That is made about 35 minutes from my house! I don't drink much white, but in the summer it's great.
If I might make a recommendation; get a bottle this summer when yellow peaches are in season- peel and slice the peaches and drop them into your chilled wine! That's how the locals drink their Falanghina during peach season.
What I hated was the foo foo shit, cherries and berries, bark and grass, bla bla bla. I didnt do it, and people thought they needed to sound smart and spin the glass and say that shit. Roll eyes. If its good, its good.
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Originally Posted by idfnl
Ok for $13. Worthless upon open. Needed an hour to be drinkable, afterwards it developed some structure and flavors, nice acidic bite but chalkiness and it died off too quickly after it peaked. Too much merlot.
Btw, has anyone analyzed their wine for the somm upon the initial pour at dinner? I have never, ever seen that nor ever done it myself. I always thought it was just a quick sniff and sip, about 20 seconds, to make sure the bottle was not flawed. I've never seen it be some big ceremony as is being portrayed by this poster. Am I wrong here?
Btw, has anyone analyzed their wine for the somm upon the initial pour at dinner? I have never, ever seen that nor ever done it myself. I always thought it was just a quick sniff and sip, about 20 seconds, to make sure the bottle was not flawed. I've never seen it be some big ceremony as is being portrayed by this poster. Am I wrong here?
Yeah- that's typically what I have done or experienced. A quick assessment to make certain it meets expectations. There is something to be said for the role that it adds to a nice dinner with friends or colleagues as well. Just a bit of old world formality that, in a way, signals that this meal, this gathering has officially begun. Doesn't need to be high-theater or pompous.
In this world that has largely become overly casual and too-often rude, this is a nice moment.
Yeah- that's typically what I have done or experienced. A quick assessment to make certain it meets expectations. There is something to be said for the role that it adds to a nice dinner with friends or colleagues as well. Just a bit of old world formality that, in a way, signals that this meal, this gathering has officially begun. Doesn't need to be high-theater or pompous.
In this world that has largely become overly casual and too-often rude, this is a nice moment.
Yeah- that's typically what I have done or experienced. A quick assessment to make certain it meets expectations. There is something to be said for the role that it adds to a nice dinner with friends or colleagues as well. Just a bit of old world formality that, in a way, signals that this meal, this gathering has officially begun. Doesn't need to be high-theater or pompous.
In this world that has largely become overly casual and too-often rude, this is a nice moment.
There's working in a restaurant and being the diner in a restaurant.
As a diner I prefer to bypass almost all of it. I'm pretty casual and like it low key, so I do what I can to simplify. For example if I knew it could get cumbersome, I might say something like "we'll have this please, can you please bring it back decanted, and we don't need a tasting, you can just pour". Most waiters/somms get the message I don't want the ceremony. And actually I'm making their life easier.
If you like it, do it, I prefer not to. but if I'm not the host, I don't get involved at all unless asked.
I've been captive at tables where this over the top stuff happens (though never to this extreme) and I get uncomfortable:
Even though the guy was pretty quick, 6 minutes is a long time to be captive with a stranger.
When I waited tables/sommed, its different. I got a sense for each table's desire for interaction and facilitated. Some loved to chat, so we chatted. Some wanted romance, I stayed away, etc. I was there to serve so I did what was required for the people to leave happy.
So with wine, sometimes people really needed my help, others I could tell they knew and let them lead or they indicated they wanted to lead and knew shit all. I was willing and happy to do all of it. What I didn't like is the over the top jargon. There is efficient language to describe what's being drunk, but roll eyes when it crosses into foo foo.
Good luck- here in Minnesota the issue is an ancient and arcane (derived from the mobster rules of the 1920's-30's and the beer running between here and Chicago) policies that current holders of liquor licenses won't let go. I get their (small liquor shops) concerns about big groceries competing... but the rules they hang onto dearly regarding no retail of spirits and food together in towns larger than 5,000 is hindering other small businesses - including the place I hope to open this Spring.
I've been captive at tables where this over the top stuff happens (though never to this extreme) and I get uncomfortable:Even though the guy was pretty quick, 6 minutes is a long time to be captive with a stranger.
Good god. You do realize this is not the service every bottle gets? That this is a test in decanting aged wine? And none of the stuff you whine about was present, i.e. no one analyzed the wine. It was a text book decant of aged wine and a quick check the bottle was not flawed?
For me its this. Part of that case of samples I bought, just finished it.
Condado de Oriza, Spain, Ribero del Duero. $13.
Strange wine. Little acid, almost a fruit bomb (not in a CA way), and not so much a wine as a bowl of strawberries, amazing how present that was. Its actually good. Its not a food wine though, but I'll go back and get a couple to serve with a strawberry dessert.
I like wine with desert, not really a fan of sweet on sweet of desert wines though I have a soft spot for Sauternes and Port.
A wine with strawberry notes served with strawberries? Too matchy-matchy!
We've had the Castello di Meleto today. While we're at the topic of corked wine, I think it had slight cork or at least was off in some way. It was decent with the food but unfortunately off when drank alone. Nose was good though. Bummer.
