Caymus Emperor is naked first nekkid with all its hangin ' junk ...

22 Sep 2010

, First, it wasn't the fault of Fleming.  Really. They tried so hard.  The service was amazing. From the managing partners James, down to every waiter (who introduced themselves all the way!) they perform all each guest feel welcome and important one, perfect attended to.Nixon, Chef and food executed per plate is empty I sent back! bravo to you all.

They even struggled with the technology to try to make the "Interactive dinner with Caymus" be something interactive.  However, even the best laid plans, executed even as much as possible, simply do not always work. 

  Let's face it. Even the most well behaved adults get really strong, until after a few glasses of wine or four.  Dead center loud table one giant has done all the hope of hearing, much less interaction with Chuck Wagner wine Director of Fleming (and my favorite person) op Jansen Marian de Haar, on the screen to disappear. You can write a question Chuck ["??????"????? ????"?? Caymus if possible in a few words, how do you describe it?" seriously, I really wanted to know because I don't think anyone actually becomes wine in the same style for any other reason than marketing] I could never even hear if they received my question, much less what the answer was.  James told me that there was a woman as a delegate of Caymus, she was going to come and say hello, probably answer my questions.She never did when he tried to introduce myself ... at the end of the evening, she was so engrossed in conversation with her spouse of a table for dinner, I try to attract attention. So much for any interaction with Caymus.  Why am I not surprised?

What leads me to the most disappointing aspect of the evening.The wines of hate mail offensive. before, I simply say that Chuck Wagner is a genius at something one marketing. He called the Stanford University study clearly proved that you say that to someone more expensive wine, they automatically see it to be better quality.  Unfortunately, change & humble Svt mst Obdt here, this genius missing is clearly the bottle. 

Viz: 

Conundrum 2008. Ick. Sweet, cloying with acids out of balance. Strange copper finish, just a mess inside the glass. Even my two women at the table with me not care.  Each bottle 20 market? WTF?

  Mr. Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2007 Soleil: Ick but no icky like Conundrum. Although very green, like a bunch of leaves got crushed with fruit.  Speak clearly of Malolactic buttery.More is the same as the palate. Perry green, rose in response to acid, more green and character that was at odds with ?????? the acid, and no balance. All 20 retail bottle, twice that in the restuarant? feh.

A special selection Cabernet 2000: Oaky nose.Zero fruit. Oak tannins on the palate, more acid with no fruit at all. ten years old and over the Hill or at the fool that he almost brain dead phase. market 125 $ $ 250 or more on the wine list. Aint no right … that way.

  2008 Special Selection Cabernet: giant fruit bomb. Many fruits on the nose, ripe fruit ?????? over the palate and of dense oak tannins, salt.The palate was crowded and muddy, above the mystery of the fruit became bolder with air and retail $ 100., 250 on the list.There is no way … Hell no.

At this point, I'm certain 2000 and 2008 blended together to get something a lot better … but yet, I should also do this?

Then bring out the "gift" of James of part of the 2005 special selection.Pelvis on the nose and tones the palate.The fruit is dark, slightly tannic.This one showed more Bordeaux-style, with tones of cherry fruit and thinner.Good wine, the best of the night, a friendly market 150 $, 300 on a list.Hell give me a break. …

Come on people wake up and trust your own palates.. try this: do blind tasting with Caymus, something similar but half price from Napa.

I suppose I should be "that guy" who says "the emperor has no clothes." hell, "is the first completely naked nekkid with hanging outside his junk.

I really like wines.. you tried anyone admires Caymus, I'm not sorry. I just I must be honest, fair, they are not equal. the price of admission to the market environment, I chose not to me when I see all Bordeaux less money can buy. "hell, I Bages Lynch 2005 June is only $ 75 so much better, much more age.

But to Fleming for trying, as well as for beautiful evening as it was, notwithstanding wines … my Bravo and thank you all.

Life
Most Moshein
Wine Austin guy

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AWG antique day 5

Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request August 23, 2010

Sorry for the delay in this last episode of Bordeaux. Found the notes I'd been writing from earlier and just now finished.

Thursday.

Awoke to the sounds of roosters crowing. Seriously. They really do that! I can not ever recall hearing them in the morning in my life! Cool. Looking out the window for my first glimpse of the Pomys grounds.

It was pitch black when we arrived the night before. 9am departure on the schedule, so I hustle to shower, pack up and head down by 830 so I can grab a bite of French breakfast.  I confess I've become addicted. I never eat much in the morning at home, usually just a lot of coffee. Maybe a half bagel with cream cheese.  Today, I scarf down Croissant with fresh butter and jam, wonderful toast (croutons) with amazing Fromage blanc, and dark rich espresso coffee. As we approach 9, only April shows up to join me. The pattern will be obvious.  Only April and I turned in at something close to a reasonable hour.  We never could find the rest, who "might" have been up the tower.  Intrepid Charlie shows up with the bus spot on time at 9 despite the hour plus drive from Bordeaux.  His British stiff upper lip never wavers, nor does his wonderful sense of humour.  (Yes spell check, I mean to spell it that way….)

Ward, disheveled and blurry looking makes his way down. The tale of the night before spills out. Suffice it to say, it involved copious amounts of wine consumed. Everyone's room, except mine, searched for wine bottles, excursions into the darkness, jumping spiders resulting in Megan's darkness piercing shrieks, and Mutineeer Alan getting stuck in a tree and throwing rocks at the only lighted room in the place trying to get their attention.  Turns out that room was the one next to mine, Alan's own room where he had left the lights on!  Some other tale from Ward about him dancing around naked in his room listening to his iPod and a mysterious stranger wearing only a towel looking in the window from the balcony which ran the length of the hotel rooms outside.  I felt like the one chaperone at a college dorm party…Ah well,  yr mst humble & Obdt Svt here doesn't heal from an all night drunk as well as the twenty somethings do.  I was happy to be alert and having breakfast. I felt a little like the one guy not picked for the team, but once the others straggled in looking like hell run over by a truck, that feeling disappeared. Charlie becoming cross and seeming perturbed for the first time all week when 9:30am rolled around and 2 of us (who shall remain nameless but aren't Wine Buffs) were still not down. I had to run up and knock on their doors.

Now, the reason for Charlie's perturbation was because we were supposed to BE at the first stop by 9:30, and our schedule had only allowed us thirty minutes to get there, yet the actual drive time was 45 minutes or more. So, we start our day WAYYYYYY behind schedule. More details of the escapades of the night before roll out during the drive.  Finally, we end up at a tiny winery in Cadaujac, in Pessac--Leognan, Graves.  Chateau Baulos-Charmes. A handsome late twenty early thirty blond guy greets us as we arrive 90 minutes late.

Sean Mathys-Meynard is proprietor and vigneron. The property is only 8 acres. He is devoted to organic and sustainable agriculture. His passion is to work the vines daily all year, so that he does not have to work in the winery after harvest. I instantly like this guy. He is this wine guy's wine maker. A 180 in attitude and passion from yesterday. Sean has worked the vines alone for three years, only recently hiring an apprentice. He quite literally could be placed blindfolded anywhere on the property and only by looking at his feet tell you within five meters where he is.  He can blind taste wine from any one of the 155 barrels in his chais and identify the exact barrel.  We spend a lot of time in the vineyard, listening to him talk about the vines and soils.

The more I listen to him, the more I like him. He is so much the "new" Bordeaux personified. You just want him to succeed. The wines are good. 64% Merlot, 35% Cabernet, and literally one row of Cab Franc.  Solid, dark cherry tones, nice earth and clean acidity for the Grand Vin. The tannins are very elegant and integrated. Most pleasant to drink. Tiny amounts made, of course. These are Merlot based wines that I LIKE!  Nice to drink now, but easily cellars for ten years. Sadly they don't make it over here. More epic pics from Mutineer Ian in the vineyard, and we are on our way again. We leave there at 12:45 to arrive just short of two hours late at our next stop.

Chateaus Lusseau. I fall in love with the place the moment we pull in behind the wonderful old pile of a chateau. It just reeks of family and honest lack of pretense. Berangere Guyellien and "Maman" greet us. Maman clearly not pleased we are late. Berangere is smiles and gracious. We take a quick walk around the vineyards. The Semillon section are 75 year old vines.  The rest are 35-50!  Wow.  We have to drag Rebecca out of the rocky dirt and into the cellar to taste.  Berangere has laid out not just her wines, but a selection of ten or so wines of her neighbors as well, so that me might get a feel for Graves as a whole.  The down to earth, meatiness, gravel, clean, pure flavors resonate.  An amazing hors d'oeuvres spread delights as well. Maman in and out while we taste, still annoyed at how late lunch will be. We hurry through the Graves, and head into the Chateau itself for lunch. 

Chateau. The word conjures up huge imposing palaces of stone, Baronial halls, walk in fire places, bedecked with ancient tapestry.  We had seen some of those.  This Chateau however, is a home. Cozy, warm, a little frayed here and there, cat dashing across the hall.  All very inviting and real. We fill the dining room.

The table has been laid with old family silver, old family china, old family crystal, and a mountain of fresh roses and flowers from the jardin.   I end up seated between Berangere and Maman.

I fall in love with the both by the end of the first course of smoked salmon, and their wonderful steely Graves Blanc.  Maman was a doctor, as was her husband, and they also ran the winery between tending to the health of the locals.  Berangere was an attorney, who left the heady world of corporate life to return back home, and be the next generation to run the place.  The rare Maigret of duck as the main course was "off the hook" goodness! I had thirds.  Lunch was served family style.  Everything about this place was family style.  I love love loved it all. I had a great chat with Berangere and Maman.  I could have moved in. 

Sadly, we had to press on, and poor Charlie was looking as haggard and stressed as I had ever seen. Clearly, we were way behind. Now the really bad news. We have to cancel Ch. Carbonnieux.  Ouch that hurts.  Losing our second of only two Grand Cru wineries.  Well, the lunch was worth it to me.

A quick stop at Haut Nouchet, a newer winery in Martillac, run by a young winemaker.  A lesser red and the Grand Vin. They were fine, nice. I wasn't excited by them or the place.  I kept thinking "we missed Carbonnieux for this??"  I must be gracious.  They were trying very hard.  I spent most of the time wandering the beautiful gardens and watched Megan run across a huge field of wild flowers, like a little kid.  That was cool….

Back to CIVB for a "Master Class" in Sweet Bordeaux.  I can now say I know everything there is to know about Sweet Bordeaux.  I know I like it, in small doses before dinner, with Foie, or as dessert….

Then on to a really cool wine bar, to watch France get trounced by Mexico in the World Cup.  I was far more intrigued by the wine pouring machines.  You buy a debit card from the bartender, then wander around the machines with bottles under argon gas, that dispense 2oz, 4 oz or 6oz pours (ok they were metric pours, but I can't remember the metric amounts, ok??) and show you what each size pour of each wine will deduct from your card. Pretty cool huh? I loved that one could try '03 Lynch Bages for only 4 euro a small pour.

Now, we really ended up missing dinner.  There were only app plates at theWine Bar.  I was starved. I begged the others to stop and eat.  They decided not to eat, but instead head to a bar.  Well, I wasn't in the mood to eat alone, so I just went along with the program. It was a lot of fun actually.  I'll spare the details, but let's just say my part involved three half liters of Leffe Blonde, some shot of something at a bar and two vodkas before stumbling back to the hotel around 3am…

I love Bordeaux.

Last Day.   Quick up and back to Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux. Then lunch and some video taping at the CIVB and more pictures from Mutineer Ian. Got to see an amazing sight.  Hanging out at the Bar a Vin at the CIVB in the afternoon, who starts swarming the place but the Commanderie des Seigneurs de Bordeaux!

Yes the Renaissance garbed elders from all of the regions of Bordeaux! Off the hook. Evening at a truly amazing wonderful wine bar "Bo Bar" with Freddie from CIVB.  She's great. Great off the wall wines, in a teeny tiny place on a storybook square.

Then, finally, a fabulous seafood dinner on the Quai. Plateau de fruit de Mer! yumm.

Thank you CIVB. Thank you P'tite Fred. Thank you Barbara, and CF peeps.  Thank you Buffs and Mutineers.  I will not forget any of this week, nor any of you.

Yr. Mst Hmbl & Obdt Svt,

Rob Moshein
Austin Wine Guy

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Celebrate all things Cab today! Day # Cabernet of world

02 September 2010

Today is a celebration of all things Cabernet.Simply open a bottle of Cab, taste, and then post it to Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag # Cabernet. simple.

I don't run out of wine in the East End, 8 pm this evening to 6 pm, pouring two Bordeaux wines from the Cab is based can be positioned Medoc o. review and then go back and fill in later.

Until then, happy, # Cabernet

Awg

Medoc Greysac chateaux 2006: tight end first, a little too much acid, light nose. an hour later, he has developed a cherry tone and dried pleasant basin.

Medoc Vieux Chateau Landon 2006: beautiful, classic Bordeaux blends dark Cherry, Cedar box acidity is balanced with good layer consists of Nice, of flavors that I never got the best food with heavy., but most of the wines are then BDX ...

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AWG antique day 3

Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request June 22, 2010

Bordeaux +3  Tuesday.

Yr Mst Hmbl & Obdt Svt here off to a quick morning class at the Ecole du Vin, the Wine School at the CIVB in BDX. Good general overview and refresher course plus answers to some more technical questions. A lovely lunch at a Michelin Star restaurant in town, which shall remain nameless for reasons soon to be disclosed, but was mentioned in the NY Times.... April, one of my fellow Wine Buffs ordered a plain green salad. She was next to me on my right, and I hear her gasp, I turn to notice a smallish tan SPIDER covered in oil crawl his way out of the greens to the top of the bowl. Poor April just freaked out, the waitress whisked away the salad with barely a word. As April hyperventilated (she clearly hates spiders), they brought her another salad.  One of the other Buffs actually transferred the new salad from one bowl to another to ensure no more wildlife presence.  What did this "Michelin Star" joint do? Rien. Nada. Not even an apology. When April's wine glass was empty, our intrepid chaperone cum guide cum new friend Charlie "suggested" to the wait staff that the least they could do was give her a second glass on the house.  They obliged, but, well so much for Michelin Star "service". I was, in a word, underwhelmed.

Off to Entre Deux Mers.  Cloudy day, Sunny spirits all around. First up, Lugaingnac for Chateau Haut Guillebots. At the top of a hill, sits a lovely old Chateau, late 18th century, right up against the road. A lovely lady comes out to greet us all, a charming little girl with blonde curls clinging to maman's knee. Marie-Christine Labouille is the Seventh, yes, seventh generation of women to run the property and make the wine. Unheard of in Bordeaux, yet the line descends unbroken from mother to daughter, for seven generations and two hundred years; and someday perhaps her little blonde charmer will become Proprietere someday, though today her five year old mind is set on being a vet.  We go to the vineyard, to see the vines. Trellised high to leave exposure between ouvriers, we wandered amongst the Sauvignon vines. Mostly Blanc, a few Gris, and Marie Christine Labouille explained her thoughts on winemaking. An already familiar story; much work done in the vineyard all year long so that little work is required inside the winery after harvest. A quick tour of tanks and barrels in the chais, and tasting. No doubt the feminine character of the Vigneron is clear in the wines as well. Much like Marie Christine, the wines were feminine and pretty, solid and sturdy, elegant and supple. I rather liked them. I rather like her also. After a while, she relaxed and we began to talk about the Chateau and her family. She herself did not want to run the winery, setting off to find a career elsewhere and in her words "returned by a stroke of fate/fortune" to Haut Guillebots where, as she put it "the vines are alive, the terroir is alive, the vineyard is alive and it all becomes your life as well. All things are intertwined."  She can no longer conceive of doing anything else and remains devoted to the wine. Family is clearly part of the Bordeaux tradition, and with many generations living in the same place, working the same vineyards and living in the same Chateau, it is obvious how deep this runs.

We depart with a sense of reluctance. How warm and moving it was to listen to Marie Christine's stories of her family on the property; the German occupation, with Germans billeted in the house. Grandmere cursing them to their faces and putting them in their place on a regular basis. The rest of the family living in fear of reprisal, yet, fortune smiled and they were left in peace. Grandpere crossing the Nazi checkpoints on bicycle with thousands of francs of currency hidden in the handlebars of his bike, right under the German noses. One is left speechless by the stories. Your heart is touched by watching the little blonde girl dash in and out, with wildflowers from the fields, plopping down onto Maman's lap leaving chalky dust on Marie's black skirt. Papa pops in and Marie leaves us for a moment or two to talk with him. The aura of "en famille" is strong here. You can see this in the wines as well. The whites were particularly good, sturdy, solid, pretty and with depth. Which is only proper.

We leave for Pujols and Chateau Marac.  Arriving early evening, to a charming, more modern place, old stock which has been renovated more recently. A charming younger woman and equally charming older man come to greet us in the courtyard. Bonville Pere et Fille, father and daughter who run the place. M. Alain Bonville came from Champagne to buy and run his own place, both daughters becoming vignerons in their own right, one, Melanie, staying on at Marac.  Again, Agathe, a charming little blonde moppet of a kid at first being shy and clinging to maman or grandpere Alain. I showed her pictures of my dogs on my iPhone and she warmed up instantly and was soon running around the place, climbing and clamoring all over the boxes of wine and bringing out favored toys to show the guests. We have an Entre Deux Mers Blanc that is, well, amazing. Alan, the Mutineer, who said fews things on Monday, and even fewer in complete sentences, simply transformed on tasting,  becoming expressive, eager, ecstatic and exuberant; dancing around the chais, glass in hand that "this s--- ROCKS!"   Honestly, it does. I have never tasted a Sauvignon-Semillon quite like it. Jasmine tea, sweet white flowers, crisp minerally acidity, yet a nice beeswax taste and texture. The other wines were also quite good, but honestly the white was a home run all bases loaded. Oh, yeah, maybe $15 on the shelf in the US, if you could find it, which our great dismay, you can't. DAMMIT! I fought back a tear as kind M. Bonville offered me a bottle to take home, my having to refuse as there was no way to pack it for the flight. SIGH........I suddenly realize that a formal tasting has transformed into a raucous cocktail party. Everbody chatting, laughing, loving the wines and making new friends with the Bonville family.

Dinner just a few hundred meters down the road in Pujols proper at the Bonville's favorite local, Chez Sylvie. We stop at dusk to admire the view across Entre Deux Mers across to Cotes du Castillon. The sky a violet blue in a surreal intensity, the fading sunlight bouncing off the ancient stone walls of the village below and dancing across the water of a small lake in the distance. Chez Sylvie for dinner. Mutineer Alan shows his enthusiasm for the Ch. Marac Blanc!
The restaurant was a homey, charming place, which was opened just for us (! Holy crap ! ) The three Bonvilles welcoming us to dinner like long lost family, all at a long table in one room, magnums of two vintages of the red and more of the White (woo hoo) and the lovely rose.  The meal was again a family affair of traditional Bordeaux fare. Salad Gibiers, Salad of greens topped with braised chicken giblets, not nearly a weird as it sounds, the meat being a tender, moist texture and the flavors pure clean farm chicken, with a fat slice of foie gras on the side. Dr. Roger, my internist, mea maxima culpa, I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself, but I ate yet more fois. Will it help if I double the dosage of simvastatin for a couple of weeks??  The white disappeared quickly and we made short work of the rose.  Magnums of red opened, lovely comparison of vintages, the wine as honest, homey and welcoming as the Bonville family. The main course was off the hook kiddies, serious. Local pasture raised beef entrecote, grilled on a fire made from grape wood from the Marac vineyard. How SICK is that?!? It was beyond great.  I finished every bite of the huge slab on my plate. How can you not? Right? The wines went quite well with the food, the dark, cherry earthy flavors picking up nicely the smoky grapewood char on the beef. I could eat that stuff regularly.  All through dinner, I also realize we are being treated as family friends, allowed to glimpse a side of French culture we foreigners never get to see on our vacations. Family indeed runs deep in Bordeaux, I was so shocked, surprised, but above all honored and touched deeply by this charming family, who for a few hours opened up their family to include us, so that we could experience that warm, laughing joy of sitting around the dinner table, eating great food, drinking great wine and enjoying the simple, honest pleasure of each others' company. Wow. All I could think about on the way home was that point. The one driven home by this day. Family. It is as much the terroir of Bordaux, at least this corner of Bordeaux anyway, as the dirt and the rain.

Amazing. Cool. Off the hook. I'm blown away, honored and touched profoundly.   Back to Bordeaux town in the late hours of the evening; The inner man is most happy.  And so to bed.

Cheers,
Rob Moshein
Austin Wine Guy.

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Finally, a new classification of the bourgeoisie Cru is here.

28 September 2010

As announced today, other inside the bottle after three years of work:

Frederique de Lamothe, Director of c Alliance des Cru bourgeoisie du Medo told decanter.com today that she was happy at last announce results of three years work.

There were a lot of power, ' "she said."Three years ago we were more or less work in secrecy without the ability to know everything we do. "

The Alliance has made clear that registration of the annual quality assessment, classification of chateaux or terroirs like classification of 1855.

Had been mired in the original ???????? Cru classification bourgeoisie since this 2008 in 2003, when he was annulled after certain publishers 78 bitterly their exceptions.

Http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/500749/cru-bourgeois-new-listing-launched

New registration of vintage 2008, fine, it took three years to come together, mixed the bourgeoisie Allliance des Cru, under the Presidency of Thierry Gardinier of Chateau Phelan Segur, months of tastings.

Since the presidential Gardinier has resigned, he explained that as he was as cru bourgeois Phelan Segur as he felt it would be her him continue President – transfer the scepter and Frédéric de Luze of Chateau de Luze Paveil in Margaux.

For a new classification of wine experts Board fee – but with no selected wine chateau-' quality benchmark ' which is standard for all wines for the bourgeoisie 290 application Cru.

Benchmark – what consitutes a minimum level of acceptability for cru bourgeois-adjusted each year according to the quality of the vintage and the poor in vintage expected to get the number of labels.

"But we expect the relative stability of the percentage of estates with the registry," said the Director of the publication of the United States Claudine Nony.

Each cru bourgeois chateau apply be; all wines re-tasted from March to April every year for the news listing. wine barrel, they were with the percentage of re-tasted after bottling selected randomly ???????? ' of the shelf tests — meaning that the wine you are from retailers ' shelves.

Also be made clear that Nony not cuvees special list: after you apply, only to be eligible for the vineyards of chateau cru Bourgeois State.

New registration is selected all democratic, chateaux grouped without Cru Exceptionnnels or Superieurs bourgeoisie.

Indeed, a group of former Exceptionnnels bourgeoisie Cru, including Chateau Chasse Spleen, Chateau Les Ormes de Pez, Chateau de Pez, Chateau Potensac, Chateau Poujeaux and broke away from the Chateau Siran Alliance in May this year, with the intention of are forming their own group.

Steven Spurrier said the new flat structure becomes perfect sense having different hierarchies. only confuse people."

However, this is certainly a classification will remain in its current state for more than a few vintages.

Will probably vote of each Member to decide whether chateaux re-instate a hierarchy within the registry of any kind, she said to the bottle.

Full list of the new bourgeoisie Cru is here

Special greetings to members of our "must have" at her wine. Fleur la Mothe Ch, for making their wines are list! very deserving recognition as finding out when we visited them in June.

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Enjoy them while you can. .. Kabinett you might be endangered.

29 August 2010

  So, yesterday, change mst hmbl & obdt srvt stopped in the Austin wine merchant, my favorite pastime of Saturday. John was a deal to me, ?????? you love it.J.J. Prüm Riesling 2007, Bernkasteler Badstube for 16 instead of $ 37.99!!I took out a $ 20 account without hesitating. 

I love me my German Rieslings, real, these large, because the Mosel. JJ Prüm is right up there. Can I drink more of them if I could, but the price of admission is usually way too steep for me, up to about 50 dollars or more. 

This was no exception, with the exception of being so young. Prüm Dr. itself suggests the age of 5 years for Kabinett.But, it was a lovely anyway. typical nose of flowers, fruit stone honeycomb. Lower maxima of minerals, flowers, lime slighly sound nice fat underneath. With the country captain did a dinner made everything clear, crisp, minerally.

The heat of the summer, I prefer Kabinett to Auslese, for lighter, cleaner, more elegant style, the lower the sugars of course talked on the phone, Paul Curmudgeon wine that happened while I was at first call, tasting the wine, and who knows full well how much I enjoyed Kabinetts.  "Enjoy your Kabinett while you can." he growled. Put an end to global warming "Kabinett. The next years will be all ... "

He is probably right, as usual. Now is the "new normal" of the German weather for winemakers.One hundred years ago, the summer "perfect" of the 120 days of sunshine in the Mosel was occurs only once in 15-20 years, they were still gathering in the mid-late October.  In 2009, they blow that before the end of September, 1 October ????.

Ernst Loosen its blogs about the beautiful vineyard.Http://www.drloosen.com/blog/?tag=mosel-valley.Here, you can read all about the new "normal" for Mosel. "Harvest 2009 showed us again ??"????"??? typical growth can be placed for Mosel Valley grapes here.In recent years our winter often were less severe than usual spring has been getting warmer, wetter, Bud break, blooming come sooner, the better you get stuck in the times we do not know what these. climate change which testify ?????"????.

Dr. Loosen know even Grand Cru vineyards are generating a lot of Mosel Kabinett real. "If the bottle says "Kabinett" on it, and then there is taste like traditional Riesling Kabinett of Mosel-light, racy and this is why we are going ... more and more cool than higher elevation, also outside the Grand cru vineyard, our single sites. "

Painted I need return first thing tomorrow and see if there are any left John Prüm Kabinett.

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Dinner with Chris Sarah Phelps of vineyards

26 August 2010

Rise to a few comments.Think past the old last put mother there. games destruction with blogs.

Yr. Mst Hmbl & Obct Svt was dinner with Chris Sarah Phelps vineyards from a few weeks back.

First, a shout out to V Eddie's wonderful meal. Service is amazing, very good food. Bravo!

Now, there may be no ????? Chris ring a bell with you, but, it is! This man says the chopsticks as winemaker is an understatement. Serious. You hear of a Petros? Yes, that one.He worked there. His teacher was Christian Moueix, Yes, that one small place he spent a decade called Dominus.Yes, that one. After that, he spent another ten years working with Chuck Wagner, Yes this one, at Caymus, yes it is. Oh, him the chopsticks, lamb chops for dinner.

I think it speaks to his ability. Now, to answer the second question, Joseph Phelps is a twelve-year-old nephew. This is the closest in Alaska is receiving one.

I'm worried a little before dinner.See, this man is the King of the Hill, not the same one, for winemakers. Does it mean to be a boor self absorbed over-bearing? is it going to be the district Mr. ...??

Nahhhhh ... ... jokes begin about the same moment we sit.The waiter was initially target, but to his credit he handled it gracefully. Chris easy talk.  We seem to hit it nicely. A little awkward at first few minutes went by quickly

Grigio tour is good, very good for California. Fat, on the basis of ripe (from Napa Valley fruit, Chris explained) is overlayed with the Nice minerally Santa Barbara balance from the fruit.  Quite a decent material.I loved him about as I love Grigio tour.

Marlowe is very good.Yes, you heard those words AWG play about California Merlot.Clearly, this is Chris Bordeaux heritage and training who guide him here. If more people this Merlot Napa, well, there may be a market for it again.

Access Chris Chen style, winemaking, many very knowledgable, but ... eager to learn and explore more.Terroir is very involved, of course, did not want to treat the wine to be something it is not.This guy is a wine Maker for certain wine type.

Now, another dilemma was that I am not a huge fan of Alexis Sarah days of magic.Syrah just doesn't play with taxi, Marlowe. Chris, fortunately, mimics the Syrah, Alexis 2007 I had a very nice was riff California on Bordeaux.Typical cherry tones, but a good depth jammy, Ph balance, not like licking. of internal price above ??????? over oak barrel of Frrench! Bravo! nice wine.

At the end of the evening, was transferred to the chat and off of wine, we had a great time. Unfortunately, the road warrior's schedule began to take its toll, I could see the Chris fade. without worries. I loved you ever minute of the evening.

Phelps Chris I hang with you at any time, any where.Big talent, gentleman of the humble, funny, open personality.

Great wine good peeps.

' Nuff said.

Life

Most Moshein

Wine Austin guy

Edit 9/1/2010: saxophone yesterday by email:

Hey, Rob!
Wow, thanks to the very words on our complementary wines Sarah and your words about me as well.
Evening at Eddie V went too fast, and Yes, people are inclined to get a little tired on the road, but it was a memorable evening.
Yes, I am impressed with your questions on the same night and by your wine descriptions, but I was shocked when I saw your memory! I was struck by the fact that you didn't take notes, impressed the article you put together a few weeks later. thank you for your own observations ?????????, acute, your willingness to learn and to have such a nice guy. also, special thanks for accepting our invitation for dinner, given that just lost his mother and your sister – get my condolences stands on this count.
I hope to see you sometime, Oakville or back to Austin.
All the best of Napa Valley,
Chris
Phelps Chris
Winemaker
Sarah vineyards

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I never thought would be 300 lb gorilla Lafite, but ....

21 September 2010

Well, the news is now about to manage on Fine wine of this weekend by Christie's Hong Kong is a good reason. ".

Bloomberg writes http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/09/19/bloomberg1376-l8vovh1a1i4h01-4bgcfjgke06fo0ipsih9bc743f.dtl "" ???????"??????? Laftie's wine Auctions like Hong Kong sales Boom"

They call Lafite "Godzilla" because sold each bottle, much as the highest estimates exceeded. sales prices, which are already evaluated include buyer's premium on the hammer price Christie's Web site.

These are the results for
Lafite Rothschild:
1990 $ 2000
1995 $ 1400
1996 $ 2500
1998 1500 $
2000 $ 3100
2003 $ 1800
2006 1500 $

Latour:
  90 $ 1500
95 $ 1200 
96 $ 2000
00 $ 2700
03-$ 1800

Margaux  
  $ 2200 00
03-$ 1800

  Ozone 
00 $ 2800 
03-$ 2200 

Lynch Bages
1995 $ 725

These prices are for. Oh, they're one bottle. Each. Not a joke.Cases were full of $ 20,000-$ 35,000. each.

Now, look, Svt Hmbl-Obdt Mst change here does not want to sound like my end of the old man who say "back in my day …" I remember him good going into Mercedes Beverly Hills in 1972 when he decided to move it to the top of the stunning, and hear of the lungs, the observation of a sticker, holler "twelve thousand dollars for a car!They are out of their stated ??????? ING???"

However, there is the reality of this gentle readers pricing.I bought a case of 1982 Bages Lynch on publishing in ' 84.This cost me a whopping 20 bottle. it was going to happen in 1984.Lafite was 82 50 dollars to upgrade in ' 84. now, let us put all some perspective.Also in 1984, can buy a bottle of Cabernet Jordan for 17.I bought a bottle of Dom Perignon until $ 50 in the same year 1980. my father bought a Mercedes 300 SL of 35,000 dollars, 1984.

Don't really care to know what is this a case of Lynch Bages is equal to the day, because the sheer pleasure of enjoying it over 21 years and was worth.

Now today in 2010: Jordan taxi costs $ 50.Dom Perignon $ 125, the new SL is 100,000. material, clearly, is three times more expensive now 25 years ago.Besides, all seven hundred fifty Lafite happen more often.Clearly, these are prices for ??????? Sunday are clearly exceeding the normal way of inflation over time.

It means that, unfortunately, the new reality for the vast majority of the world's wine lovers is that they simply do not ever money to buy these wines, unless they have an annuity over seven figures.They will never taste the same unless they are good friends to billionaires.

Honestly, most likely, a whole generation of new wine drinkers will never get a chance to taste the best wines in the world.Back when I was at least from the world of wine can be tasted, Lafite and Margaux and Saint Peter. ability to taste the wines "ne plus ultra" is part of wine education.You do not understand the full meaning of each wine region without tasting the best products.I had the first ??????? from a dozen times more vintages. it helps me understand the rest of the area and assess the wines.

Unfortunately, I fear, the young friends will not be easy due to the economy of this opportunity.Let's face it, very few people can afford to pay for a bottle of wine in one of the equivalent of a new car payment down to.Unfortunately, even those Americans who have already found their Cellars wines are no longer possible to open them you blame them? ... can you flush down the toilet $ 2,000, literally? back in ' 89, my business partner took part of Lafite ' 78 with us on a trip to the desert where we camp drank it off the paper cups with steaks grilled on an open fire.Awesome.I don't think that brought him wine if it exceeds the equivalent of 3000 bottle.Who was it?

As reported on Bloomberg "I can't afford to drink it," said Brian importer, who is selling DiMarco 50 lots of wine at the end of this week's Christie, including bottled 1995. Carruades de Lafite, even the wine chateau's second, that he bought at 600 case, four or five times. "

The press service of these headings, latching wine still going "wine is the jump back one", "consumers are spending more" for wine again. well, this is simply inaccurate reporting. Yes those highest end after the tender price increase of the rate of wine astronomical as Asia snaps them.

However

Genuine reality in the u.s. today is above $ 30 market remains slow, and the best I saw recently Web wine business that article title "group has $ 30 is the FASTEST growing segment of the market!"Well, to read carefully, it was reported that over $ 30 piece went from 8% to 10% of sales sales in the year 2010 course 2009. so they exultantly it was 25% increase. well, it's true in its own way, but the wine consumption ??????? percent in the United States is still under 30 bottle distracted.

I visited with my good friend and colleague John Roenigk, nice Austin wine merchant, who has time to business with the best wines in the city I showed him the prices of Bordeaux above. "My customers are not interested in "response to its instant reports how much movement is with a particular ??????? Sunday in 2007 and after the initial hype 09s of vintage, but it was dropped like a rock red hot when prices were between quotation marks."My clients buy wine, you are buying a wine "Roenigk said," but these wines have become financial investment and assist my customers are buying ... where are they buying wine. they just say no ... 71st these prices, buy something else. "Trust me, these clients have the means to pay these prices, but they refuse.

California wine "quality" are going begging, for sale at rock bottom. John said repeatedly he now be much more specific about which of them stocks, as is their market is much softer than it once once I asked him if he saw no growth on average each bottle price 2010 over 2009, he immediately said "no, no one at all."

Only after the first publishing this segment, I saw an article online http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9621 by Robert dean and Professor of smiley, emeritus of the University of California, Davis graduate school of management. "Consumers can take advantage of opportunities to advance high-quality wines to buy discount prices significantly, he said.

"There has never been a better time to be a consumer of high quality wines," smiley said noting that over the past two years the prices of wines California higher-end have declined by an average of 15-25 percent .... most participants reported that they believe that consumers continue to search for wine purchases reality, less food survey, purchase a lower-priced wines, trends also noted in a survey last year.

These and other findings show smiley from two recent surveys of wine professionals, executives at 9 Sept. 21, Tuesday, during the annual wine industry financial first Napa Valley Marriott hotel.

Glad to know genuine data to support my analysis.

So, gentle readers, not to buy into the hype, just a few very rich yet. offer cash's temples, while others buy reality. Fortunately, there are lots of good reality outside. good traders, like John Roenigk, you can always find them for their customers.

Life

Most Moshein

Wine Austin guy

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Life, was stopped by a life ...

03 June 2010

Life, life Interrupted by. …

Gentle reader, you may have noticed the absence of change Mst Hmbl & Obdt Svt here, for which I apologise. why can be classified under the category of loose "sometimes S *** happens."  Or, life, was stopped by. 

  I can only be succinct, here.  My mother died on 23 July, after a week of hospice care-House. Both inside and outside of the hospital, she was better than in actual out, for each June and most of July.She decided that she was done with the hospital's decision, she did not return to rational, clearly expressed the same to me, my sister in O ' Dark thirty hours ahead of Friday 16 July. I was on a plane and the 90210 by that evening. I never left her side a lot all next week. 

  All of its children, great grandkids baby daughter were in the House when she quietly stopped breathing another nice and pleasant Friday lunch this.  My sisters, I am sitting on her bed.That it was Comme il Faut. as it should be.  She loved the family around her.  Noise, laughter, simple teasing, good, only sounds of life around her. So it was. 

"Losing a parent one, Mr Worthing, may be considered freedom; to lose both looks like carelessness," wrote Wilde, on "the importance of being earnest." Don't have to agree, I was never less.  Instead, I was full of handling the most basic sense.  I have no regrets gentle reader. I've done all I can do, know in my heart that my mother and I all knew every day we all loved each other deeply, and I felt even though we didn't do enough for the other.

  No, losing both parents not negligence, Lady Bracknell, him, however, a more devastating submission, when only sixteen months. They were glad now. After seventy years of being together, they may bear to be away from each other during the year. Now they are back in each others arms.Is the US suffering. He is not loved them now to know the meaning of "completely" bereft.  

Therefore, the wine guy again now. trudges Inside the hole, where it was once the largest part of the huge to me. It will close over time. But he is always on.This part will always be there.

Now back to wine.Back to share it with friends, meeting new over a glass of something, and you will find in the hopes of value or my joy and great thoughts that words.

MOM wants it that way.She insisted that I was going to Bordeaux, although its time in the hospital."Go dear, please have a good time ....You've been looking forward to it for so long I'm surprised I shall be taking good care of here. "So it was then that she now yes, MOM, I have a good time to save, this is part of life. .. Comme il Faut.

We are sorry for interruption. back to Life ...

Life
Most Moshein
Wine Austin guy

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Not new, but really worth repeating.

01 October 2010

I saw a piece this morning on Huffington, about why a glass of wine a difference this makes. reminded me that even still, many people believe, or to understand that your wine glass ??????? really affect the way the wine tastes. 

  Now, I think it was a bunch of baloney, used to try to sell expensive crystal stemware.  I spent my template budget glass of Waterford Lismore.  Then, it was my first visit to the Mondavi Winery of Robert Mondavi and lifestyle itself. After Moses showed me around, he asked me if I took the challenge Riedel.  I told him not to and I don't really believe that he was working on. He called over and call, telling just before he left his Office, and call back to the "give him a challenge Riedel". Was accompanied by ????"??????" and opened a bottle of Stag leap Cab Mondavi district.  First it was poured into a glass, a typical heavy plain type found in each room in the middle of the restaurant tasting or country level.  You know the one.  A short, shallow Bowl, holds perhaps oz 8 total.  Was in the order, the wine. Then he presented in stem Cab Riedel.  The nose was very bright, alive, wine is much more complex and radiates, I couldn't believe it bottle it wine.I was free to go forth. it was in before 12 years, Waterford wine have been used since the stems. Beautiful, but useless for wine.

  There are a number of factors at play here, if you're not convinced or unknown.    First, the size and shape of the glass. A larger surface area for wine means more aroma molecules can evaporate away.  A more intense aroma molecules than the nose. Simple. This is why stemware "personal" seems much more, it's not because we drink more.  Also the glass itself. Normal glass, like cheap material or simply go grocery "bath, more" stores typically mass-my heart is part of a flashy literally. Under magnification, well seems, glass sheet.  Good, such as Riedel Crystal or Zweisel, Schott-actually a rough surface to which the microscopic level.Swirl wine by the glass and a standard is going right back to the early down the sides. swirl in stem good Crystal, you will see "feet" in which wine to the sides.  More aroma molecules! Better ... especially when it comes to wine taste.

Not all wines have the same size, or both the shape.White wines has less aroma molecules and therefore they need a smaller openings to concentrate on them, so much red they need wider opening.All these companies to produce shapes completes the features of the different varietals.

Take the challenge for yourself sometime. RIEDEL makes stems from the well, I prefer Triton Sweisel Schott because they are fragile like Reidel. often joked that I break a glass Riedel by looking at it! you, you can find a world of difference over the material you are probably using standard.

Life

Most Moshein

Wine Austin guy

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Antique day 4 AWG

Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request Translate Request has too much data Parameter name: request June 29, 2010

Wednesday: The long and Winding Road…

The wines are good. Elegant, sturdy wines, about 50-50 Merlot - Cab. Nice dark cherry tones, bright acidity and a lively modern style. I liked them all. We had a lot of fun with their "entry level" wine, call "L'Agassant" in French, meaning the "devilish" one. which we all agreed should be labelled for US markets as "Kique D'agASSac" as it was kick-ass!  At under $20 on US shelves it would do well, should it ever arrive on our side of the pond. It showed a playful bright fruit style, friendly acids and medium elegant tannins.  The Grand Vin was classic Medoc, nice rich nose of cherry and meaty earth. Solid structure, again elegant and age worthy, but pleasant enough now. Very dedicated to being sustainable and exploring Organic methods.  They are rejecting the old ways and experimenting with more modern, earth friendly techniques.

Off to Pauillac! More pouring rain, but lively chatter along the way among all the Buffs and Mutineers, Barbara and of course Charlie. Famous names are whizzing by in the rain: Lafite Rothschild with a huge crane looming over the winery as part of a major re do, Mouton Rothschild, sadly the Comtesse was in Paris so an impromptu and unannounced courtesy visit was not recommended by Charlie.  A brief break in the weather as we pull up to…

Château Margaux! Just a brief minute for a few photos. Ahh Margaux…Sadly no time (nor more saliently no appointment) for degutastion. Now every Chateau road sign is a familiar name…  We pull into the hamlet of Bages, long neglected and restored to storybook charm by the Cazes family. Lunch at Lavinal, the restaurant owned by the Cazes family and next door to Lynch-Bages itself. Fellow Wine Buff Rebecca Chapa and yr mst hmble & Obdt have a cheese course at LavinalA lively bustling place where we have a lovely and brief (by French standards, only about an hour and 20 min) lunch. 

Off again, to Ch. Fleur la Mothe. in Pauillac.  Greeted by Henri Boyer one of the trio of professional consulting oenologists who bought the property in 2008, and are now making their own wines. Henri Boyer and Austin Wine Guy
Another small property, perhaps 13 hectares. They are quite dedicated to the terroir and the vineyard has both the hilly, quartz, gravel, sandy soils which are perfect for Cabernet and some clay lower plots where Merlot thrives best.
This is NOT the photo Ian took. That one is MUCH better. Again, the vision of dedicated vine work all year long, with less needed during the winemaking process itself.  The wines are quite nice. Dark, rich, nice earthy tones and cherry fruits, a racy acidity and elegant tannins. These would also be a hit, if available here, which to our consternation they are not. Another sad moment when kind M. Boyer offers me a bottle to take home.  I am now cursing the day I decided to pack my soft sided folding suit bag instead of a hard shell suitcase. DAMMIT.  Ian, the Mutineer and epic (a new word I learned on the trip; it means really great) photographer. grabs me and we go off into the barrel chaise for some pictures. The dramatic lighting and rows of barrels are a perfect backdrop.  He takes one of the best pictures of me ever, I hate pictures of myself usually. This one is the best I've seen in 20 years. Sadly, I don't yet have a copy.

Back down again to Pauillac for our ne plus ultra visit at Lynch Bages. The most slick, modern and elegant place we visited, of course.  Also, while the most interesting wine wise, was also the least "fun".  There was zero personal connection here. The young lady giving us the tour had only been working there since September.  She couldn't really answer our more technical questions. She was most professional and courteous, yet, well, it lacked the "sympa" of elsewhere.  The old winery from 1855 is a museum.  Mutineer Ian doing some cool shots there with the ancient equipment and we Buffs.  Off to the tasting.  OK, this part is epic (see, Alan, I'm learning).  A clean glass for each of the 11 of us for each of the Five wines we tasted. My inner man started doing its "happy dance", well I guess the outer man did as well, Barbara noticed!  How bad can life be with a bottle of Lynch Bages '01 in one hand and the '09 in the other?

What's not to like about Lynch-Bages? It is always a great quality wine. Supple, rich but never heavy. Signature dried cherry tones and great acids. Fabulous depth but never leaden on nose or palate. The 09s, well, sadly, live up to the hype and press. Worth the money? Well, the 1st tranche release prices are $150 per bottle in the US, expect it even higher later. They are great wines, They should cellar well and be great to drink around 2015 or so.  I find it hard to get really excited by wines over $125 max, as the huge increase in price delivers only a minimal increase in sheer quality. The first growth prices will hover around $1000 per bottle when they hit the US market. I suspect only investment bankers and billionaires will be buying most of them. The great news is that there will be hundreds of smaller chateaux who also produced killer wines (read as "epic" for the younger crowd) which will be $20. THESE are the wines you should be looking for. As I said to one winemaker, "every idiot and his brother made great wine in 2009.  The real skill is making great wine in a difficult vintage."  Now, the hype and over inflated prices will, as a result, make the 2008 and 2007 vintages much more affordible. Invest your money in the better producers who still made really good wines in these overlooked vintages and you will have a much better bargain than the high profile 2009 wines. Don't always buy into the price hype of upper tier Bordeaux in superior vintages. Great wineries always make great wines year in and year out!

Next stop was up to St. Estephe, to Chateau Serilhan. A family property, who's current owner was a Corporate executive in the US and Europe, who inherited the place. Didier Marcelis is a direct, engaging man, with a clear sales pitch.  He is not the winemaker, nor does he tend the vineyards.  He does market the wines and oversees the production to his standards. He makes no bones at all about trying to design a "Parker Palate Pleaser" and is clearly focused on pleasing Robert Parker and James Laube's palates to earn high scores to boost his sales and hopefully his price. I appreciated his honesty, and blunt statement of his mission. His wines weren't my style, no big surprise. They were a hit with the Californians among us. Again no great surprise.  They were overdone, dense and woody. He is not "my" kind of wine guy. He does, however, reflect a large part of Bordeaux today. A fact which I can't escape, nor can I disparage it.  I don't like it, but the reality is there.  I did rather like his Art Deco labels, which I found a refreshing and elegant departure from the "classic" Chateau engraving and Roman Type face labels.  I actually liked him as a person, clearly intelligent, funny, and passionate in his own way.  It was a classy touch to hold the tasting in the dining room of his house instead of the winery across the street.

He graciously hosted us for dinner. We drove up to the northern most tip of the Medoc to a lovely spot on the Gironde (la Riviere). p La Maison du Douanier is a modern style, glass walled cosy place. We all had wished the rainy weather had cleared so we could enjoy the rolling lawn overlooking the Estuary.  Wonderful food and wines, yet another great meal. Poor April just about lost it with laughter.  Seriously, tears rolling down her face for a good ten full minutes.  It was that kind of meal.

Off into the late evening darkness back down to Saint Estephe for an overnight at Chateau Pomys.  A rambling 17th century Chateau which had once been the hunting lodge of the Seigneur d'Estournel and part of the larger property where Cos d'Estournel winery still stands, sans a chateau proper.  There is talk, we heard, of Cos reuniting the two together.  Arriving around midnight, we find that we Buffs, Barbara and Andrew from Creative Feed, and Mutineers are the only guests.  Yep, ten people alone in a three story Chateau/hotel, overnight.  Now "if" some people had decided to explore out into the darkness, they "might" have found a way to break into the ancient stone tower and they "could" have clambered up to the top. Now, I was the reasonable one, heading to bed instead of staying up all night drinking wine and rowdy horseplay in the darkness. Ok, that's partly because I couldn't FIND the others, but also, the responsible elder in me was dead tired.  I don't recover from an all night drunk as easily as the 20 somethings.  However, it WAS hilarious to hear the next morning that Mutineer Alan was throwing rocks at a third floor room who's lights were on trying to get their attention.  Alan's room was next to mine, so I revealed that he was throwing rocks on the windows of his OWN empty room!  It was that kind of night.

And so to bed, while the frogs croaked in the darkness, and the occasional scream of Megan's from jumping spiders breaking the bucolic night.

Cheers,
Rob Moshein
Austin Wine Guy

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Negligent killing harmful. Alternatively, open this bottle.

31 August 2010

So, today, change Mst Hmbl & Obdt Svt here was talking with bud, which, naturally enough asked about the past of a mother, I started to describe related material. the process of cleaning the House. 

Aaron Hall was filled with bottles of wine. Seriously about 50 bottles there.This was my father refused to open a material that "it was too good" for each event I suggested we pop something. Although rarely was allowed to test all of this. "Stay out of my old man good wine "Yelp me. "Here to go to the store and buy something 20 with dinner …" 

Old my sister gave me, logically, the task of going through all this, to see if something was worth keeping.  Initially, it was a fucking old just seriously. Zinfandel Sutter Home from 1972.  Martini Louis Chardonnay 1966. I wondered if half the winery you may want to bottle their Museum. Red mouton Cadet from 1968 …. I laughed. Then, the Chateau Bellgrave ' 59, birth Cru Classe ... My great, but the bottle was filled with 2/3, the label was torn, stained.What was this crime should go to waste. three bottles of Chassagne Montrachet 1982 were dark brown … six bottles of Grand Cru classified estate single German Rieslings from axis very beautiful ' 76, that even the heat than Chassagne.I started to tear. By the end of the hour or more, only a few things were salvageable bottles of Dom Perignon vintage years some very fine cognac.

I was even more depressed. " What a waste "was that can think like a sister poured down batters Brown head … kitchen sink bowls were missed experiences. Joys of these wines are good was lost forever. They went from "a" on my good wine from the negligence of garbage, harmful.

  There's instinct to hoard "age" the best wine.I know, I do it to myself. However, the old cellars days of Grand Cru Burgundy, Bordeaux Cru to rests gently for 20 and more years ago are simply not viable part of today's lifestyle. Sure I reduce the large bottles of year ten.  I have a bottle of 82 vintage port has a date of 2012 opening. But I learned the importance of enjoying my great wines are a bit younger. But I say, "Wow, this is good but were left years!" than "so should I opened this five years ago ..."

My bud Roenigk John at Austin wine merchant and had lunch last week, I brought along a bottle of Santenay 2000. He said "Wow, I never got to be older wines. Any attempt to both recent vintages. Its really have forgot what like to drink wine is older. I think I lost my taste for it. "I was a little stunned, but it makes sense that includes of course.

This is, after all, it is expensive to hold the wine for ten years. I still believe that is one worth to try to put five or six bottles per year for special events in the future.Let's face it, pulling out of the wine year of birth is a member of its last 30 birthday was very cool.This is one of the reasons why I love the Curmudgeon whose basement wine Paul joy of sharing it with me his.Just remember that you need to make the optimal storage: cool dark as possible, stable temperature, humidity of the stable.

So, don't get caught in vintage or hype.Do Bordeaux 2009 vintage "great". preparations. There was, I had the same taste.This means that the 2008 and 2007 and in 2006 are "bad"?No, not just but very beautiful Symphony ???????? vintages. but the real question is, are they worth the extra 50% 2009s price above prices for Chateaux it from the previous few years not in my opinion?. price vs. quality is important, and carry its own upcoming blog.

Meanwhile,

Drink up Austin. drink until the gentle reader wherever you are. not to kill the harmful negligence wine.

Life

Most Moshein
Wine Austin guy

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This summer, have a drink .... Riesling!

Reach for a bottle of wine enthusiasts the most when the rise of temperatures of Riesling (and many other for that matter), and when I ask a grape for the summer, who preferred knows a grape the fortunately responding-Riesling. Unfortunately, this is just the answer to those familiar with diversity. Grape poor. It often so expounded!

Riesling can converse sickly sweet pictures up, low quality wine, but it is a noble Riesling grapes and making wine has been for centuries. Is one of the only white wine varieties can perform very age worthy wines, as well as some of the most highly sought after sweet wines.Perhaps this is why sweet Riesling too often seems that the pair. but what many don't realize is that most are actually dry Rieslings.

Riesling has high high pH aromatics-two features perfect for drinking water in the summer, as well as for food pairing wines worth what you try to help you with tasty world Rieslings? here are some suggestions.

You like dry, mineral-driven wines, such as New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Chile, Grigio tour
Try these wines-Australian Rieslings show intense aromatics of lime, stone fruit and mineral notes. very sharp, very dry. We love Pewsey Vale (sale of 9.99 now in WineShopper) as it is the largest value that displays these properties. Look for great Clare Valley Riesling examples, Eden Valley.

You love white wines and blends like Conundrum ????? or development
Try the State of Washington Rieslings. these wines ??????? pH, but with a little fruit to train, riper, occasionally a touch of sugar the residual sum of squares, but usually with very end are served.We love Eroica (even served as a wedding!), Kerem Wallula Pacific Rim (made with biodynamnic agriculture methods).Eroica has a little more sugar the residual sum of squares, while Pacific Rim has a touch of fuel (this is a good thing) that it emits ???? served a little.As I taste Rieslings from Carmel, I learned how to perfect this area is a grape.And checking the status of Washignton – as well as Oregon-stellar they divide Riesling.

You like sweet wine
One reason is the Riesling is so good as an excellent sweet indigestion. German Rieslings are probably the way to go for the sweet side, although Austria other areas are excellent Alsace. search terms such as Spatlese and Auslese on label, indicating the residual sum of squares is a little more sugar (usually) Maximin Grunhauser and JJ are producers fantastic Prum. many others, that some research.

For more information, read take of Alma to read a label should certainly Riesling!.

This summer, try the Riesling grape. This is varied, and be part of the match your style!
Please share your Favorites.

Diamond Creek Shines

For those who live in the Gulf: lucky you are. We have already passed since the freeze last year. Every day I pray that the forecast to predict how a ray of sunshine can make it through fog. This week, short sleeves and I gambled on I got lucky. She is beautiful, I'm reminded 81 degrees of a hot day in July when its doors open Diamond Creek, invited me to his house is open. It was all very exciting, signing up for a mailing list, I received a password ?????? participate in their open house parking, ah … the feeling of permissions.

Long wine enthusiasts know about Diamond Creek, but for some reason it remains relatively unknown gem. I was very excited to see the vineyards storied three closely. Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon produces exclusively, do so since 1968. 3 only single vineyard wines are produced each year, each one with a stain of Petit Verdot, are: Pebble pastures, Red Rock Terrace, volcanic Hill. Although located in Napa, Napa County, California, these taxis.These are the Bordeaux, with late in Al Brounstein and sweet talked his way into several cuttings Premier cru, antique personally flew them (also known as smuggling) into California.

 After swimming 3 all their Lakes (nerve-hoo!), I made my way to barrel tasting 2008. Let me walk you though the barrel samples in three words: Dy-no-??????. Like fine wines, vintage 2007, these are for age. In ascending order of strength, it goes from Red Rock Terrace Pebble pastures, finally, the tremendous volcanic Hill. Completely self-explanatory names and describe these literally three vineyards. Each individual vineyard, all threw stones at the actual next.As the world's largest taxi, black fruit, spices, deep muscle tannins Earth balance with pH as a basis to give grace elegance.Bombs oak and fruit need apply. Although these are worthy wine cellar, pastures Pebble 2007, even still be published 2008 vintage can be uncorked, if only to realize how great like babies they even give you some perspective., picnics and other were uncorking bottles from 70 's and 80 's to the enjoyment of our hosts.

It seems that he was going to be another hot day tomorrow, maybe not, but these day Diamond Creek lakes are wished for next year's Open House.

Week Cabernet at WineShopper

When we come to the last day of the week, I thought WineShopper Cabernet that may be useful to mention some of the wines we're here & why can't these fantastic deals, but also wonderful wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon-no lie is not my favorite grape. I usually prefer champagne, Burgundy or dark tour over white Cab, but certainly there are times and places for this bottle age-style worthy of good wine and complex.

Fun facts: Cabernet Sauvignon
-Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a cross between Cabernet franc (father) and Sauvignon Blanc (mommy). family of parenting-certainly explains the name!
Grape-PIP has a high "to a" relative of chewing the bitter, which equals high ration of the skin to "juice".Since the skins of Cabernet Sauvignon has such a high, phenolics, concentrated wine with tannins, this leads to high, worthy of the age.
-Cabernet Sauvignon is a grape most of Lebanon, where ?????? Chateau Musar (not the area where screech Cabernet wine, much less) makes the collectible wines.

This week, some gems that you offer at WineShopper we include:

Cabernet Sauvignon Kenwood Jack London-year after year this is one of my favorite wines. This is one of the best California Cabernets. price? price WineShopper week only $ 17.99.

Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon-always a value, but especially value in $ 12.99. yahoo. good under 15 likes taxi! Yes, Chateau Ste Michelle is large, but their wines are consistent, this is perfect for every day that Cab or food chain to sips on its own.

Stay tuned for the deal Friday-Mt Veeder is a Pearl!

In the case of six bottles

The other night my husband and I open half a bottle of champagne Lanson black label. I love ????? and glass every night, but sometimes (even with good champagne stopper), it is difficult to maintain this bottle. With half a glass bottle, we (in our very large glass/flutes) as aperitif or begin the meal, then transfer to the Red or white.

In France, a few years ago we had 3 or 4 days in red wine. most restaurants we had a list of the extensive, half-bottle ?????????? us as we are both red and white without overdoing it (by our standards) or spending too much, because each was exactly half a bottle half price wine bottle full of it.

 We can only excited by lists half a bottle a larger restaurants or shops. Why they are so rare? The production side, it is because only half bottles are costly to produce approximately 750 from? Is it because they are difficult to sell? On the consumer, can you find half-bottles in the pool? The restaurant? Most half-bottles that I see are sweet wines (some of which are available only at half a bottle) shining.Perhaps because those smaller quantities drunk.At wine.com, we have 60 wines in half a bottle of our 21 (about 30%) are still wines, dry (no, not dessert). we, like the online store, half-bottle shipment will occur no less (or space saving) than full-bottle shipment. but it is not, why not have a high-demand consumers won't like distributor. told me a few days, consumers ask for the half-bottles at a lack of diversity, but when they display the options, customers continue to buy bottles filled. in other words, customers require, but will not work when the opportunity presents itself, but was certainly! with a good selection of bottled wine, half the price of a bottle half full I enjoyed drinking much more than two different wines above my meal than be stuck with one. However, it's probably better off with more solid repository buying bottles as someone worked ?????., I can't see half-bottles as popular shops like restaurant-although they are perfect for a pregnant woman to have partners who have open bottles! half when I was pregnant.

Question on Twitter (what do you think the half bottles?), the responses were positive towards them, and most want a larger variety of not loving the premiums-also called, are not always half full bottle price Seresin estate (some Noir Blanc-the best tour of New Zealand Sauvignon) said that you are only starting to make half-bottles can jump at the opportunity ... to invite their half bottle like restaurant inspires passion SB and red for the main meal, but again, only if it was half full-bottle price.

Love to hear other opinions about half bottles of producers, traders, consumers-why we see more of them?

Chardonnay from Oregon is crazy good

Living the Carmel gives me access to the Willamette Valley wine country, after live here for over a year already, I say ... I visited twice. Yes, this is sad. I blame it on my travel, travel with a baby (who is now the toddler). It is simply not happened near ?? frequently. Fortunately, the visit of a friend last week was the impetus to get us out, up to several wineries. Instead of dragging you on each visit, we tasted, I'm going to do what I want to take a tasty-in other words, preventing Chardonnay Oregon.

We visited Adelsheim, where we tasted through order in their new tasting room and beauty (the best bathroom ever!). But I would always be a fan of their tour of gray and noir Reserve tour of Elizabeth, I came away like their Chardonnay, too. But I know many people who dislike this comparison, it was really the Burgundian style-??????? round, but crisp and light on the palate.Made with 100% rubber and not Dijon malo lactic fermentation when the wine was bottled driven, yet textured. 's peculiarity.

At this point I love Chardonnay, but swooning. Until you reach Shea. Hands down, my favorite wine was their Chardonnay.And be honest, we taste some wine barrel of astonishing that day but I couldn't hold back Chardonnay – Oregon best Chardonnay was ever be tasted, one of the best Chardonnays had tasted (at least). Also already liked the offers from Argyle (Chardonnay Nuthouse excellent) and Domaine Drouhin, but has been a while since I already had these, I just see so many more gray of Oregon tour.

Why aren't more people talk about Oregon Chardonnay?Maybe I'm missing it they. Yes, gray tour can be delicious, but when you think about the climate of Oregon, is the ability to create amazing tour Noir, why are we so often think of grey Burgundy tour instead of Chardonnay?, Carneros, Russian River-most large areas make tour Noir is also wonderful as Chardonnay. every area, are part of the Chardonnay is not worth the effort, but the potential here I think is stellar.

So when it comes to white wine of Oregon, you and towards what and why?

Patriotic Bottles

This week the fourth of July we again, like the history major, I like to think of our founding fathers around this time. As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I'm quite partial to fun facts and comments about Thomas Jefferson. But I don't agree with everything he has done a politician or even a person, there's no denying his creative mind and complex character. In addition to the fact that that is what many of you love to read the first wine connoisseur of our nation-or at least, the best known.

But it is not the only who enjoy wine and other lethal potables. During the colonial days, alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, spirits, were healthier than drinking water. Water contained bacteria, can be dangerous for human health more than alcohol.Therefore, when this is the case, the best to find a signature drink! here are some of the favorite of several tipples founding fathers.

George Washington: Madeira preferred drink can tell him, and he was actually one of the most in drinks available colonies (countries), as it was difficult to ship wine Europe abroad without spoilage.But Washington ran well on all of its property to the distillery at Mount Vernon. in fact, it was the country's largest whiskey distillery in the 18th century. Granted, was built in 1797, but it can claim this title!

John Adams: again, Madeira was this second preferred for President, but he enjoyed the cider and beer. Cider is difficult, it is.As Ambassador to France, he is also a wine fair share, but it was not known to indulge in quite such as Benjamin Franklin as hew when.

Thomas Jefferson: wine, of course! not only is the famous chateaux collect wine, Bordeaux is also tried planting grapes in its European real estate Virginia.Although this experiment will not take back then, it certainly is now improving industry amp wine is its yearly. several chateaux favorite antique include Chateau Haut and Chateau d'yquem. He was a man of expensive taste ...

Like to know what Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry loved to drink, but does not seem to find out a lot of research on what you know about our other founding fathers-drinks and their?

Rembrandt versus screw cap debate moves to environmental

New wine and new related delivered this week to 22 million dollar marketing campaign by the Cork industry.  First, press release from 100%, a sharp rise of cork.org ???????? fans on their Facebook page-15,000-confirming their preference for natural cork. The second I read the story, from the UK Telegraph, touted the end of the cork forests and destruction of Iberian Lynx in consumer use of screw cap (and logistical plastic) over a natural cork. They also argued that the consumer's desire for comfort, led to the rise of logistical plastic screw caps instead of the fact that the faulty Cork can be closed (more on that later).

A bit surprised to read these as I thought when he decided to fight back the Cork industry, are some of the new industry practices to Herald to reduce the occurance of the smell of the Cork. but nobody was talking about it as a reason to prefer Cork ... instead they told consumers demand natural cork to keep Lynx members ... wait, what?

The first article, from the UK's Telegraph, titled: "screw cap wine blamed for the loss of forest, a new campaign to revive the traditional" with Cork, claiming that the sub heading "fashion for CAP screw in the stand wines is destroying forests, could lead to one of the rare species of the world, the wildcats say ecologists."Umm, you say scare tactic? I'm all in favor of conserving the environment, I continue to purchase wines with getting (who am I to do when I need), but I'm certainly not going to require a quarantine until something is done to solve the problem of traffic jam.

I know that getting they take less energy to produce, it is easier to recycle, are much more volatile and Earth friendly. also I aware of cork forests are the natural wildlife and integral care to contribute to their destruction. But be it buy a bottle of wine ordered by a screw is actually doing just that ... well, it is just plain stupid. The blog of Dr. Vino voted yesterday that fact in a much more fun ...

Depending on the quality of the wine screw caps was the result of a poor quality of TCA, getting the virus or smell the Cork. Some say the movement to close letters began to Australia, New Zealand, as newer wine regions, they were getting into the bottom barrel was more problems with TCA. Why Cap screw, widely adopted by winemakers wishing to maintain their wine, and increasingly already adopted by the consumer. I seriously doubt, as the article claims, they have adopted it in Britain for the sake of convenience only.

If you look at the numbers, the Cork industry claims that tca is 1-2 percent, while getting all other estimates range from 1 percent to 15 percent, extreme difficult ... too, because the individual threshold for TCA. My husband and I are very sensitive to the cork taint and sadly one out of every 12 bottles that we open the corked. This is a one anyway. Not all consumers find, usually because they cannot identify a corked wine Cork-optimized, and the sequence in its lowest wine can only be moderate and not just that they think customers ?????? you drink a bottle of wine.Fed with winemakers, wineries receives the product, the consumer is not that they would put the bottle turned alternative logistical.

Now, I'm not a fan of getting synthetic.Know their own problems, have a screw caps, but what other industry that lets you know, 5% of the mean (and I'm figuring my low here ????????) failure of its products?When you buy your wine, you should be assured that what you get is what you mean Winery winemaker or for you.I understand that the wine is something alive and development changes ???????. but changes from Cork Wine does not always improve. sometimes they destroy it.

I highlight of our part to be green and to protect the environment and wildlife, but I am disappointed at the Cork industry method of promoting their product instead of a warning to consumers. since they are they destroy the ecosystem when selecting wines are not ended on natural cork, how about telling us what they have done in a solution to the problem of TCA. this first and then we can move on to save the planet.