The Wine Thread

[rizzle]

Originally Posted by aldukes

Try the Petite Sirah from Bogle- very good for the price point.

I'll agree with you on that one.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I didn't say the wine tasted "pleasant". I said it tasted surprisingly good. Everyone liked it and it all got drank up quickly. For that price it's worth getting a case or two for a common table wine, when you don't want to be drinking money.

I like the Louis Jadot Burgundy Village from Costco better; give that one try.

[TheRiddick]

Moses,

I used to drink with Mike Lawton and his group back in 2001 when I worked in Boston on a contract, do you know them?

And is that cigar bar on Newbury still open? Spent a few hours there on 9/11 when the whole city was in panic mode, hope they are still open.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

Moses,

I used to drink with Mike Lawton and his group back in 2001 when I worked in Boston on a contract, do you know them?

And is that cigar bar on Newbury still open? Spent a few hours there on 9/11 when the whole city was in panic mode, hope they are still open.

I do not know Mike Lawton. What is his group?

Yes, Cigar Masters is still in business and they moved the next street down on Boylston St. The smoking bans in Boston has been a salvation to their business; they are busy 7 nights a week.

[TheRiddick]

Good for Cigar Masters, the place was really good on my visits there (years ago). Will make sure to visit on my next trip to Boston, they provided the calmest few hours on 9/11 and I really appreciate that.

Mike Lawton's group is a bunch of locals, they used to participate on Wine Lovers Discussion forum, although I haven't seen them there lately. Met one of the guys last year at a wine event here in SF, looks like they are still drinking together. Mostly an Old World palate group, should be right up your alley :-)) (I am a New World palate, although drink and taste everything to keep up with the wine world and also run probably the best wine group in SF area for the past 10 years).

[mosesbotbol]

The only "wine groups" I participate in is port drinking.

Yup, I am an old world wine drinker, and a necro wine drinker at that. I side with the Brit's about when a wine is mature, lol...

[TheRiddick]

I can tell by the pictures you post. Good for you, drink what your palate wants.

Mike's group used to taste either at his house (outside of Boston proper), or at that Chinese place near turnpike entry in downtown, not sure I remember the place, King Fung? Or something like that, its a dive, but with decent food. And they did not charge us corkage.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

I can tell by the pictures you post. Good for you, drink what your palate wants.

Unfortnately, I can't always drink what my palate wants, or it would be DRC all the time! Stuck with masses, but one can dream.

Been lucky to try a few good wines in my day though.

[TheRiddick]

I've yet to try any DRC, can't afford it. Hopefully, when I do get the chance it will the treat everyone claims it to be (although I am skeptical, been spoiled by some great CA Pinot).

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

I've yet to try any DRC, can't afford it.

I tried a '62 La Tache once at my friend's holiday party. Wow! Still had real extract and power. Deep, and an amazing finish. I had like 3 years ago.

I find that high alcohol only means the grapes had a lot of sugar to begin with. This varies by region and picking time. I have heard that in France it is acceptable to add sugar to up the alc. and in hot regions they remove alc. to get a more complete fermentation. For some reason I don't have any wines older than 15 years.

[TheRiddick]

I am not sure I would agree some points above. There are many vineyards around, both here and in Europe, where sugars go up and acids do not come down as the fruit ripens on the vine. One needs to wait until acidity comes down to workable levels and this forces winemakers' hands in some cases. Key is still balance and numbers don't mean much when the overall balance works. Or doesn't.

Burgundy has traditionally added sugar to bump up the alcohol, not only Burgundy actually. Yet no Burg-head ever wants to discuss this or admit to it.

What percentage of dry wines is capable of as good an aging as Port? And last I checked, not all Ports have same aging ability.

Best Bordeaux houses use very ripe fruit, same ripeness levels as here, but they also use RO machines to get the alcohol out prior to bottling. They also figured out that to get the mouth feel and flavor they want, that's the game they must play. LLC (Leoville Las Cases) is prime example of that, yet I have not heard one bad review so far.

KB Pinots are what they are, well made wines made for (rather) earlier consumption. They are still too young as a winery to figure out how they age, although owners will also tell you to drink them now if that's how you like them. I've tasted through barrels a good number of times, a few time each vintage, the fruit profile is seriously good, IMO. And the wines are getting better and better with each new vintage, they are dialing in oak programs and winemaking techniques. Alcohol numbers? I do not pay attention unless alcohol is the first thing that hits me when I taste a wine and in KB I do not get that.

Anyone had August West Pinots? Rivers Marie? AP Vin? Curious to hear your notes on those.

I read an article about "what the winemakers don't want you to to know" a while back. I decided I didn't really want to know it either.
The end product speaks for itself. I'll leave it to he pros to decide the best way to get there.

A couple weeks ago, I took out a client & he introduced me to the world of Orin Swift wines.

http://www.orinswift.com/

He suggested we order the 2005 Papillon. It's a Bordeaux-style blend, very full & jammy with a pretty nifty and unusual label. Also look for the butterfly ("papillon" means butterfly in French) at the bottom of the bottle in the dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle that is called the 'punt'.

The wine was absolutely delicious.

Ruby red with notes of campfire, toast and sweet vanilla. On the palette - wild strawberry, rhubarb, and sassafras. And the finish - 30 plus seconds with an impression of cherry pie.

They also make "The Prisoner", also a blend, which I've since had and enjoyed but Papillon is definitely the better of the two, and more costly.

The 2007 "Prisoner" blends the lush berry flavors of Zinfandel, the power and concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon, the dark black fruit of Syrah, the intensity and structure of Petite Sirah, the flesh of Charbono, and a hint of Grenache - all combined for a decadent wine with great complexity.

Orin Swift wines are pretty hard to find but I picked up a few bottles at Whole Foods in Redondo Beach. $50/each if you buy 6 total bottles for the '06 Papillon (the '05 we had in the restaurant is sold out) & $30 for The Prisoner. Considerably more than I normally spend on wine but definitely worth the occasional splurge.

And I've heard if you find these wines, get 'em while you can. They run in limited supplies and once they're out of any given vintage, they're out.

[TheRiddick]

Orin Swift is in every decent wine store you care to name. How many pallets do you need?

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

Orin Swift is in every decent wine store you care to name. How many pallets do you need?

It's a good thing for my liver that I can't afford pallets of wine.
Or crates of cigars.
Or trophy women.
Or... dang.

Life is still good!

[MedicCook]

I have been trying to find a wine I had in Germany made by the Deppisch family for a few years now. I stayed at the Hotel Anker which they also own and the wine they served in their restaurant was great.

[TheRiddick]

Originally Posted by MedicCook

I have been trying to find a wine I had in Germany made by the Deppisch family for a few years now. I stayed at the Hotel Anker which they also own and the wine they served in their restaurant was great.

I am guessing a Riesling? Try calling Dee Vine in San Francisco, if they are unable to find the wine for you, then I am guessing it is not imported into USA. They are THE shop for German Riesling.

http://www.dvw.com/

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by MedicCook

I have been trying to find a wine I had in Germany made by the Deppisch family for a few years now. I stayed at the Hotel Anker which they also own and the wine they served in their restaurant was great.

Call the hotel and ask them for the name and if they have a US distributor.

[MedicCook]

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

I am guessing a Riesling? Try calling Dee Vine in San Francisco, if they are unable to find the wine for you, then I am guessing it is not imported into USA. They are THE shop for German Riesling.

http://www.dvw.com/

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Call the hotel and ask them for the name and if they have a US distributor.

I sent them an email a few years ago and they were not selling it to the US. What I need to do is take another trip to Germany.