true with Organic wines, which tend to lack the structure and body in typical red wines. Organic reds are usually thinner, and can't pull its weight. A £6 bottle of Organic Rouge describes itself as 'supple, warming Mediterranean wine.' From Cotes de Thongue in the South of France, this non-vintage wine is full of red berry, but should have a more robust flavour profile. The wine was more stretched thin than supple, and more hot than warming. Not really the 'sun in the cup' the label made it seem.
The next day, it was oxidized, left with about four-fifths still in the bottle. Undrinkable. If a wine can't last longer than a day, then what is it worth? For my blog, always under 8 points. 7.7 points.
By contrast, the Fetzer Shiraz lasted four days (see earlier blog). One glass each evening for more than half a week. That's added value, but not organic.
Wine is rarely organic by its own right, rather made with organically grown grapes.
The Organic Rouge was a cheap one for being organic… but the Interwined budget was blown quickly this week. This is curious since grapes produced using Organic methods are of no smaller yield than commercial farming, as a rule. So, the label 'Organic' usually just means a few more pains in the pocket. Just go to that phoney Organic monolith, Whole Foods, and you get the meaning.
All food should be Organic, according to Burgundian Antonin Rodet, and we agree, but we shouldn't have to pay more for it just because…
Better was the 2004 Quinta do Coa, a Vinho Tinto from the Douro river valley in Portugal, known as Duero in Spain. Wines from the Duero are just sooo good. But this is the first Organic Douro to hit these lips. At £9.25, it's getting a bit pricey, and while the wine should pack more of a punch, the elegance of the blackberry and hints of bitter chocolate satisfy the mouth, if not the wallet. 8.4 points.
At nearly £12, the 2004 L'Orangerie de Haut-Nouchet from Pessac-Leognan is easily the best, but that's expected to go with the price tag. The terroir and elegance were there, but the most important aspect was the harmony. The wine is not too tannic, nor is it too thin. It's well-balanced and ready-to-drink… with almost anything. But it is 28% too expensive. 8.5 points.
More Organic later this week.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Get Right to It
Last week was wine-filled, and so without further adieu…
The tasting for the Islington Conservative Party was meant to be the best ever, and it was. Sparkling wine tasting. What could go wrong? Well, having less than 20 people showing up… at any rate, it was a blast. Yours truly is working the speaking circuit like a Clinton. Large, in-charge and, usually, full of crap.
Just kidding. The night was tinged by politics of course, but what do we really care about? No, let's talk about something that benefits us. (May have just lost that contract.)
Santa Margarita Prosecco. Sparkling wines that are produced in the Veneto in Italy outside Venice. Brilliant, simple and crisp, a perfect start. Nice, easy bubbles, but a bit pricey, probably would retail for £10, a lot for Prosecco. 8.4
Margues de Monistrol 2004 Cava, sparking wine from Penedes, around Barcelona. Slightly lemony, with a hint of green olive, a bit acidic, but a bargain at £8 retail. 8.4
Most preferred: the supermarket Champagne. Tesco Premier Cru at about £15 a bottle. This is a sparkling wine engineered in a laboratory to best fit the British notion of what Champagne should taste like. Almonds and Italian-style biscuit. A smooth oakiness, with plenty of bubbles. Also, a little too sweet. This makes people, Brits in particular, think they are savouring something more then they really are… it works though, wining the 2005 Wine International award for Best non-vintage Champagne, beating out some French contenders that sell their wines for much, much more. Would score higher if not so predictable. 8.5
During a 'meeting' last night, enjoyed the 2004 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River Australia. My esteemed colleague called it 'spicy.' But spicy is really only an OK descriptor, for this wine is better than that. It's not aromatic spices, cardamom, fenugreek, etc. More like very slight cinnamon, clove. Perfect balance, mouth-feel, earthly expression. Almost took the ouch out of the four-time mark-up at the wine bar. 9.0 points. £24.
La Baume 2005 Merlot South of France, has a tasting note on the front label. Dark Cherry and Spicy (!), Fruit Characters, soft and round. A wonderful idea, if completely untrue. Actually it is vile, tense and terse. No balance and burns the throat. Smells like Teen Spirit. 7.6 points. £5.5
Now the 2004 Palandri Estate Cabernet Merlot West Australia Reserve, £8… now that's much better. Black olive, blackberry, oak and dill. Smooth in alcohol but bright in feeling. Dark color. Inky texture. Great for the price, and you know, for having one glass to many as its hangover after-burps will go well with your morning coffee. 8.7 points.
Also there was this one wine that tasted entirely of cloves. Can't remember which one. A Conservative at the tasting asked why winemakers put banana, apricot, etc. in wines for flavour. It's a good question. See, wine is complex, but, alas, made of 100 percent grapes. The "other" tastes come from its complex chemical structure. The molecules that are released in the 'nose' of the wine match the chemical structure of the molecules that exist in the similarly tasting fruits.
The nose-mouth association happens because of a genetic survival-type response, as one argument goes, since things that smell good are attractive to people and also tend to be high in nutrition. Smell prevents us from eating something that's off, by alerting us before in hits the mouth, where digestion begins. Wine also lets people live longer, when consumed responsibly. Not saying the theory is airtight. At least not for someone like me, who sees wonderful wines, and the people who make them, as rock-hard proof of Intelligent Design.
The tasting for the Islington Conservative Party was meant to be the best ever, and it was. Sparkling wine tasting. What could go wrong? Well, having less than 20 people showing up… at any rate, it was a blast. Yours truly is working the speaking circuit like a Clinton. Large, in-charge and, usually, full of crap.
Just kidding. The night was tinged by politics of course, but what do we really care about? No, let's talk about something that benefits us. (May have just lost that contract.)
Santa Margarita Prosecco. Sparkling wines that are produced in the Veneto in Italy outside Venice. Brilliant, simple and crisp, a perfect start. Nice, easy bubbles, but a bit pricey, probably would retail for £10, a lot for Prosecco. 8.4
Margues de Monistrol 2004 Cava, sparking wine from Penedes, around Barcelona. Slightly lemony, with a hint of green olive, a bit acidic, but a bargain at £8 retail. 8.4
Most preferred: the supermarket Champagne. Tesco Premier Cru at about £15 a bottle. This is a sparkling wine engineered in a laboratory to best fit the British notion of what Champagne should taste like. Almonds and Italian-style biscuit. A smooth oakiness, with plenty of bubbles. Also, a little too sweet. This makes people, Brits in particular, think they are savouring something more then they really are… it works though, wining the 2005 Wine International award for Best non-vintage Champagne, beating out some French contenders that sell their wines for much, much more. Would score higher if not so predictable. 8.5
During a 'meeting' last night, enjoyed the 2004 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River Australia. My esteemed colleague called it 'spicy.' But spicy is really only an OK descriptor, for this wine is better than that. It's not aromatic spices, cardamom, fenugreek, etc. More like very slight cinnamon, clove. Perfect balance, mouth-feel, earthly expression. Almost took the ouch out of the four-time mark-up at the wine bar. 9.0 points. £24.
La Baume 2005 Merlot South of France, has a tasting note on the front label. Dark Cherry and Spicy (!), Fruit Characters, soft and round. A wonderful idea, if completely untrue. Actually it is vile, tense and terse. No balance and burns the throat. Smells like Teen Spirit. 7.6 points. £5.5
Now the 2004 Palandri Estate Cabernet Merlot West Australia Reserve, £8… now that's much better. Black olive, blackberry, oak and dill. Smooth in alcohol but bright in feeling. Dark color. Inky texture. Great for the price, and you know, for having one glass to many as its hangover after-burps will go well with your morning coffee. 8.7 points.
Also there was this one wine that tasted entirely of cloves. Can't remember which one. A Conservative at the tasting asked why winemakers put banana, apricot, etc. in wines for flavour. It's a good question. See, wine is complex, but, alas, made of 100 percent grapes. The "other" tastes come from its complex chemical structure. The molecules that are released in the 'nose' of the wine match the chemical structure of the molecules that exist in the similarly tasting fruits.
The nose-mouth association happens because of a genetic survival-type response, as one argument goes, since things that smell good are attractive to people and also tend to be high in nutrition. Smell prevents us from eating something that's off, by alerting us before in hits the mouth, where digestion begins. Wine also lets people live longer, when consumed responsibly. Not saying the theory is airtight. At least not for someone like me, who sees wonderful wines, and the people who make them, as rock-hard proof of Intelligent Design.
Monday, February 19, 2007
The Grandest Cru
Bordeaux is stuck in its own cycle of status. The methods of matching wine to quality were first developed in 1855 and, sadly, had as little merit then, as now. See, it was never intended to be an officially indicator of quality. But that is sure what it is now.
My friend, the late Rene Renou, wanted to change all this. He was president of the classification body. He wanted a new form of classification and he wanted to see varietals listed on the labels, new world style. Would one pay so much for Chateau Petrus, one of only five 'first growths,' if they knew it was 100 percent Merlot? Renou thoughts so, and many people believed him.
Well, he died before he even came close to fulfilling that dream, and after this week's tastings of Saint Emilion Grand Crus, it is apparent that it will take 1,000 Renous to change Bordeaux. Just wish there was a way people could see how great these wines can be, without all the fancy labels of pretty houses.
It's just happy grape juice, people!
For instance, trying the 2004 Chateau Balestard La Tonnelle, 70 percent Merlot, 25 Cabernet Franc, 25 Cabernet Sauvignon: rich and full, still tight with tannin as it's so young, but with power and a touch of dill, but mainly, and here is the sticking point, strong hints of limestone. "Well, it is on a limestone-clay plateau," explained the pourer, also the owner.
BTW, why do all pourers seem to have bad breath? Makes you think, makes you think…
"So that's why it tastes similar to the Ribera del Duero in Spain," was my reply, "Of course, there isn't the massive fruit expression (of course!) and over-ripeness, but the minerality is there and just as strong."
And the response, well, let's just say this St. Emilion Grand Cru pourer was less than convinced. But that didn't stop me from demanding to try the 1996 he had hidden behind his table.
Phht! 'Grand Cru…' it's a fancy term sure, but there are more than 600 Grand Cru Chateaus in Saint Emilion alone. Think about that, Frenchy.
Sweet guy though.
Vintage rating:
Saint Emilion 2005, strong blackberry from the year's heat. Blockbuster vintage, better aging. 8.8 points
Saint Emilion 2004, expect more floral-type flavors with weaker strengths more wines with cocoa in this year, but less potential for aging. 8.5 points.
A few other standouts were:
Chateau Lamande 2005. A wow wine, will be a blockbuster with flaky sand tastes and a strong expression f truffle and chocolate. 9.0 points, easy.
Chateau La Tour Figeac 1998, a slight essence of sweaty socks, with sandalwood and toasty grains, the finish is a bit rotten but the wine is enjoyable, even with the bizarre tasting note this is… 9.0 points.
Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2005, still a barrel sample, but on the light side for the vintage. It should be more tannic. Slight hint of raisin, with light oak, which will increase as barrel aging further softens the tannin. A strong, full body otherwise, with meaty mushroom. Good potential for 10+ aging. 8.8 points, for now.
But the real winner was Chateau Laniote. Always a good wine. The 1998 was a lovely, classy affair, with ripe cheese, Camembert to be more specific. The 2004 was very strong, but with a lightness on the palate, with pine nuts laced throughout. The 2005 was very high in alcohol, but could still show its lovely ripples of violets and roses… when it relaxes, expect some decent, toasty oak structure. I give the Chateau a 9.1 rating overall, the highest to date, for producing a product as different as it is delicious, year after year.
Can't really explain why this is, but maybe the information on the Chateau, provided at the tasting, will give the answer. Situated on 12 acres of clay and limestone, Chateau Laniote produces 20,000 bottles per year. The blend is 85 percent Merlot, 15 percent Cabernet Franc and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
That explains it! Each bottle of wine is 105 percent grapes!
It's that extra five percent that gives it the edge.
My friend, the late Rene Renou, wanted to change all this. He was president of the classification body. He wanted a new form of classification and he wanted to see varietals listed on the labels, new world style. Would one pay so much for Chateau Petrus, one of only five 'first growths,' if they knew it was 100 percent Merlot? Renou thoughts so, and many people believed him.
Well, he died before he even came close to fulfilling that dream, and after this week's tastings of Saint Emilion Grand Crus, it is apparent that it will take 1,000 Renous to change Bordeaux. Just wish there was a way people could see how great these wines can be, without all the fancy labels of pretty houses.
It's just happy grape juice, people!
For instance, trying the 2004 Chateau Balestard La Tonnelle, 70 percent Merlot, 25 Cabernet Franc, 25 Cabernet Sauvignon: rich and full, still tight with tannin as it's so young, but with power and a touch of dill, but mainly, and here is the sticking point, strong hints of limestone. "Well, it is on a limestone-clay plateau," explained the pourer, also the owner.
BTW, why do all pourers seem to have bad breath? Makes you think, makes you think…
"So that's why it tastes similar to the Ribera del Duero in Spain," was my reply, "Of course, there isn't the massive fruit expression (of course!) and over-ripeness, but the minerality is there and just as strong."
And the response, well, let's just say this St. Emilion Grand Cru pourer was less than convinced. But that didn't stop me from demanding to try the 1996 he had hidden behind his table.
Phht! 'Grand Cru…' it's a fancy term sure, but there are more than 600 Grand Cru Chateaus in Saint Emilion alone. Think about that, Frenchy.
Sweet guy though.
Vintage rating:
Saint Emilion 2005, strong blackberry from the year's heat. Blockbuster vintage, better aging. 8.8 points
Saint Emilion 2004, expect more floral-type flavors with weaker strengths more wines with cocoa in this year, but less potential for aging. 8.5 points.
A few other standouts were:
Chateau Lamande 2005. A wow wine, will be a blockbuster with flaky sand tastes and a strong expression f truffle and chocolate. 9.0 points, easy.
Chateau La Tour Figeac 1998, a slight essence of sweaty socks, with sandalwood and toasty grains, the finish is a bit rotten but the wine is enjoyable, even with the bizarre tasting note this is… 9.0 points.
Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2005, still a barrel sample, but on the light side for the vintage. It should be more tannic. Slight hint of raisin, with light oak, which will increase as barrel aging further softens the tannin. A strong, full body otherwise, with meaty mushroom. Good potential for 10+ aging. 8.8 points, for now.
But the real winner was Chateau Laniote. Always a good wine. The 1998 was a lovely, classy affair, with ripe cheese, Camembert to be more specific. The 2004 was very strong, but with a lightness on the palate, with pine nuts laced throughout. The 2005 was very high in alcohol, but could still show its lovely ripples of violets and roses… when it relaxes, expect some decent, toasty oak structure. I give the Chateau a 9.1 rating overall, the highest to date, for producing a product as different as it is delicious, year after year.
Can't really explain why this is, but maybe the information on the Chateau, provided at the tasting, will give the answer. Situated on 12 acres of clay and limestone, Chateau Laniote produces 20,000 bottles per year. The blend is 85 percent Merlot, 15 percent Cabernet Franc and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
That explains it! Each bottle of wine is 105 percent grapes!
It's that extra five percent that gives it the edge.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Laissez les BonTemps…
Threw a Mardi Gras party for the kids this weekend. This could possible be the only Mardi Gras party where nudity was banned for over-10s. Nonetheless, the spread was golden: red beans and rice, chicken taquitos, homemade Rice Krispie treats, and, of course, King Cake. And my own contribution, a muffuletta (even prepared the foccacia bread myself).
It was decent. As decent as the Brit ingredients would allow, couldn't find provolone. Aww, who are we kidding? It was great, especially the red beans and rice, sooo authentic… made me miss the New Orleans that was destroyed long before Katrina.
The New Orleans of the 'pre-Starbucks' era.
Anyway, like any decent party for Mardi Gras, chaos reigned supreme after only about ten minutes. There was some pushing around the punch bowl, some shoving while waiting in line to use the bathroom, some cutting in line for red beans and rice.
The kids were perfectly behaved, though, and seemed to love the mask and flag-making table the most.
By the end of the do, felt a decent bottle of wine was in order, especially when capped with the following:
Ask the neighbour, a Dane, to come over for some food and refreshment. Morten is a nice enough guy, but he has big shoes to fill, as the only other Morten from Denmark yours truly knows happens to be the highest scoring athlete in the National Football League.
He had a good time, last to leave. Said 'thank you' to the wife and headed out. Our conversation went something like this:
"How was everything?"
Morten: "Umm, it was OK…"
"What was wrong?"
Morten: "Well, it's not really my type of food."
This is true, Morten once described the national dish of Denmark to me in one word: "Pizza."
Mentioned that another country may already have pizza as a national dish.
At any rate, the conversation turned my thoughts to the great Montepulciano d'Abruzzos going down the hatch round here. Should have plenty of time to think until police find the body.
Such impressive wines, especially, the 2004 Incanto. Montepulciano is an area in Tuscany that makes Sangiovese-based wines. Montepulciano is also the name of a grape grown in Abruzzo, a region in East-central Italy.
The Incanto, somewhat pricey at £10 is beautiful, with folds of chocolate and wild berries. Nice dry, old oak flavour with hints of vanilla and smoke. Really classic. 8.8 points.
After the Mardi Gras party, however, in the mood for something daring. Found a bottle of Santa Costanza (like the character in Seinfeld) Novello from Banfi. From Tuscany. 1999. The thing that worried me most was not the label (Italian wines had extremely poor marketing techniques before 2000 and some wines still come in those crazy basket-bottles), which looked like some kind of mosaic commissioned for the bathroom of the Medici family.
No, what worried me was the year, 1999, and the word 'Novello,' which sounds like it may mean 'new' in Italian. Figured the wine was probably way too old, but bought it anyway. Turns out it is a blend of Sangiovese and Gamay, the same grape used in Beaujolais Nouveau, that least ageable of wines. The Novello also used Carbonic Maceration, a technique used to speed fermentation and get the wine ready ASAP. This tends to lend a slight effervescence and a heavy grape outlook to the wine.
EUREKA! The Sangiovese saved the wine. Still good. WHEW! Almost lost out on, like, ten bucks there. It still tasted fresh and new, even though it was on the heavier side of almost a decade. Freaky. Aroma was grapey, the wine was grapey. But mineral notes helped make the wine unique. Great when shared with my imaginary wine friends. (Martin was the biggest fan, but what could he know? He doesn’t exist! J )
Really fun, the Novello. And a big surprise. 8.4 points.
One of my neighbours, Camilla, from the old hood came over for the Mardi Gras party. She told me that the wine she received as a Christmas gift from the Gaffney household was served at a dinner party. She brought it over and served it to her friends. She thought it was 'O.K.' But… the dinner party LOVED it… they raved and raved. She couldn't remember what wine it was, think it may have been a Ribera del Duero, but can't be sure.
The kicker here is that no one knew the wine was a gift from a wine writer. When pressed by the guests on who picked out the wine, my neighbour took the credit for herself.
Gotta love that spunk. Camilla, 8.9 points.
It was decent. As decent as the Brit ingredients would allow, couldn't find provolone. Aww, who are we kidding? It was great, especially the red beans and rice, sooo authentic… made me miss the New Orleans that was destroyed long before Katrina.
The New Orleans of the 'pre-Starbucks' era.
Anyway, like any decent party for Mardi Gras, chaos reigned supreme after only about ten minutes. There was some pushing around the punch bowl, some shoving while waiting in line to use the bathroom, some cutting in line for red beans and rice.
The kids were perfectly behaved, though, and seemed to love the mask and flag-making table the most.
By the end of the do, felt a decent bottle of wine was in order, especially when capped with the following:
Ask the neighbour, a Dane, to come over for some food and refreshment. Morten is a nice enough guy, but he has big shoes to fill, as the only other Morten from Denmark yours truly knows happens to be the highest scoring athlete in the National Football League.
He had a good time, last to leave. Said 'thank you' to the wife and headed out. Our conversation went something like this:
"How was everything?"
Morten: "Umm, it was OK…"
"What was wrong?"
Morten: "Well, it's not really my type of food."
This is true, Morten once described the national dish of Denmark to me in one word: "Pizza."
Mentioned that another country may already have pizza as a national dish.
At any rate, the conversation turned my thoughts to the great Montepulciano d'Abruzzos going down the hatch round here. Should have plenty of time to think until police find the body.
Such impressive wines, especially, the 2004 Incanto. Montepulciano is an area in Tuscany that makes Sangiovese-based wines. Montepulciano is also the name of a grape grown in Abruzzo, a region in East-central Italy.
The Incanto, somewhat pricey at £10 is beautiful, with folds of chocolate and wild berries. Nice dry, old oak flavour with hints of vanilla and smoke. Really classic. 8.8 points.
After the Mardi Gras party, however, in the mood for something daring. Found a bottle of Santa Costanza (like the character in Seinfeld) Novello from Banfi. From Tuscany. 1999. The thing that worried me most was not the label (Italian wines had extremely poor marketing techniques before 2000 and some wines still come in those crazy basket-bottles), which looked like some kind of mosaic commissioned for the bathroom of the Medici family.
No, what worried me was the year, 1999, and the word 'Novello,' which sounds like it may mean 'new' in Italian. Figured the wine was probably way too old, but bought it anyway. Turns out it is a blend of Sangiovese and Gamay, the same grape used in Beaujolais Nouveau, that least ageable of wines. The Novello also used Carbonic Maceration, a technique used to speed fermentation and get the wine ready ASAP. This tends to lend a slight effervescence and a heavy grape outlook to the wine.
EUREKA! The Sangiovese saved the wine. Still good. WHEW! Almost lost out on, like, ten bucks there. It still tasted fresh and new, even though it was on the heavier side of almost a decade. Freaky. Aroma was grapey, the wine was grapey. But mineral notes helped make the wine unique. Great when shared with my imaginary wine friends. (Martin was the biggest fan, but what could he know? He doesn’t exist! J )
Really fun, the Novello. And a big surprise. 8.4 points.
One of my neighbours, Camilla, from the old hood came over for the Mardi Gras party. She told me that the wine she received as a Christmas gift from the Gaffney household was served at a dinner party. She brought it over and served it to her friends. She thought it was 'O.K.' But… the dinner party LOVED it… they raved and raved. She couldn't remember what wine it was, think it may have been a Ribera del Duero, but can't be sure.
The kicker here is that no one knew the wine was a gift from a wine writer. When pressed by the guests on who picked out the wine, my neighbour took the credit for herself.
Gotta love that spunk. Camilla, 8.9 points.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
A New Low
Came across an interesting one. Called Monastrell IX. No brand. Just a Spanish grape, Monastrell (Mourvèdre in France, Mataro in New World) with one selling point: it's 15 percent alcohol by volume. What tragedy is this?
Wine is a socio-economic beverage. The one alcoholic drink linked to the most miracles, thank you very much. To sell based solely on the fuzzy factor, seems just plain wrong. And it's not cheap, 5 pounds at the Co-Op. Certainly it would be awful, but some fool has to blog it, doesn't he?
Monastrell is a popular grape in Spain, with limited success in the rest of the world, outside of France. The thick skin and sludgy juice make it too grapey for most winemakers. And too provincial and tannic. The IX had this, plus a heavy helping of dark, dank, thick dirt. Half of Spain seemed to gloop out that bottle.
Telling you, that wine was so bad, and it took forever to finish. Every last drop.
Also had two great Montepulciano d'Abruzzos. Thinking about doing a few reviews on these wines. Who likes Italian?
Wine is a socio-economic beverage. The one alcoholic drink linked to the most miracles, thank you very much. To sell based solely on the fuzzy factor, seems just plain wrong. And it's not cheap, 5 pounds at the Co-Op. Certainly it would be awful, but some fool has to blog it, doesn't he?
Monastrell is a popular grape in Spain, with limited success in the rest of the world, outside of France. The thick skin and sludgy juice make it too grapey for most winemakers. And too provincial and tannic. The IX had this, plus a heavy helping of dark, dank, thick dirt. Half of Spain seemed to gloop out that bottle.
Telling you, that wine was so bad, and it took forever to finish. Every last drop.
Also had two great Montepulciano d'Abruzzos. Thinking about doing a few reviews on these wines. Who likes Italian?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Yeah, yeah, a day late
Look, very busy time now. Still no excuse for late bloggin'… Doing my best and hope to get back on track next week.
Said sorry, now get off my back. You're not the boss of me.
Remember, you're getting this info for free, and as I tell my wife ALL the time, you're not being appreciative enough.
Went to meet a friend at a Wine Bar in Covent Garden, Central London to pick up some Bonny Doon wine, rare in these parts. Stopped at a Portuguese wine bar, after he gave me the bottles, maybe one of the few true wine bars in, well, the UNITED KINGDOM. It's that bad here.
A few tables upstairs, a few downstairs, about five reds by the glass, about five whites. All Portuguese wines and a few snack foods. The way a wine bar should be: simple, but with a distinctive identity.
Would've remembered the name if I knew it was so good.
My last tasting of Portuguese wines came at a wine fair a few months ago. Tried 12, that's right, 12 different wines from one producer in the Douro.
And they were all bad. Real bad. Skinny and tart. Rusty and way-too-rugged. Hey who wants a big bottle of muddy water? Gimme that corkscrew cause here's some Portuguese wine! Ok, so that is way overboard.
But seriously, this guy's wine stank.
The wine bar, however, was right on the mark. We had two glasses, but didn't intend to blog them.
As remembered:
2003 Sanguinhal Estremadura. Ripe and bold. With black fruit and moist tobacco. Smooth tannin and a solid structure. Finish non-existent, giving the wine one, big great flaw. Other than that, feeling turned around on Portugal. 8.7 points.
2004 Lusitano Alentejo. Plumy and bubble-gummy. Black cherry aroma, with a tad too much oak. Real old world style and surprisingly daring and rich. Also died in the aftertaste department. 8.8 points.
Dying to hear some comments on Portuguese wine from readers.
It was off to eat dim sum after that, accompanied by Sake. Drink it cold, people. Hot Sake is for suckers. Will explain in the future.
Later that night, got home and had some work to do. Decided to try the Bonny Doon, 'ancient vine,' Carignan, 2004. This wine brings with it a reputation larger than its label. Compared to the Portuguese wines, it was thin. Not unpleasant, but lacked the minerality and earth of the other two (just remembered the two Portuguese wines had that). That's what you get when you stick ancient vines in fertile earth, though. No true identity. Just another California wine.
Drank the rest of the bottle the next evening, with no apparent oxygen evolution. 8.5 points.
Some people out there, especially the guy who bought it for me, will probably be upset by this review. Probably have some sort of problem with that – and apologies for that.
Now, get off my back.
Said sorry, now get off my back. You're not the boss of me.
Remember, you're getting this info for free, and as I tell my wife ALL the time, you're not being appreciative enough.
Went to meet a friend at a Wine Bar in Covent Garden, Central London to pick up some Bonny Doon wine, rare in these parts. Stopped at a Portuguese wine bar, after he gave me the bottles, maybe one of the few true wine bars in, well, the UNITED KINGDOM. It's that bad here.
A few tables upstairs, a few downstairs, about five reds by the glass, about five whites. All Portuguese wines and a few snack foods. The way a wine bar should be: simple, but with a distinctive identity.
Would've remembered the name if I knew it was so good.
My last tasting of Portuguese wines came at a wine fair a few months ago. Tried 12, that's right, 12 different wines from one producer in the Douro.
And they were all bad. Real bad. Skinny and tart. Rusty and way-too-rugged. Hey who wants a big bottle of muddy water? Gimme that corkscrew cause here's some Portuguese wine! Ok, so that is way overboard.
But seriously, this guy's wine stank.
The wine bar, however, was right on the mark. We had two glasses, but didn't intend to blog them.
As remembered:
2003 Sanguinhal Estremadura. Ripe and bold. With black fruit and moist tobacco. Smooth tannin and a solid structure. Finish non-existent, giving the wine one, big great flaw. Other than that, feeling turned around on Portugal. 8.7 points.
2004 Lusitano Alentejo. Plumy and bubble-gummy. Black cherry aroma, with a tad too much oak. Real old world style and surprisingly daring and rich. Also died in the aftertaste department. 8.8 points.
Dying to hear some comments on Portuguese wine from readers.
It was off to eat dim sum after that, accompanied by Sake. Drink it cold, people. Hot Sake is for suckers. Will explain in the future.
Later that night, got home and had some work to do. Decided to try the Bonny Doon, 'ancient vine,' Carignan, 2004. This wine brings with it a reputation larger than its label. Compared to the Portuguese wines, it was thin. Not unpleasant, but lacked the minerality and earth of the other two (just remembered the two Portuguese wines had that). That's what you get when you stick ancient vines in fertile earth, though. No true identity. Just another California wine.
Drank the rest of the bottle the next evening, with no apparent oxygen evolution. 8.5 points.
Some people out there, especially the guy who bought it for me, will probably be upset by this review. Probably have some sort of problem with that – and apologies for that.
Now, get off my back.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Serenity Calling
Ended up on the set of a new movie Monday night, so a new post was delayed again. The movie is called "A Mighty Heart" and stars Angelina Jolie, as the wife of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. The film is being produced by Brad Pitt's production house and is being directed by Michael Winterbottom, the same man who put together The Road to Guantanamo.
Once filming was wrapped I asked Michael about the wines they had in India, while on set. He refused to elaborate, saying Paramount is iffy about any info coming off their sets. Got to respect that. The cool thing is there was no casting involved. The studio just called my agent and said "Agent, is Jacob free Monday night?"
But, to be sure, Winterbottom loved the wines in India. Oops, shouldn't have said that.
Will say that the new episode is encountering problems, delays, etc. Hopefully we will have some footage online soon. Pray for calm.
Wine reviews next time.
Once filming was wrapped I asked Michael about the wines they had in India, while on set. He refused to elaborate, saying Paramount is iffy about any info coming off their sets. Got to respect that. The cool thing is there was no casting involved. The studio just called my agent and said "Agent, is Jacob free Monday night?"
But, to be sure, Winterbottom loved the wines in India. Oops, shouldn't have said that.
Will say that the new episode is encountering problems, delays, etc. Hopefully we will have some footage online soon. Pray for calm.
Wine reviews next time.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Late Update
Sorry, went to a German wine tasting Monday night and was nursing a banged-up elbow injury last night. Truth be told, both were kinda bad. The elbow, well, that's needed for the physical act of drinking, as for the German wine tasting, well that was just physical. The tasting, which in itself was comprised of fabulous wines, was held at the home of the German Ambassador in London, who thanked the press for promoting German wines. The wineries were provided by Iris Ellmann of the Wine Barn, who was quick to correct me on the correct pronunciation of her name.
As you know, I'm a big fan of German wines, but tastings open to the public are always going to get physical. Lots of pushing, lots of shoving, winemakers getting irritable as people grab at bottles and pour themselves whatever and how much. Women coated in perfume, men puffing on cigars. Some of the worst places to taste wines are at public tastings, where no one is really serious and no one takes you seriously.
The worst part for me came when the financial director of my company hit me over the head with his tasting notebook in front of Friedrich Becker, of Winery Friedrich Becker, arguably one of the more exciting producers from Germany.
Public humiliation 8.0.
Several tasting notes from many producers, but what's the point? Germany is filled with independent-house producers who make fine, elegant wines with low yield harvests and small batches. Everything in that formula works until you see the price. Some you could say, are well worth it, others you can't be so sure. The nature of German wines are arguable by nature and no matter how fine a setting, things will always get physical when push comes to shove.
More tasting notes next time.
As you know, I'm a big fan of German wines, but tastings open to the public are always going to get physical. Lots of pushing, lots of shoving, winemakers getting irritable as people grab at bottles and pour themselves whatever and how much. Women coated in perfume, men puffing on cigars. Some of the worst places to taste wines are at public tastings, where no one is really serious and no one takes you seriously.
The worst part for me came when the financial director of my company hit me over the head with his tasting notebook in front of Friedrich Becker, of Winery Friedrich Becker, arguably one of the more exciting producers from Germany.
Public humiliation 8.0.
Several tasting notes from many producers, but what's the point? Germany is filled with independent-house producers who make fine, elegant wines with low yield harvests and small batches. Everything in that formula works until you see the price. Some you could say, are well worth it, others you can't be so sure. The nature of German wines are arguable by nature and no matter how fine a setting, things will always get physical when push comes to shove.
More tasting notes next time.
Monday, January 08, 2007
A New Year
The Holidays have come and gone, during a period better referred to as, "The Widening." Over the course of the last two weeks, many wines have also come and gone. These are the most memorable.
IDEA: Next year try to keep in mind the multi-cultural nature of Christmas. Hell, who would have thought that everyone LOVES Jesus around here?
It started with a Christmas greeting from the Hindu family that owns the local curry house. That part of the story ends there, cause they don't have a liquor license. However, a few nights ago, a meeting with an old friend from college brings us back to India. We tried a bottle of 2005 Grover Estates from Bangalore, India. Perhaps a Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Once opened, the aroma of wine had to immediately compete with the stink of the charming basement bar we we're drinking in. So my guess is that the opulent bouquet of (second hand) smoke probably did not come from the Grover.
The wine was nominally forgettable except for one thing. Now my friend, let's call him Sean… probably best cause it's actually his name… Sean is what can-be-called a wine critic tester. See wine critics, like yours truly, are wine testers. But others, who try the wines of wine critics and look for inaccuracies, are wine critic testers. Sean has continued to remind me that there was no mention of "vanilla" in the review of Heartland Petite Verdot in this column ages ago. Either it was missed, or Sean's just being a jerk. Chances are, both are true to an extent.
At any rate, we both agreed that the wine had one odour in common: it smells kinda like elephants. No, not those two bit, performing elephants at the Zoo. But proper, 'free range' elephants. For real. Could write about what the rest of the wine was like… bulky and juicy, full-bodied and such. But why? The friggin' vino smells of pachyderm.
And it's not from Tuskany.
IDEA: Begin the New Year by laying off the awful wine word play.
Went to a Muslim household for a Christmas tea. No tree, of course, but we exchanged gifts. My gift from them was a bottle of wine. The 2005 Four Crossing Australian Chardonnay is zippy and full of bursting citrus. The throat burn suggests a price tag around the £5 mark but still very versatile with food. Half a bottle used for a superior turkey stock on the BIG day. Gets extra points for coming from a family that never touches the stuff. 8.5 points.
Finally went to the flat of the director who works on Interwined projects. We had to cut a 26 minute piece with new footage. Came in a put a bottle of wine on the counter. It was for the owner of the flat, whom I wish to keep happy for logistical reasons. The director came in and said, "Hey, who's the gift for?"
"Mel." (His name isn't Mel) "Do Jews give gifts for Christmas, because I didn't get you anything." (He is Jewish)
Exit DIRECTOR. Re-enter DIRECTOR with carefully wrapped GIFT bearing the tag: To: Jacob, From: Father Christmas.
Send GIFT flying across room, smacking into chest of TALENT.
TALENT opens GIFT, finds two extra large wine glasses, each capable of holding the contents of one BOTTLE of wine.
Open CARD.
Read CARD: 'Merry Christmas Gaffney family, to our future. Salud.'
Exit DIRECTOR with the line:
DIRECTOR: Merry Christmas, Jerk.
Indeed. And Merry Christmas to all of you, you thoughtful Jews, Muslims and Hindus.
Now for you cheap Christians who didn't get me anything… Merry Christmas, Jerks.
* New Year's Eve. 2000 Heidsick Monopole Silver Label Champagne. Nutty, biscotti trim. Fresh orange scent. Small, lovely bubbles. A real value at £20 per bottle at Oddbins. 8.8 points.
IDEA: Next year try to keep in mind the multi-cultural nature of Christmas. Hell, who would have thought that everyone LOVES Jesus around here?
It started with a Christmas greeting from the Hindu family that owns the local curry house. That part of the story ends there, cause they don't have a liquor license. However, a few nights ago, a meeting with an old friend from college brings us back to India. We tried a bottle of 2005 Grover Estates from Bangalore, India. Perhaps a Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Once opened, the aroma of wine had to immediately compete with the stink of the charming basement bar we we're drinking in. So my guess is that the opulent bouquet of (second hand) smoke probably did not come from the Grover.
The wine was nominally forgettable except for one thing. Now my friend, let's call him Sean… probably best cause it's actually his name… Sean is what can-be-called a wine critic tester. See wine critics, like yours truly, are wine testers. But others, who try the wines of wine critics and look for inaccuracies, are wine critic testers. Sean has continued to remind me that there was no mention of "vanilla" in the review of Heartland Petite Verdot in this column ages ago. Either it was missed, or Sean's just being a jerk. Chances are, both are true to an extent.
At any rate, we both agreed that the wine had one odour in common: it smells kinda like elephants. No, not those two bit, performing elephants at the Zoo. But proper, 'free range' elephants. For real. Could write about what the rest of the wine was like… bulky and juicy, full-bodied and such. But why? The friggin' vino smells of pachyderm.
And it's not from Tuskany.
IDEA: Begin the New Year by laying off the awful wine word play.
Went to a Muslim household for a Christmas tea. No tree, of course, but we exchanged gifts. My gift from them was a bottle of wine. The 2005 Four Crossing Australian Chardonnay is zippy and full of bursting citrus. The throat burn suggests a price tag around the £5 mark but still very versatile with food. Half a bottle used for a superior turkey stock on the BIG day. Gets extra points for coming from a family that never touches the stuff. 8.5 points.
Finally went to the flat of the director who works on Interwined projects. We had to cut a 26 minute piece with new footage. Came in a put a bottle of wine on the counter. It was for the owner of the flat, whom I wish to keep happy for logistical reasons. The director came in and said, "Hey, who's the gift for?"
"Mel." (His name isn't Mel) "Do Jews give gifts for Christmas, because I didn't get you anything." (He is Jewish)
Exit DIRECTOR. Re-enter DIRECTOR with carefully wrapped GIFT bearing the tag: To: Jacob, From: Father Christmas.
Send GIFT flying across room, smacking into chest of TALENT.
TALENT opens GIFT, finds two extra large wine glasses, each capable of holding the contents of one BOTTLE of wine.
Open CARD.
Read CARD: 'Merry Christmas Gaffney family, to our future. Salud.'
Exit DIRECTOR with the line:
DIRECTOR: Merry Christmas, Jerk.
Indeed. And Merry Christmas to all of you, you thoughtful Jews, Muslims and Hindus.
Now for you cheap Christians who didn't get me anything… Merry Christmas, Jerks.
* New Year's Eve. 2000 Heidsick Monopole Silver Label Champagne. Nutty, biscotti trim. Fresh orange scent. Small, lovely bubbles. A real value at £20 per bottle at Oddbins. 8.8 points.
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