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The Official Wine Thread - Page 675

post #10111 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post


I agree with this 99%. A first growth medoc would not be my choice at a serious restaurant, but with a simple roast. Otherwise, yeah, though the Beaucastels and Palmers of those years were generally more epic than you are giving them credit for being.

As with food, music and anything else that goes with dining/entertaining, everything is situational.

Yeah, my analogy was not spot-on. I should have paid more attention to those bottles my dad trotted out - I certainly tasted them but it didn't fully register...

It's my son's fourth birthday today and he was given the choice of having whatever he wanted for dinner and whatever kind of cake - his choice is pork and vegetable pot-stickers, broccoli with garlic, and chocolate cake with marshmallows on top and smarties on the sides - I don't know how I'm going to pair this exceptional occasion with exceptional wine but it will probably be riesling or maybe a sancerre. He and his sister will drink milk.
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post #10112 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tattersall View Post

He and his sister will drink milk.

Awww dad! That's no fun!
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post #10113 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kwilkinson View Post


Awww dad! That's no fun!

I know, I'm a hardass. At least it's organic devil.gif
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post #10114 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:37am
In a similar vein to this conversation, when I took that bottle of 04 Brunello and the Laforet white Burg over to my sous chef's house a few weeks ago, his 9 month old kid was really interested in it. He would smell the Brunello, then think for a second, and then get a huge smile on his face. This happened 6-7 times while we consumed the bottle. I thought it was hilarious. A little sommelier in training.
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post #10115 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post


I agree with this 99%. A first growth medoc would not be my choice at a serious restaurant, but with a simple roast. Otherwise, yeah, though the Beaucastels and Palmers of those years were generally more epic than you are giving them credit for being.

As with food, music and anything else that goes with dining/entertaining, everything is situational.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tattersall View Post


I don't know you and certainly don't judge, but for me a simple bottle that complements and is complemented by food and good company gives me far and away more pleasure than chasing the dragon of exceptionalness. I drink a fair bit of good to very good wine and that is interesting in itself but only a small part of enjoyment. I don't think it comes down to lowering standards but rather wines to fit the occasion - a simple bottle of iced tavel in the hot sunshine would be my preference over a first-growth médoc; the opposite might be true with a meal at a serious restaurant.

I grew up watching my parents have wine with almost every dinner, so hardly limited to "exceptional experiences" - it was typically a CdR, a negotiant burgundy, or god-forbid, Cali "Chablis". For special occasions, my dad liked Beaucastel and Ch Palmer - hardly the highest level, but serious enough to mark the occasion as something out of the ordinary. I tend to follow that approach, however unconsciously.

+1...that's how I do things when I drink at home or order off a wine list.
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post #10116 of 16011
7/29/11 at 10:46am
i don't know ... beaucastel and palmer? if that's not the highest level, it's looking across the backyard wall at it.
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post #10117 of 16011
7/29/11 at 11:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post

i don't know ... beaucastel and palmer? if that's not the highest level, it's looking across the backyard wall at it.

Like I said, they were occasion wines in the house I grew up in. There was the odd first growth too but Beaucastel and Palmer were the notables I remembered as he bought by the case and saved. Like you wisely pointed out above, this is SF after all and some illustrious members rinse their mouth with jerobaums of DRC on occasion ... that, to me, is the 'highest level'... nod[1].gif
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post #10118 of 16011
7/29/11 at 11:36am
I never said I'm looking to drink First Growth Bordeaux every time I pop a bottle of wine. I'm also not looking for perfection either. To me, a wine that is exceptional exceeds 90 points on my personal scale. Something that is better than average and stands out.

I've had a number of well aged Beaucastel over the last couple of months and I would consider it to be an exceptional wine. It's funny that you'd mention Chateau Palmer as that is a prime example of the shift in Bordeaux pricing over the last 10 years. What was once an affordable table wine, is no longer that way. Across the board, prices have skyrocketed, which brings me back to my original point that started all this -- Enjoying good Bordeaux is tough at $30 or less per bottle.
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post #10119 of 16011
7/29/11 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slewfoot View Post




+1...that's how I do things when I drink at home or order off a wine list.

+1.
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post #10120 of 16011
7/29/11 at 2:46pm
Off to a prosecco tasting at a local wine store: Loredan Gasparini Prosecco Superiore NV, Casabianca Prosecco Rosé NV, Bisol Prosecco “Jeio” NV, Adami Garbel Prosecco Brut NV, Adami Vigneto Giardino 2009. Should be refreshing after a stroll in the 99° weather.
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post #10121 of 16011
7/29/11 at 5:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tattersall View Post

this is SF after all and some illustrious members rinse their mouth with jerobaums of DRC on occasion ... that, to me, is the 'highest level'... nod[1].gif

It beats Listerine. :^)
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post #10122 of 16011
7/29/11 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke View Post

It's funny that you'd mention Chateau Palmer as that is a prime example of the shift in Bordeaux pricing over the last 10 years. What was once an affordable table wine, is no longer that way. Across the board, prices have skyrocketed, which brings me back to my original point that started all this -- Enjoying good Bordeaux is tough at $30 or less per bottle.

The sad predicament of current release Bordeaux is another story all together...I do agree that finding good Bordeaux under $30 is very difficult especially since Bordeaux really needs 10+ years for even mediocre vintages. I do find that's quite easy to find mature Bordeaux from Classified Growths that are 15+ years of age from decent vintages for around $60 per bottle. That's not a fortune yet makes the times when I drink Bordeaux at home less frequent. For younger wines, I prefer a Mon Coeur Chave or Morgon Lapierre or Bourgogne Cathiard that are softer and smoother and have more character at 3 years of age than most any Bordeaux at that age.
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post #10123 of 16011
7/30/11 at 6:15am
Thread Starter 
2008 Tinto da Anfora, Alentejano

$13

A delightful, inexpensive daily drinker. Everything in balance if a little light in tannins and acidity. Good fruit. A well made wine with a very interesting and enjoyable nose. And for the price, a no brainer. A blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 12 months in small oak barrels. Good stuff.

500
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post #10124 of 16011
7/30/11 at 9:07pm
Had a bottle of '04 Trimbach Frederic Emile. Great producer, great wine. Goes so well with food.
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post #10125 of 16011
7/30/11 at 9:30pm
Tonight I had a bottle of Lioco's 2008 Sonoma Co Chardonnay with dinner (roast chicken) - these guys continue to impress. I've never been a chardonnay fan but their deft handling of Burgundian fruit is impressive. II have 2 bottles of their Hirsch vineyard Pinot Noir and one more of the Michaud - Chalone on deck with plans to acquire more and keep them for 5 and 10 years. Their Indica red blend is (for the money) sublime. Tonight I also picked up a full case of their 2006 Charles Heitz vineyard Chardonnay @ $10 per bottle - some local store my friends go to had it on closeout. Excited to try it.

The real star of the evening, however was Le bon petit diable Cabernet Franc 2009. Lots of flowers and sour cherries, no herbal mess, and just a great example of how unadulteratedly simple a pleasure and delight drinking wine with friends after dinner can be.500
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