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.
3 comments:
Love the challenge, jefe.
So, stay tuned, all you InterWinos, because tonight, Michael, I shall be tasting the Oregon Pinot Noir and blogging my tasting notes. Expect a cavalcade of amateurish comments ranging from words like big to spicy, and affirmations like nice and very nice and "Oh my gawd, wine from Oregon, what are trying to do to me? We all know that the only thing that grows in Oregon is pot!" (True story: look it up.)
FYI: For those of you that aren't addicted to television like me, the whole 'tonight Michael' thing's an overt reference to the terrible variety, musical impersonation show that ran on British television for about 2000 years -- OK, so more like 14 or so -- and was, if not the ugly sister, then certainly the incredibly homely-looking half-cousin twice removed of the now earth-conquering Belle of the Ball that is American Idol. When Simon describes performances as being a bit Karaoke, it is surely Michael Kelly's Stars in Their Eyes that he must have in mind.
Oh man, what did I just do?
Keep the review under 500 words Sean.
In response to my reproach, I shall try and keep this brief and refrain from writing all the Pro-Boxing “in this corner…” rhetoric that I had planned. As such, dear InterWinos, please quietly hum the Rocky theme song to yourself, before reading any further.
I’ll start you off: ‘Ba papa ba, papa ba pa pa…’
Late last night, I sampled a bottle of the 2002 Williamette Pommard Pinot Noir, graciously donated to me by your host Jacob Gaffney. At first sniff, it smelled of black pepper and, oddly, really nice goat’s cheese. Not sure what the goat’s cheese scent means, but such is life. As far as taste, after a few amateurish swishing in the mouth, I got a kind tannic, red currant kind of flavour from it. Certainly, the colour reminded me of those nice little bunches of red currants you sometimes find at the more pricey supermarkets. I’m sure someone will tell me that it was really supposed to be cherries that I tasted. Tasting notes…always with the cherries. My score: free wine, memorable aroma, 10/10.
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