Wine, Grapes & Vineyards Thread

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

By the way I love cheese too. And yogurt. Now do you want to get into a discussion of just how to make THAT stuff? Dont be afraid of the truth. And never let it inhibit your enjoyment of what you truly say is liquid art (be it wine or beer or scotch or whatever). I love good wine. How its made is just a funny little fact.

To see how wine is made, please refer to:

http://www.eresonant.com/pages/histo...inemaking.html

Thank you. Oh, and BTW - as stated in the opening of this thread, one thing not allowed here is arguing. NO ARGUMENTS ALLOWED. Now don't argue with me about it.

*grits teeth, 'don't challenge I.Rex about how come he thinks I'm afraid of the truth, don't do it, don't do it Lotesse, grrrrr'*

[Insidious Rex]

I know how its made since Ive made it.

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Thank you. Oh, and BTW - as stated in the opening of this thread, one thing not allowed here is arguing. NO ARGUMENTS ALLOWED. Now don't argue with me about it.

oh were we arguing? I thought this was just contradiction.

[Lotesse]

This is the South African Chard I was mentioning earlier. Its the BOMB, its really, really good stuff.

[Butterbeer]

well snowdog if you are going to give wine a try again, after spew-manti, i wouldn't take lotesse's advice (heh - who's arguing?? ) ... and try an expensive one ... for one thing like beer and scotch it's kinda an aquired taste...and anyway appreciating the expensive stuff takes a bit of time and a pallete ...

really depends if you want a refreshing white or a red?

If it's red .. try a beaujolais ... light, undermanding but very drinkable ...

course wine is aas much how and where you drink it and what you eat with it ... for example i like red when listening to jazz ...

for a decent white try a well chilled Chablis ... not to pricey ...

*takes a swig of stella larger ... no one tell Lotesse!*

heh i'm gonna pop out and get a white (no real choice down the local shop though)

BB

[Lotesse]

Actually, Butterbeer's right - a good Beaujolais IS a fantastic starter red. Beaujolais-Villages, or Gamay Beaujolais. Or Champagne, good champers is great! At least this modish chick seems to think so...

O.K., I changed the big pic 2 a link 4 all you big-pic haters out there.

http://data.over-blog.com/lib/1/1/36...694265752.jpeg

[Butterbeer]

slightly off-topic ... but wonders about Lotesse's search engine ... blimey it must be good ... i use coppernic professional myself ...

ahem ... the chances of BB going off at a tangent?

I like sancerre too, by the way. Whaddya reckon to it?

[Andúril]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Vergelegen

Very nice place. Went for tasting there once upon a time.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

It definitely comes with a poetic name. Vergelegen... pretty. Almost tolkienesque.

[Lotesse]

I know, Huh! It DOES sound Tolkienesque.

Here's some info 4 U, Butterbeer et al, about Loire Valley whites like Sancerre:
http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/wines_loire.htm
Sancerre's a lot like Sauvignon Blanc, but better. Ah, well, I'm short on flowery speech right now, my day at the beach kinda made me sleepy.

Here's a Sancerre that Wine Spectator rated highly, so it must be good. It looks reasonably priced, too, but this review is dated a year ago, so that price could be a heck of a lot higher by now, especially if there was a run on it due to its high rating, depending on how available it was and how much of it was imported.

================================================== ========
PHILIPPE RAIMBAULT Sancerre Apud Sariacum 2003 (89 points, $21)

Plump and forward, with peach and pear flavors atop modest hints of citrus peel and herbs. With patience, flint and herb notes emerge more on the finish. Solid for the vintage but I prefer the '02 versions for their verve and balance. Drink now. 3,000 cases made. From France.

--James Molesworth
================================================== ========

This is what their label looks like:


And here's a bunch of info about this family's Sancerre:

The SANCERROIS is a marvellous region with many slopes. It goes from the south of ORLEANS to the LOIRE slopes, and benefits from a moderate microclimate. The RAIMBAULT PINEAU family's vineyard is located on clayey and chalky soils. The vinification is traditionally carried out, the fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats and the preservation occurs in a wonderful cellar located in the commune of SURY en VAUX.

TASTING
Intense, complex and elegant nose, with floral and citrus fruits flavours. Round, soft, and vigorous. Intense bouquet with floral and citrus fruits flavours.

DRINKING
As a young wine, it pairs perfectly with shellfish, fish or goat cheese. Temperature : 8 to 10°C.

[Lotesse]

This is a map of France that shows Sancerre, but also of interest to off-topickers like I.Rex and Lief is that you can see on this map little towns and areas that produce other beautiful stuff. There's Limoges, a porcelain producing town famous for it's Limoges crystal & dishes and figurines and stuff, then there's Dijon from whence comes that "pardon me do you have any grey poupon" mustard; there's Vichy where I assume Vichyssoise comes from (vichyssoise is cold potato 'n' leek soup if you wanna know). There's Grenoble, where the world's best chickens come from, Cherbourg like Cherbourg cheese, there's Bordeaux - home of the planet's finest red wine. Of course, it shows the Champagne district. Ummm.... well that's all I can think of right now to point out here on this map.

[Lotesse]

Australian and New Zealand wines. Now, both of these countries produce a dizzying array of outstanding wines, I mean I could go on and on here, but I won't right just yet. I'll just start by mentioning Penfold's Grange to represent Australia.



NOTE: The following reviews were not written by me, they're taken from Wine Spectator.

Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange 1994
96 / $165
A magnificent edifice of a wine, elegant and refined in structure but dripping with plum, black cherry, blackberry, anise, pepper and exotic spices. Lingering finish.


And for New Zealand, I'll use Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc



...about which Wine Spectator says this:

"Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2001 (91, $26) is another dazzling version of New Zealand's most famous wine. It absolutely brims with lime, green apple, passion fruit and guava flavors, which linger effortlessly on the polished, vibrant finish. It's a benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc, not just in New Zealand but the world. "

[Lotesse]

Australian Shiraz grapes look like this:


New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc grapes look like this:

[Lotesse]

For Butterbeer, a yummy Beaujolais-Villages from Georges DuBoeuf that consistently pleases. The Fleurie region is so named because its wines are described as smelling of flowers, hence the name Fleurie. They really do, too, its uncanny.

[Andúril]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

It definitely comes with a poetic name. Vergelegen... pretty. Almost tolkienesque.

I reckon you'd be one of the few on this board able to pronounce it correctly.

[Andúril]

Originally Posted by Andúril

Very nice place. Went for tasting there once upon a time.

Some pics of that area. It's about a half hour drive. I'm having lunch nearby on Sunday.

[Lotesse]

About Vergelegen in Stellenbosch, South Africa:

PO Box 17, Somerset West, 7129 South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)21 847 1334
Website: www.vergelegen.co.za

" This class line up confirms that Vergelegen is one of the very best producers in South Africa. Part of the diamond and mining operation Anglo American, they were already doing pretty well when they signed superstar winemaker Andre Van Rensberg from Stellenzicht in 1998. Since then, progress has been onwards and upwards. The estate has just over 100 ha of vines (that's a reasonable size), the first of which were planted in 1989. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality (in the UK they range from £6.49 to £14), and most of these are available in either Oddbins or Sainsburys.

Sauvignon Blanc 2000
Modern 'boiled sweets' nose is rich and ripe; the palate is very rich and rounded, with good concentration. Very good

Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (cask sample)
A super effort. The nose is really lively, with a fresh, green, gooseberry-laced character. The palate is bright and intense, with great concentration. Very good/excellent

Chardonnay 2000
100% barrel fermented, 50% new oak, aged in barrel for 7 months. Another super effort. The lovely, rich nutty nose shows toasty oak. The palate is intense, with rich, ripe fruit. Very attractive: rich and spicy. Very good/excellent "


Here's another, more recent review:


" Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Western Cape, South Africa.
Listed by Sainsbury's for £7.99.
This wine was selected to accompany a recipe from Nigel Slater's new book as detailed in the latest Observer Food Monthly; the dish is the Courgette and Lancashire cheese crumble. The food was rather a good match for a fine, mineral-boned Sauvignon such as this one. The green-grassiness complemented the courgettes in the dish; the crisp acidity cut through the cheese. Elderberry and green peppers add to the complexity. Alcohol 13%. "

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Andúril

I reckon you'd be one of the few on this board able to pronounce it correctly.

*feels special*

[Lotesse]

That's Marilyn Merlot; a consistently yucky tasting wine that is a major collector's item, because of the labels which always feature a different depiction of Marilyn Monroe. The labels ARE always gorgeous, but then again how can one go wrong with Marilyn Monroe??. I owned a couple bottles of this merlot aeons ago, but ended up drinking them one day in a depressed funk looking for a wine buzz. How stupid was that, because those bottles are really worth money to collectors.

ABOUT MERLOT:

(This following article taken from Epicurious magazine)

Merlot is a great place to begin, because it's a very easy red to appreciate. The flavors that most Merlots present to the palate are generally less demanding than those of other red varietals, so they can go with a wide range of foods. Merlot's qualities include soft tannins, plummy fruit, and a generous mouth-filling quality.

With a plethora of Merlots on the market, it's not a difficult wine to find. The real trouble is to find a truly outstanding Merlot. Many of them share in a middle-of-the-road style that's designed to offend no one, with the result that they have little real character. Yet, Merlot is the primary grape in some of the world's best and most expensive wines, such as the astronomically priced Château Pétrus in Bordeaux and the magnificent Masseto in Tuscany. The best-made domestic versions nowadays can approach these premier wines in complexity and depth.

Merlot grapes look like this:

[Lotesse]

NOTE: This review written by wine columnist Sandra Silfven, not moi! Although the reason why I picked Duckhorn to feature here is because I've had plenty of it, and I can attest to the fact that Duckhorn makes some of the best California merlot money can buy.



2001 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard, $78

-- October 26, 2004
There is wine, and there is Wine. And this is Wine. Three Palms Vineyard is a classic for Duckhorn, and the 2001 is a powerhouse. It's the color of ink, and as dense as ink. Aromas are concentrated ripe cherries, sage, mint and chocolate. The flavors are strawberries, raspberries and earth. It makes you feel a little humble that a fruit such as a grape can produce a natural product such as this. You don't have to look to France for Merlot with a wine such as this one. It makes you appreciate the gem America has in Napa Valley.

[Lotesse]

Well, dear mooters, time for a little bubbly. Shall we? I don't know about you all, but SOMEthing's gotta cheer me up tonight, and there's nothing like good champagne to put giggles back into my vocabulary of emotion! You'd have to be constructed of steel with toilet paper for a soul, not to be happily affected by the powers of a proper champagne.

FLEURY PERE ET FILS - Brut champagne

Fleury Pere et Fils makes organic Champagnes, now called bio-dynamic. The brut is 80 percent Pinot Noir and 20 percent Chardonnay and has a serious, meaty flavor, without harshing out your palette. Intense yet charming, this champagne caresses your tastebuds with a strong yet unassuming flower-like softness, without getting one bit sweet. Not too many champagnes manage to be able to pull this off so well. The Fleury Pere et Fils I have shown you all here is what I got to enjoy a couple months ago, when my man threw me a delightful little impromptu party, and I'll tell ya, this stuff is WAY, way tastier than the famous Dom Perignon, and about appx. $40 / £65 less per bottle. MY GOD, it was good! And I am a harsh and ruthless judge when it comes to champagne, I've tried SO many champagnes, from astronomical to affordable, from literally ancient to super-nouveau, so...

Oh, and THIS is very, very important: always drink your champagne from a flute, never those ridiculous cat-dish saucers. And hold the glass by its stem, so the heat of your hand doesn't flatten your bubbly's bubbles. This is a Riedel flute you see here. Riedel is THE world's foremost wine stemware maker, and if you can afford to, and you take your wine uber-seriously like I do, its really worth the investment to get yourself Riedel glasses! For real.





NOTE: The following below has been copied from Dan Miller's website Cellarnotes.com; it is his writing, not mine.


The Champagne Region is located in northeastern France (about 1 1/2 hours from Paris by train or car) and is the home of sparkling wine. The soil in the best vineyards of the Champagne Region is mostly of the same white, chalky clay that forms the white cliffs of Dover on the English Channel. The only three legal grape varieties for Champagne are Chardonnay (for delicacy), Pinot Noir (for power) and Pinot Meunier. Champagnes go through an initial fermentation in tanks that form a very acidic still wine. Next the wine is put through a second fermentation in an individual bottle. The CO2 that is formed during this second fermentation is trapped in the bottle and over a period of time is forced into solution with the wine. The longer that Champagne ages in the cellars, the tinier the bubbles.

Champagne comes in a variety of sweetness levels. By far the most popular is a style know as 'Brut' which is fermented to dryness. In North America, a slightly sweeter type know as Extra Dry has a substantial market share. There are dryer (Natural, Savage) and sweeter versions (demi-sec, doux) of Champagne that are produced, but they represent very tiny segments.


There are other sparkling wines produced in many countries around the world but none of them are entitled to be called Champagne. That name is reserved only for sparkling wines that are produced in the Champagne Region of France and that have been produced in line with very specific and strict practices (AOC regulations). Only in the United States are you likely to see other sparkling wines labeled as Champagne. The United States does not have a treaty with France restricting such practices. The producers of the best sparkling wines in the U.S.A. usually avoid the term, Champagne. The less expensive and lower quality sparkling wines in the U.S.A. tend to play off the 'Champagne' designation to drive their sales. Sparkling wines from Italy are called "Spumante" while sparkling wines from Germany are known as "Sekt".

- Dan Miller, CellarNotes



Here are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, together:

Here's the Champagne region: