tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57274102011-04-21T18:54:25.211-04:00Thoughts about wines I've tasted.Johnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1137892331069575782006-01-21T20:11:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:32.025-05:00

There has been legislation introduced into this year's General Assembly, designed to address the distribution of wine by in-state wineries; a subject thrown into some turmoil by last year's Supreme Court decision requiring that states not discriminate between in-state and out-of-state wineries. This bill addresses the ability to small wineries to self-distribute their wines, directly to

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1116460085389481582005-05-18T19:46:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.959-05:00

Monday's Supreme Court ruling in the wine shipment cases was good news, at least in the limited context that the Court didn't uphold the status quo of different treatment for in-state and out-of-state wineries. But it wasn't great news.Contrary to some of the reports I heard immediately after the ruling, it does not create an unfettered right to order wine on the internet or for wineries to ship

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1098748919997444402004-10-25T19:57:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.902-05:00

This weekend I conducted a 12-person winetasting for some friends, as a belated wedding present. They asked for “Virginia wines” with some additional limitations (not many Central Virginia wineries, as they’d done a lot of weekend wine touring this summer and wanted to try wines from other parts of the state). The lineup I chose was: Whites Breaux Vineyards 2002 Madeleine Chardonnay Chrysalis

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1085683020656679222004-05-27T14:36:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.782-05:00

And does a fair job of it, although no better than fair. They give some history of India Pale Ales - accurate, to my knowledge - and then review some. Well, they claim to taste 21, but give reviews on only 10 (and the video review has even fewer). The top-rated ones were the Smuttynose Big A IPA, Stone IPA, and Dogfish Head's 90-minute Imperial IPA. Can't really disagree too much with those

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1082770074479069262004-04-23T21:27:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.722-05:00

Interesting in-depth article about "instant winemakers" - negociants - out on the West Coast. (One of the negociants they look at does Castle Rock wines, previously highlighted here.) People who buy excess wine, perhaps age it a bit more, and bottle it under their own label. And one thing I learned from the article is that the wine they buy often isn't just "excess" that the original winery

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1082350144805338282004-04-19T00:49:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.666-05:00

I seem to be on a bit of a Cline kick, of late. This zinfandel is described as coming from a couple of vineyards, one planted in 1911 and one where the vines are 80 to 100 years old, in Lodi and Oakley respectively. Young-looking medium strawberry/cherry red color. Aromas of ripe strawberry and blueberry; very intense, with a sweetness in the nose. Crisp yet intense fruit flavors, with a

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1079156640352339742004-03-13T00:44:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.609-05:00

Refreshing little pinot noir, from New Zealand. I've long loved NZ sauvignon blancs, so I'm delighted to see some of their reds making to the East Coast. And there are some similarities: fresh, vibrant flavors explode in your mouth with with crisp (or even sharp) acidity. It's not as serious or portent-filled as an Oregon pinot noir, but it doesn't intend to be. Light to medium shade of red -

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1078726774874899222004-03-08T01:19:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.553-05:00

This is a delightful blend of mourvedre and syrah, and doubtless some other odds and ends. Very full, accessible fruit, with the ripeness of the fruit accentuated by the .26% residual sugar. Ruby-purple in color, cherry-fruit acidity in the nose. Flavors of red cherry and blueberries, a little harshness still in the tannins. Nice long cherry notes in the finish. Good workhorse red, goes well

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1078353376862111512004-03-03T17:36:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.497-05:00

Interesting wine festival here in Richmond last weekend. Described as 150 wineries and 325 wines, from all over the world. A lot of California wineries - many were small Napa and Sonoma producers - but the Pacific northwest was represented, as were international producers: from France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand. It was a fund raiser for the American Heart Association, so it was a bit on the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1076363463177379192004-02-09T16:51:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.436-05:00

My Super Bowl beers. A couple of Alaska-brewed beers that have made their way out to Virginia, and survived the trip. The Midnight Sun Sockeye Red IPA was wonderful. Deep mahogany red color, lots and lots of citrusy hop goodness, great balance between malt and hops - not always achieved with 70+ IBUs. It was so smooth and drinkable that I'd pour it from the bottle into my glass, and could

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1075178912153050692004-01-26T23:48:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.379-05:00

A bit of a change tonight: beer, instead of wine. And a pretty good beer it is. This is a wonderful, interesting beer, a mixture of a rich, dark quadrupel ale from Ommegang Brewery and a kriek (cherry) lambic from Lindemans brewery in Belgium. Rich, caramel flavors, balanced with the subtle dark, sour cherry flavor from the lambic. Probably good with a hearty stew; I enjoyed it on this cold

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1074057929796636642004-01-14T00:25:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.316-05:00

Nice, crisp sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Not quite as citrusy as I've come to expect from a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but still delicious. Pale straw in color, absolutely clear. Green pepper and feline aromas. Vibrant, sharp acidity. Intense grassy, green pepper, melon flavors. Good by itself, with salads, seafood. I had it with a a shrimp pasta with a white sauce; great choice.

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1073270696768403282004-01-04T21:44:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.259-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've suffered through a cold since before Christmas, and haven't wanted to drink anything - and couldn't taste much of anything, anyway. I expect I'll be back online with some wine reviews soon. New Year's Eve? I opened a bottle of Zardetto prosecco. Robert Parker gives it 88 points; I find it to be light, interesting, lemony, and fun. And I drink it often

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1071616945586788342003-12-16T18:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.200-05:00

From time to time, I muse as to what I'd do if I won the lottery. I've got one friend who says he'd buy a vineyard. This article is for him, then. It talks about some of the difficulties of starting up a winery as a retirement venture/hobby: working all day in the vineyard, capital demands, marketing problems. Would I buy a vineyard? Maybe. If the lottery win were big enough that I could also

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1070598829858943872003-12-04T23:33:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.143-05:00

Then Forbes.com is where you want to go. They've got a right bizarre list of gifts for wine lovers. Some of the suggestions are reasonable, like Riedel glasses or Michael Broadbent's latest book, and some are expensive but appropriate, like a $250 double magnum of Veuve Clicquot or a $600 case of burgundy. But sterling silver labels for your bourbon and gin bottles or a silver martini shaker

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069666971239613472003-11-24T04:42:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.087-05:00

This cabernet is produced by a California negociant, and is a mighty good $12 cabernet. As evidence of its quality, this cabernet and the Castle Rock Chardonnay have been chosen as Ruth's Chris Steak House's "House wine by the glass," which is a pretty impressive accomplishment. (Sure, there's a marketing component thrown in to that deal, too, but a restaurant of the calibre of Ruth's Chris

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069460690724885192003-11-21T19:24:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.033-05:00

Here's a new way to separate you from that pesky $49.95 you've got jingling in your pocket: The Wine Clip. It's a magnet (Oooo! A rare earth magnet!) that you clip onto the neck of a wine bottle, and as you pour the wine out, the magnetic field sets up an electrical charge (wine being an electrical conductor, and all, passing through the field) which breaks large molecules into smaller ones.

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069307958263710422003-11-20T01:04:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.965-05:00

I was a bit disappointed with this New Zealand pinot noir, and I'm not really sure why. It seemed to be missing something, probably some combination of body, complexity, and earthiness. Bright cherry color, with strawberry and red cherry in the aroma. Strong fruit flavors of red cherry and strawberry, with crisp, almost lemony, acidity. Tannins are present, but a bit overpowered by the fruit

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068869228903221102003-11-14T23:07:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.912-05:00

Had a nice, rich, fruit-forward zinfandel out at dinner tonight. Dark red, plummy aroma, rich and intense red-fruit flavors - black cherry, plum jam, touch of smokiness. Decent tannins, enough to stand up to the fruit. Long finish. Very nice. Went well with our steaks. Buckhead's, Richmond. $52. (Okay, the 2000 vintage is $18 at the winery. What are you going to do? Well, that answer is

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068740314427552282003-11-13T11:18:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.854-05:00

It's a sign of something, I suppose, that I have "favorite" wine shops all over the place. Two or three here in Richmond where I currently live, one or two in Raleigh, NC (discovered when I lived in Durham for a couple of years), one in Charlottesville (where I lived for many, many years, and I even worked part-time at that wine shop), and a couple in Arlington (where I haven't lived since the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068701722274929082003-11-13T00:35:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.801-05:00

Nice long article in Wednesday's NY Times on champagne, especially the small grower-producers, whose wine rarely makes it to the U.S. The article talks about these champagnes as being very food-friendly, unlike those made by the big producers, and gives some food matches, from scallops to rabbit to fried chicken. It also talks about the art of blending the constituent wines from different

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068621021417923262003-11-12T02:10:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.748-05:00

One of the things I admire about Australians and their wine-drinking is that they understand that you don't need to wait for a special occasion to have champagne: Any day that ends with a Y is special enough. This sparkling wine, made in the methode traditionnelle, is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay, grown in Napa and made by Domaine Chandon. The color was a very light toast

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068075226780276492003-11-05T18:33:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.688-05:00

Michael Franz has an interesting wine column in the Washington Post today, encouraging people to stop their boycott of French wines. He suggests, reasonably, that the only real effect that the boycott has on the French is on the French farmer who grows the grapes, and that farmer is a poor choice to be hurt by this broad response to actions by the French government. And he notes that an awful

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1066848587133157912003-10-22T14:49:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.631-05:00

Interesting article in the NY Times talking about the labelling of wine by location or by varietal: the history of each, and the strengths and drawbacks. As an oversimplification, with Old World wines, the vineyards have been around long enough that decades or centuries of experimentation have shown that pinot noir and chardonnay are the best wines grown in the region of Burgundy, so labelling a

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1066449217804789002003-10-17T23:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.573-05:00

Another one of the wines I bought in Oregon seven years ago, and have only now gotten around to opening. The last of the wines from that trip, I believe. The Willamette Valley Vineyards is in, well, the Willamette Valley, near Salem. And not that I'm giving stock advice, but they're listed on NASDAQ. And, as with the wine I mentioned on Sept. 7, this was a bottle I should have had a couple of

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1065758418300238832003-10-10T00:00:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.516-05:00

Nice, smooth-drinking zin. Wonderful ripe Russian River valley fruit. Good, basic, hearty zinfandel. DeLoach was named a 2003 "Winery of the Year" by Wine and Spirits magazine, one of four Sonoma and four Napa wineries to be given the award. Young, red ruby color. Bright burst of red cherry aroma and flavor, with hints of raspberry and pepper. Enough tannin to provide structure to the flavor,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1065547347692413752003-10-07T13:22:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.460-05:00

I went to the annual wine festival at the Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville this past weekend. They've had a festival there each year for 23 years; I've been to 21 of them, and I have good excuses for the other two years. The festival was okay, although no better than that. They had no idea what they were doing with parking, other than not letting you park in the nearby (and unused) lot where

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1065547289152175772003-10-07T13:21:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.401-05:00

Hurricane Isabel hit this blog hard. No electricity for ten days, no cable modem for thirteen. And one of the things I discovered while I had no electricity is that I really don't enjoy drinking wine in the dark. (I'm taking this to be a good discovery, indicating a lack of alcoholic tendencies.) But now I'm back, and ready to start reporting again. The word from local vineyards is that they

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1063759233110943392003-09-16T20:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.342-05:00

100% Sangiovese, grown near Pisa, Sienna, and Florence. Slight aroma of cherries. Stronger red cherry flavors, some spice/pepper undertones. Nice fruit acidity, long finish. A soft light to medium tannic structure, enough to carry the fruit in the wine, making for a good balance. Good on its own, or with pasta dishes with red sauce. Drink now. $9.99, Raleigh, Carolina Wine Company.

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062996644047698522003-09-08T00:50:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.284-05:00

Yes, another wine from the folks who did the syrah I had a couple of days ago. As with that one, the only appellation is "California" and it's the second label from Markham Vineyards. Minimal oak, if any. Green apple in the nose, with a hint of lemon. Green apple, pear and melon flavors. Creamy finish, with a touch of toastiness. Sharp, crisp finish. No malolactic fermentation. Just the

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062908109846772282003-09-07T00:15:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.232-05:00

This was from a winery that appears to no longer be in business; at least, they have no web presence that I can find, even on the various Oregon wine sites. Only reference I can find is to Alethea Enterprises of Roseburg, Oregon (mentioned on the label as the producer and bottler), on an undated list of wineries. But they must have been around in 1996, because this was in my box of wines

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062827249676073302003-09-06T01:47:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.174-05:00

From "California"; no further appellation designation than that. Glass Mountain Quarry is a second label from Markham Vineyards of Napa. Aromas of ripe red cherries and plums, flavors also include blackberry. Medium body, good juicy flavor. 86 points, Wine Spectator. The tannin and spicy notes in it would make the wine good with grilled food, or a good pizza wine, but it'd be good by itself,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062729472849189792003-09-04T22:37:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.119-05:00

Known as "Cab in a Sack," the bottle is wrapped in burlap and then labelled. The story is that this is historically how they helped protect the bottle from breaking on its way to market. Well, it's a good story, anyway, even if it turns out to be a marketer's ploy. If so, it's a good ploy, as the bottle stands out on the shelf. (Also makes it difficult to see how much is left in the bottle,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062646565016941792003-09-03T23:36:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.065-05:00

From Monterey. Hidden Mesa Vineyard is apparently a second label for Lockwood Vineyard, and this was pretty much a second label wine. Okay, it was only $8, so you can't give it a whole lot of grief. But there also wasn't all that much positive to say about it. Young, dark red color. Dark-colored fruit in the aroma; plums, I suppose. Strong tannins; some peppery spice, although not as much as

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062127164201942352003-08-28T23:19:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.009-05:00

Very inexpensive pinot noir, from the Carneros region in Napa. Soft body, typical pinot cherry nose and flavor. A bit subdued, perhaps. Certainly more subdued - or subtle, if you prefer - than the NZ pinot I had a couple of days ago. Simple structure with little noticeable tannins. It'd be fine to drink by itself or with light pasta or chicken dishes. Probably would have expected to pay $12

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1062039291998856472003-08-27T22:54:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:29.947-05:00

The symphony grape is a cross between muscat of Alexandria and grenache gris. Don't think I'd seen this one before. Floral, spicy aroma in this white wine. Some sweetness (I don't know - maybe 1 or 1.5% residual sugar) makes it easy to drink on a summer afternoon on the deck. No oak. Be good with spicy (Thai, Indian, cajun) foods. Pretty decent. Oh, only $7? In that case, pretty good. $6.99,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1061866224037512562003-08-25T22:50:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:29.890-05:00

From the Marlborough region, New Zealand. Ripe, red fruit. Cherry in the aroma. Tang of acidity, so there's a reasonably sharp finish. Assertive, bright flavor. Medium body, medium-rosy color. Very drinkable now. In fact, so drinkable that it's now gone, at least from my cellar. Doesn't have the mushroomy earthiness that an Oregon or French pinot noir costing three times as much would have,

Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1061865577824482112003-08-25T22:39:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:29.833-05:00

I had the 2001 Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay last night. OMG, as the young folks say. I was expecting something like the Madeleine from Breaux, I suppose, clean, crisp and some fruit, nothing overwhelming. Well, I was wrong. Lots of acidity, and sharply crisp, like a NZ sauvignon blanc. Loads of citrus fruit, lemon predominating. Very much a lemon-acid feeling, not green apple. No

Johnnoreply@blogger.com