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Stitecin posted:I quit my Assistant Winemaker job at a high end winery making Russian River Pinot & Chard and Napa Cab and am starting next week as Winemaker for a little producer of Zin, and Rhone varietals just south of Healdsburg. I'm going from managing a crew and crushing ~475 tons to being the crew and crushing ~90 tons. So I should plan on stopping by in 2-3 years so I can compare your first bottles with your predecessors?
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Jun 7, 2016 20:13
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Murgos posted:So I should plan on stopping by in 2-3 years so I can compare your first bottles with your predecessors? Yes, but I don't intend to make big changes. My predecessor made great wine, and I hope to carry on the style.
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Jun 7, 2016 22:35
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The local Total Wine is having a Italy week/coupon, I'm trying to expand my palate. I have drank Chianti, Barbera, Pinot Grigio before, generally liked them all. I know Chianti is mostly Sangiovese. Any recs? I love crisp whites. Chenin Blanc, Rhone blends, Sauv Blanc. Intrigued to try a Barolo, but put off by the expense and possibility of huge tannins.
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Jun 8, 2016 21:00
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Comb Your Beard posted:The local Total Wine is having a Italy week/coupon, I'm trying to expand my palate. I have drank Chianti, Barbera, Pinot Grigio before, generally liked them all. I know Chianti is mostly Sangiovese. Barolo will be there waiting when you're ready. In fact the issue is probably not going to Barolo/Barbaresco when you're ready, but indeed when they're ready. Italy has an amazing array of crisp, awesome white wines and Americans know little about them. I recommend Orvieto, Verdicchio (leaning on Castelli di Jesi to be safe), Soave (leaning on Classico to be safe), Lugana, Pino Bianco from Friuli or Alto Adige, Ribolla Gialla from Friuli, and Pinot Grigio from Friuli or Alto Adige. There are more. Lots lots more, but that should be a good start.
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Jun 8, 2016 21:31
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Comb Your Beard posted:Intrigued to try a Barolo, but put off by the expense and possibility of huge tannins. Just ask the store buyer which one is drinkable today. It really is his job to know. Then go and buy the best steak you can find and give it a nice char with a warm red center (I like the Alton Brown method indoors or a really hot hardwood fire for outdoors) and slip into greasy bliss.
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Jun 10, 2016 13:19
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Got this in the mail today. https://www.mummnapa.com/wines/release/santana-savor I'm gonna drink it.
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Jun 10, 2016 13:56
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Trying to take a more serious approach to my wine drinking and get some more education. Is there any apps similar to Untapped for wine? I have a pretty bad memory so it'd be nice to have some kind of tracker for wines as I get into this. Is there any recommendations for documentaries? I just watched the two Somm ones on Netflix and was wondering if there was more I could watch just to get some more education or info on wine. Any recommendations for books and websites? Not trying to overthink this. I'm just a jump into something head first and try to soak up as much information as I can.
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Jun 15, 2016 15:58
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For apps, there's Delectable and Vivino.
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Jun 15, 2016 16:02
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The apps meatbag recommends are good, but I think they should come with one warning: public reviews are 95% garbage. So use those apps to get more information and track your own likes and dislikes. For books, for me this is the trifecta for just getting into wine:
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Jun 15, 2016 16:21
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Cbear posted:
"A Year in Burgundy" and "A Year In Champagne" were both really good documentaries. They are more about wine growing and production than Somm type stuff, but worth watching anyway.
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Jun 15, 2016 16:45
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For websites, http://www.wineterroirs.com/ is flat-out one of the best wine blogs on the web. Burt definitely has a certain bent, but he gives wonderful descriptions of vignerons, their domaines, and the way they live and make wine. The wine world would be better off with more blogs like his. vvvvvv rechecked the url, should be good now. idiotsavant fucked around with this message at 22:58 on Jun 15, 2016 |
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Jun 15, 2016 17:37
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idiotsavant posted:For websites, https://www.wineterroirs.com is flat-out one of the best wine blogs on the web. Burt definitely has a certain bent, but he gives wonderful descriptions of vignerons, their domaines, and the way they live and make wine. The wine world would be better off with more blogs like his. I'm getting all kinds of warning before entering this site, which sort of sucks. I bypassed the usual security and got a 403 error. 
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Jun 15, 2016 17:54
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Cbear posted:
Not documentary exactly, more like informative entertainment, but the James May and Oz Clarke series are quite popular. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzPozCEt9E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UArEBN0iHoA First ep of each of the two seasons about wine, in France and California respectively. If you click through you'll get the rest in related vids. The facts are run by a bit quickly to make room for entertainment, so some Wikipedia support is helpful. They're great characters and you do get a nice overview of the fundamentals.
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Jun 15, 2016 18:48
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Thanks for all the great replies. Downloading apps, ordering books, watching things. Appreciated.
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Jun 15, 2016 23:23
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I can highly recommend Levi Dalton's excellent podcast I'll Drink To That! 350+ episodes with all kinds of people in the wine business. http://illdrinktothatpod.com/
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Jun 16, 2016 08:29
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Overwined posted:Barolo will be there waiting when you're ready. In fact the issue is probably not going to Barolo/Barbaresco when you're ready, but indeed when they're ready. I followed your recs to some extent: Piedmont Nebbiolo Langhe - Really excellent, one of the most drinkable reds I've had in a long time. Orvieto - not really feeling this, kinda off putting finish Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (funky bottle shape!) Soave Haven't tried the last 2 yet. Based on how much I liked the lesser Nebbiolo, I should take the plunge and try a Barolo. Didn't want to commit $25 minimum right off.
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Jun 21, 2016 22:49
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If you're going to try Barolo, go out of your way and probably spend a little more for something with some age. I'd go so far as to say they're downright unpleasant on release, but mediocre vintages develop profoundly after 15 years or so and great ones can take over 30 to hit their stride. If you have one younger than this, decant it several hours beforehand and drink with some incredibly fatty protein.
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Jun 22, 2016 00:25
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I think I'm nearly done with varietal Sauvignon Blanc now that I know what Semillon can add to the party. At this point, I'm just wondering why it's so comparatively rare considering it's a classic blending partner, historically speaking. It balances the weaknesses of a lot of sauvignon blancs so perfectly without covering up the character of the SB when it's done right... I'm drinking a Pegasus Bay example right now, and what impresses me most is that it retains the passionfruit quality that NZ Sauvignon Blanc is famous for, while the Semillon adds body and covers up the less-pleasant green notes of typical SB. Granted a lot of producers won't indicate when they've blended if their labelling laws don't require them to, but I'm surprised it's not a more widespread practice to note when you've blended different grapes, because it can be such a valuable winemaking technique.
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Jun 23, 2016 05:22
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Besides the lack of consumer recognition outside of France and Australia, semillon is lowish-acid yet quite vulnerable to rot and to freezing, so it's really hard to find suitable sites to grow it.
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Jun 23, 2016 09:07
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Kasumeat posted:Besides the lack of consumer recognition outside of France and Australia, semillon is lowish-acid yet quite vulnerable to rot and to freezing, so it's really hard to find suitable sites to grow it. That makes perfect sense, thanks!
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Jun 23, 2016 16:32
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There's shitloads of semillon in Washington but I don't see tons of it blended with SB here even though we also grow lots of SB too. Buty makes a great SB semillon muscadelle blend if you ever come across it.
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Jun 23, 2016 19:31
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Counterpoint: Loire Valley varietal SB is awesome and if you don't like the green notes you need to stop being such a baby
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Jun 23, 2016 20:07
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Sancerre and Poully-Fumé with a bit of age is awesome, it dampens the sometimes overpowering green notes from the younger SB's
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Jun 23, 2016 21:35
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idiotsavant posted:Counterpoint: Loire Valley varietal SB is awesome and if you don't like the green notes you need to stop being such a baby Varietal SB and SB/Sem blends are distinct wines, and while I like them both on their own merits, I was just surprised that varietal SB is so, so much more available than blends. Sometimes the green notes are good, sometimes you want them toned down. I agree that Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc is more my cup of tea than the NZ style, but I like both well enough.
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Jun 23, 2016 23:07
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On the upside, there's been a minor upswing in NZ savvies getting a little older oak use, or wild fermentation to add a little more interest. I quite like that, as the oak knocks back the acidity a little. It's still a drop in the bucket compared to classic in-your-face Kiwi styles, though. I have also tried a few labels growing in Central Otago and Nelson, which are a little less aggressive than Marlborough... lots of potential already. The one example of New Zealand Semillon I tried a long time ago was... not good. There's still around 80 hectares of it grown, but I haven't seen a varietal label of it in years.
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Jun 25, 2016 00:22
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Kasumeat posted:If you're going to try Barolo, go out of your way and probably spend a little more for something with some age. I'll second this. I had a hard time figuring out Barolo, everyone liked it and I didn't get it. I was buying the cheaper barrique Barolos, young. A traditional styled with a bit age was very different. It needn't be a very high end producer or a lot of age, but why not?  e: give this one a go if you come across it:  I don't know exactly why, but the producer chose to declassify it and sell this Barolo from famed vineyards as Langhe Nebbiolo. Something to do with the wine bureaucrats not liking some production choices? Anyway, it's accessible young, not Barolo priced and has plenty of Nebbiolo character. Ola fucked around with this message at 10:15 on Jun 25, 2016 |
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Jun 25, 2016 09:58
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I used to rep that wine at my last job. It is indeed very good, though it's the price of other producer's DOC Barolos (still like half of Borgogno's Barolos, though). The story is that it has a long and important history in the region, but eventually, as always seems to happen, the family fell into disrepair and they had to sell the winery. Some guy from Sicily or Tuscany (someplace Italy but notPiedmont) bought the estate and wanted to expand the offerings. He made the wine 100% to Barolo specs but because the winery had never put out a new line in decades and because the Consortium in Piemonte is a bunch of regressive old timers, they refused him Barolo status. As some of you might know, Italy is famous for its regional prejudices so I'm sure this had something to do with it. Anyway, the guy said "gently caress it" and declassified it and purposely priced it so that a lot of people see it. At the bottom of the label in Italian it says, "*A wine made in protest". It turned out to be such a popular wine that they kept it, even though the Consortium eventually granted him a new Barolo DOC.
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Jun 25, 2016 14:47
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Has anyone seen wine glasses like this, or similar that aren't cheap pieces of poo poo? I'm looking for some obscure wine glass shapes.
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Jun 25, 2016 18:54
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Most disappointing wine I drank recently was a Muscadet from Loire Valley. I had been on a roll with excellent Loire wines. It didn't taste bad per se, it kinda just tasted like nothing. I got it from Trader Joes, it was cheap but not ultra cheap. Should I give it another chance? I did some basic research that Muscadet is Melon de Bourgogne and not actually in the Muscat family.
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Jun 29, 2016 17:54
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The vast majority of Muscadet is indeed acidic lime-water best for washing down the extremely funky north-east Atlantic oysters. Better examples are still quite neutral and still very much a food wine not meant for contemplation, but lees aging lends some texture and flavour and will be marked "sur lie". The best producers can produce special wines, especially in great years (just 2012 lately): Pierre Luneau-Papin (IMO the best), Les Frères Couillaud, Eric Chevalier, Domaine du Haut Bourg. These are some of the best value whites in the world.
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Jun 29, 2016 18:24
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Comb Your Beard posted:Most disappointing wine I drank recently was a Muscadet from Loire Valley. I had been on a roll with excellent Loire wines. It didn't taste bad per se, it kinda just tasted like nothing. I got it from Trader Joes, it was cheap but not ultra cheap. It is a very light-bodied wine. If it's noted as sur lie, it means it's been aged on its lees, which adds more complexity and a bit of body. I believe the traditional pairing is fresh seafood, since the wine will not overpower the delicate flavours of the seafood, and likewise the seafood will not overpower the wine.
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Jun 29, 2016 18:29
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Kasumeat posted:The vast majority of Muscadet is indeed acidic lime-water best for washing down the extremely funky north-east Atlantic oysters. Better examples are still quite neutral and still very much a food wine not meant for contemplation, but lees aging lends some texture and flavour and will be marked "sur lie". The best producers can produce special wines, especially in great years (just 2012 lately): Pierre Luneau-Papin (IMO the best), Les Frères Couillaud, Eric Chevalier, Domaine du Haut Bourg. These are some of the best value whites in the world. As Kasumeat hints, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a wine that is good, but not profound. In fact, getting over that is one of the major hurdles between you and wine nerd nirvana.
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Jun 29, 2016 23:29
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The highest quality Muscadet will confusingly not be labeled sur lie, as the ones from the 3 top quality Sevre-et-Maine subzones: Clisson, Le Pallet and Gorges actually require sur lie aging longer than is allowed for the "sur lie" labeling. Thanks French wine law for being easy and intuitive.
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Jun 30, 2016 06:26
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Muscadet is rad and has nothing at all to do with Muscat grapes.
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Jun 30, 2016 19:57
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Just popping in to say that Alsatian Pinot Gris is excellent! This grape has so much potential when grown in good locations and treated properly.
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Jul 1, 2016 02:34
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Someone talk me into or out of picking up 4 bottles of this: Chateau de Malle Sauternes 2010 (375mL)
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Jul 7, 2016 02:38
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Rurutia posted:Someone talk me into or out of picking up 4 bottles of this: Chateau de Malle Sauternes 2010 (375mL) Great value Sauternes. Buy it. Won a blind taste testing out of a dozen or so Sauternes in a group of sommeliers.
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Jul 7, 2016 03:20
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Whelp done. Between this and the batch of cheap 2008 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvee Ribeaupierre I just picked up, my wine fund is depleted for at least a couple months.
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Jul 7, 2016 03:44
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Muscadet pairs insanely well with guacamole E: Also, Jo Landron is a good Muscadet producer and his wines are fairly cheap I would highly recommend them. straight up brolic fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Jul 7, 2016 |
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Jul 7, 2016 03:46
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straight up brolic posted:Muscadet pairs insanely well with guacamole I'm going to try the gently caress out of this, thanks for the recommendation. It's counterintuitive to my mind, but some of the best pairings are.
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Jul 7, 2016 06:11
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