The Briefing Room
General Category => Sports/Entertainment/MSM/Social Media => Topic started by: Night Hides Not on July 18, 2016, 05:44:27 pm
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I love wine: talking about it, drinking it, visiting wineries, etc. My first real exposure to wine was during my tour in Germany, from 77-81. My unit was 6th Battalion, 56th ADA (motto: Night Hides Not). Our mission was airbase defense at Bitburg, Spangdahlem, and Hahn AB's. I was at Hahn for two years (Charlie Battery), and Spangdahlem for two years (Battalion HQ). Being stationed at Hahn afforded me the opportunity to live off base, and the Mosel River was only 12 miles away. I found an apartment in Traben-Trarbach, where I would live for nearly four years.
(http://www.der-takt.de/typo3temp/_processed_/csm_NEU_T_Traben-Trarbach_-__c__Tourist-Information_Traben-Trarbach_ff5a10618a.jpg)
During the summer, I would spend my weekends driving up and down the Mosel in search of a weinfest...usually there would be at least a couple every weekend. During my last year, I found the best time to go was on Monday nights, after the tourists had left.
I hope this thread will be inviting to one and all. The wine industry is unbelievably diverse, and I probably know less than 1% of what a typical sommelier knows. I'm aware of the major varietals, but that's about it. I simply enjoy visiting wineries, and kicking back. Although my "retirement" is likely to be postponed, my vacation and weekend time will be available for visits to Fredericksburg, or for longer trips to Napa, Roseburg OR (Umpqua Valley AVA), and other regions.
"My" winery is the Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, TX. I've been a member there for a bit over two years. Not only do they produce award winning wines, but they are family friendly with a dizzying array of activities.
http://www.lostoakwinery.com/ (http://www.lostoakwinery.com/)
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Thanks for starting this thread, NHN! I took a wine course in culinary school and am far from expert, despite consuming as many fine wines as time, money and sobriety have permitted.
I've visited a few vineyards in Germany, France and Spain, and try to purchase regional wines when I can (and if they're not too sweet.
I'd love it if folks made recommendations for good wines they've run across, both red and white - particularly in the "under $15" and "under $25" categories.
Personally, I like a good Malbec or Zinfandel with steak, but otherwise am more of a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio fan.
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I love a good dry red. I don't care for the really sweet wines. I prefer dry, red wines. Also love beer.
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I also prefer dry whites, which seems to leave out a lot of German wines. However, many folks will recommend a Gewurztraminer to accompany spicy foods, e.g., hot Thai cuisine.
What has been your experience, NightHidesNot, in your Mosel travels? As an aside, I'm trying to get my hands on Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, which is a favorite of a friend who hasn't been able to find it around here.
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My only exposure to wine is this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdgKkjM4DTs
wine... wino... it's similar! :tongue2:
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I also prefer dry whites, which seems to leave out a lot of German wines. However, many folks will recommend a Gewurztraminer to accompany spicy foods, e.g., hot Thai cuisine.
What has been your experience, NightHidesNot, in your Mosel travels? As an aside, I'm trying to get my hands on Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, which is a favorite of a friend who hasn't been able to find it around here.
My experience? It's all good. Not very helpful, I know. lol
Try a bottle that has "Trocken" on the label. That signifies a dry wine. I've found Riesling from the Alsace region to be drier than Mosel.
I'm partial to Piersporter Michelsberg, because it gets a bad rap. I call it the "Walmart of the Mosel", but it meets the German government's standards for classification as a Spatlese or an Auslese. Although I'm sure pros like sommeliers can distinguish between that and, for example, an Urziger Wurzgarten, I can buy a Piesporter Auslese at the local store for less than $15 (sometimes a Spatlese will be priced at less than $10), while an Urziger will be priced between $30-$50.
For those who enjoy sweeter wines, I have become enamored with Rieslings produced in the Texas High Plains AVA. During a recent stop at the Llano Estacado winery in Lubbock, their 2014 Riesling was as pleasing to my palate as any similar Mosel vintage I've tasted. My winery (Lost Oak) makes their Rieslings from grapes produced in the Texas High Plains. Summers in North Texas are not meant for Rieslings.
Why is Urzig pricier? Compare the terroir with the Wurzgarten vineyards vs. Michelsberg:
(http://www.response.cz/files/zbozi_big/39.jpg)
(http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/41231869.jpg)
Over 2/3 of the grapes in Urzig (and many locations on the Mosel) are grown at slopes greater than 60 degrees. Everything has to be done by hand.
As a result of my four wonderful years of living near there (I drove through Urzig every work day), I have developed a deep admiration and respect for all viticulturalists and winemakers. If I come across a winery that produces an inferior product, I simply remain mute.
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I love a good dry red. I don't care for the really sweet wines. I prefer dry, red wines. Also love beer.
Hey, I love beer, too! lol
My favorite of all time remains Konigsbacher, from Koblenz. Regrettably, they don't export to the US, but Shiner, Ziegenbock, and Rahr breweries fill the void.
It's not just the beer, but the memories. We took our platoon on a tour of the brewery, thanks to my Platoon Sergeant's wife. After the tour, we were fed a complete meal, and drank free beer for 3 hours, until closing time. Their restaurant serves bock beer daily, and it has a beautiful view of the Rhine river.
(http://static.panoramio.com/photos/medium/58306429.jpg)
Here's a chart that I found helpful, and it includes whites:
(https://excellenceresorts.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/er_wine-chart.jpg)
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I've been looking at a few wine blogs, to obtain a few ideas on where to take this thread. To date, a vision hasn't grabbed me yet. I'm ok with a meandering thread, though.
In the interim, I came across an aroma chart that could come in handy.
(https://thewinewankers.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/a-wine-aroma-chart.jpg)
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Well, this is great. I am a wine afficionado and have been for my entire adult life (48 years). From Blue Nun, to Riunite, from cheap Gallos to Mateus, I graduated to Germans and sweet California whites.
I was bowled over when I first tasted a French St. Estephe quite by accident at a dinner. How rich! I could almost chew it!
Still like whites, but, having visited California, and France and Italy and sampled light Pinots and big heavy Tuscans, I'm mostly a red wine fan now. Nothing like a Cabernet from the Stags Leap area of California with a steak!
My wife and I have been into Pinot Noirs lately, and have settled on Oregon as producing some of the best domestically. Drilling down even further, the whole cluster Pinots, such as this one:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJqfa0xNFe4/UYKNTZhBSbI/AAAAAAAAADM/mmveXphcSLU/s1600/WCPN+pic2.jpg)
are really our favorites. The entire cluster of grapes, including the stems, are thrown into fermentation. This produces a richer, deeper, smoother wine and also, interestingly enough, reduces the alcohol content which improves the overall flavor (and you can drink more!
I hope to come here often. We drink a little wine every day, and love to try new ones.
If you want a Pinot that tastes nearly like a Zin, try Meomi. Price is anywhere from $15-20, but it is so good.
As a treat for a special occasion, for you Zinfandel lovers look for wines from The Prisoner Winery:
https://www.theprisonerwinecompany.com/index.cfm?
We've tried the Prisoner (pricey at around $45) and Saldo ($26 ). Both are some of the best wine we've ever tasted. The legs on the glass after swirling are many, so the alcohol content is high. But I can only afford one bottle, so that's OK.
As with cigars, a good wine is any wine you like.
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Every summer I was home, we'd load the kids in the car the Friday night that school ended and head off to the south of Italy to see the in-laws. It's a 1500 mile trip (1500.7 miles, door to door, in fact) by our route, so we'd have two stops en route.
Stop one was in the Saone valley in France. We had friends with a hotel/restaurant there, in a little town called Tournus in the heart of Burgundy, that we would always stay in. Marilise and Christophe (guy had a Michelin star, FFS) would shut the restaurant for the night and we'd catch up over a brilliant meal and about a gallon of the local red - Beaujolais Macon. It's one which is better aged for several years and is so ridiculously rich you can almost cut the bouquet.
The following day, it'd be through the mountains to the Valle d'Aosta. We'd often stop at Susa or Oulx, but in later years (when the kids were big enough to sit in the car for the extra 2 hours) we'd stop just outside Asti for the night. The wife would dive eagerly into a glass of the spumante. Me - a Barolo first, to unwind from the drive, then a couple of glasses of Barbera with the best damned steak outside of Texas.
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Well, this is great. I am a wine afficionado and have been for my entire adult life (48 years). From Blue Nun, to Riunite, from cheap Gallos to Mateus, I graduated to Germans and sweet California whites.
I was bowled over when I first tasted a French St. Estephe quite by accident at a dinner. How rich! I could almost chew it!
Still like whites, but, having visited California, and France and Italy and sampled light Pinots and big heavy Tuscans, I'm mostly a red wine fan now. Nothing like a Cabernet from the Stags Leap area of California with a steak!
My wife and I have been into Pinot Noirs lately, and have settled on Oregon as producing some of the best domestically. Drilling down even further, the whole cluster Pinots, such as this one:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJqfa0xNFe4/UYKNTZhBSbI/AAAAAAAAADM/mmveXphcSLU/s1600/WCPN+pic2.jpg)
are really our favorites. The entire cluster of grapes, including the stems, are thrown into fermentation. This produces a richer, deeper, smoother wine and also, interestingly enough, reduces the alcohol content which improves the overall flavor (and you can drink more!
I hope to come here often. We drink a little wine every day, and love to try new ones.
If you want a Pinot that tastes nearly like a Zin, try Meomi. Price is anywhere from $15-20, but it is so good.
As a treat for a special occasion, for you Zinfandel lovers look for wines from The Prisoner Winery:
https://www.theprisonerwinecompany.com/index.cfm?
We've tried the Prisoner (pricey at around $45) and Saldo ($26 ). Both are some of the best wine we've ever tasted. The legs on the glass after swirling are many, so the alcohol content is high. But I can only afford one bottle, so that's OK.
As with cigars, a good wine is any wine you like.
Keep bringing it sinkspur, great stuff!
I was born in Oregon City, a stone's throw from the Willamette, although I am now a naturalized Texan.
While doing research for future installments, I spent an hour on Southern Oregon and the AVAs down there. I was ready to hop in my car and drive there! We barely scratched the surface during our last visit to Roseburg, Oregon two years ago. There's roughly two dozen wineries there, and we visited five over a two day period.
I'm also planning to take a couple of days off in the next couple weeks, to make a solo trip down to the Hill Country. My son will be in Band Camp then, and my wife had her vacation last month with her family in Orlando. I don't do that trip anymore, too much drama whenever she and a few of her sisters are in the same zip code.
Feel free to pass on any ideas on winery reviews. I'm looking for unique categories, i.e. best family friendly winery, best adults only winery, etc. I'll be upfront in saying that my reviews will only be positive. We all know how difficult it is to grow grapes and make wine, and I remember my experience from living on the Mosel, where 2/3 of the grapes are grown on slopes of 60 degrees or more.
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I can attest that Becker Vineyards makes a really good Cabernet-Syrah. Here are two must-visit wineries:
http://www.winespectator.com/wct/region/id/texas-hill-country-wineries
Becker's on this list too; don't know anything about any of the others
http://www.austinrelocationguide.com/5-Hill-Country-Wineries-to-Visit/
My favorite Texas winery is Llano Estacado, but it's in the Cap Rock area in Lubbock
https://www.llanowine.com/
For a pure party wine, for guests, I've gotten lots of compliments on St. Genevieve's Chardonnay and Cabernet:
http://www.stegenwines.com/wines/ste_genevieve.html
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I can attest that Becker Vineyards makes a really good Cabernet-Syrah. Here are two must-visit wineries:
http://www.winespectator.com/wct/region/id/texas-hill-country-wineries
Becker's on this list too; don't know anything about any of the others
http://www.austinrelocationguide.com/5-Hill-Country-Wineries-to-Visit/
My favorite Texas winery is Llano Estacado, but it's in the Cap Rock area in Lubbock
https://www.llanowine.com/
For a pure party wine, for guests, I've gotten lots of compliments on St. Genevieve's Chardonnay and Cabernet:
http://www.stegenwines.com/wines/ste_genevieve.html
We stopped at Llano Estacado about six weeks ago. GPS Warning: it's about two miles east of where the GPS said it was...weird. From now on, every trip we make to El Paso (in-laws) will include a detour to Llano and/or Bingham Family Vineyards. The latter has a relationship with Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, they make their whites from Bingham's grapes. It's way too hot in North Texas for anything but the hardiest red wine grapes.
During our visit, they had three wines on sale for $6 a bottle. I bought a gewürztraminer and a rose, plus a bottle of their 2014 Riesling...spent $21.
Lost Oak is one of the most family friendly wineries you could ever find. We really enjoy the movie nights they have during the summer, where they show old favorites such as Finding Nemo, Lion King, etc. I've been a member a bit over two years.
Thanks for the links, it will help narrow my itinerary.
BTW, I'm putting together a list of locations to visit. Not a bucket list, though...I'm really not into that.
Grand Junction, CO: two dozen wineries, several with views of the Colorado River.
Davis Mountain, TX: way out in the boondocks/off the beaten path.
Moab, UT: the views HAVE to be spectacular.
Southern Oregon: dozens of wineries, smack dab between Napa and the Willamette Valley.
Roseburg: an hour north of Medford, we've been to several.
Naturally, there are many places in CA and WA to see. I do remember a couple of small, family vineyards on the route to Yosemite. We stopped at one and had a nice relaxing visit on the way to Yosemite.
To be continued...
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My daughter and I discovered a really nice wine for everyday sipping. At Lost Oak, they call it Rosa Blanca, and I picked up a bottle of Grenache Rose at Llano Estacado. A very pleasant wine that's not too sweet nor too dry.
The bottle I picked up at Llano was in their bargain bin for $6...before their military discount. With our member discount at Lost Oak, I think we paid about $11 for the Rosa Blanca.
I still prefer Riesling, but my inventory has spiked a bit over the past few weeks. My 8 bottle cooler is full, and there's another case in the wine rack. It's about 50/50 whites and reds.
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We attended a "BYOB" dinner with some old friends a few months ago. We took a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. They offered their favorite Riesling and explained how someone had given them several bottles, this was their last one and they hadn't been able to find it anywhere. Glad to say I've found it for them at a Pennsylvania state wine and spirits store (the "premium selection" one in Pittsburgh that has a fairly large, high quality wine selection). It's a Mosel Riesling - Weingut St. Urbans-Hof. A little sweet for my taste and a little more than I generally spend, but it feels good to be able to repay them just a little for their kindness. ^-^
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We attended a "BYOB" dinner with some old friends a few months ago. We took a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. They offered their favorite Riesling and explained how someone had given them several bottles, this was their last one and they hadn't been able to find it anywhere. Glad to say I've found it for them at a Pennsylvania state wine and spirits store (the "premium selection" one in Pittsburgh that has a fairly large, high quality wine selection). It's a Mosel Riesling - Weingut St. Urbans-Hof. A little sweet for my taste and a little more than I generally spend, but it feels good to be able to repay them just a little for their kindness. ^-^
I just checked out their website. If/when I make it back to Germany, I'll need to devote a week to visit the wineries I've put on a list. I knew that area like the back of my hand.
Here's their section on their vineyards in Goldtropfchen, an area that I knew well. IIRC, Piesport was about a 20 minute drive from my apartment in Traben-Trarbach. It was no secret that our quarterly Hails and Farewells were held within a 15-20 minute drive from my apartment. The after-party gatherings were memorable, and my landlord and his family loved it, including Oma. IIRC, the first one sealed the deal with the spouses. We had it in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Mosel.
The parcels in the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen are among the stoniest and craggiest of the entire Goldtröpfchen vineyard. The rugged nature of the terrain is one reason why they were not included in previous official plot reallocations. As a result one can find many ungrafted vines from hundreds of years ago.
Winegrowing here has a special atmosphere: the rays of sunlight reflect off the Mosel, bathing the entire site in a warm, glittering light. The heavy, clayey slate soils offer plentiful water and warmth to the vines, with the dark slate cliffs storing the energy from the sun like a battery.
Wines from the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen are traditionally left with residual sweetness. That natural sugar lends the wines notes of black currants, passion fruit and grapefruit. Even after upwards of 30 years these wines retain their fresh and youthful flavors.
Unless the gift is for a wine aficionado, allow me to suggest a bottle from the Michelsberg vineyard. It doesn't have the panache of a Goldtropfchen or Urziger Wurzgarten, but it's less expensive and an excellent wine.
Thanks for stopping by!
(http://sr3.wine-searcher.net/images/labels/50/66/dr-zenzen-piesporter-michelsberg-mosel-germany-10645066t.jpg)
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A quick post to keep the thread alive...
While on another thread, I learned about an auction last year, where bottles of a 2003 trockenbeerenauslese sold for 12K Euros per bottle. Obviously, it piqued my curiosity, as I had many opportunities to drink eiswein and trockenbeerenauslese in Germany. My favorite vintage was Auslese, though. It wasn't as sweet as those other dessert wines. Spatlese was perfect with all the jagerschnitzels and kalbsteaks that I ate there.
Attached is a vintage chart for Mosel Rieslings:
http://mobile.winespectator.com/charts/search/country/Germany (http://mobile.winespectator.com/charts/search/country/Germany)
My arrival in Germany could not have come at a better time. 1975 was great, and 1976 was one of the best years of the last 50 years. I do remember 77 & 78 as nowhere near 75 & 76.
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You're a braver person than I. When I studied wines in culinary school and we came to the subject of eiswein, I involuntarily puckered and I still haven't had the nerve to sample one. Sweet wines really do not appeal to me.
As I prefer to enjoy my wines with a nice meal, and haven't had the time recently to prepare a nice meal, my wine drinking has come to a standstill (except for the Malbec we had with filet mignon several weeks back). It's a sad thing. :shrug:
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I enjoyed this wine this weekend. Very well done. Not as sweet as a Riesling can be.
http://www.vintagecellar.com/sku33034.html
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I enjoyed this wine this weekend. Very well done. Not as sweet as a Riesling can be.
http://www.vintagecellar.com/sku33034.html
Nothing wrong with the Rheinhessen wines at all. Thanks for the link, I just added the Romerhof to my list of places to visit.
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You're a braver person than I. When I studied wines in culinary school and we came to the subject of eiswein, I involuntarily puckered and I still haven't had the nerve to sample one. Sweet wines really do not appeal to me.
As I prefer to enjoy my wines with a nice meal, and haven't had the time recently to prepare a nice meal, my wine drinking has come to a standstill (except for the Malbec we had with filet mignon several weeks back). It's a sad thing. :shrug:
To each his own, and I say that in a positive vein.
My wine drinking has tapered off a bit, too. Thankfully, we're coming up on the next installment of our wine club, which means a trip to pick them up. Since it's an hour from our house to the winery, we'll spend a couple hours there, enjoying each other's company and enjoying a bottle or two.
My fondest recollection of drinking eiswein came from my regular visits to my favorite winery, in Zell-Merl. I'd stop by every 6-8 weeks, and we'd spend 2-3 hours just talking about cars, current events, etc. He honored me by opening a bottle of eiswein, a vintage so limited that he personally typed out the labels.
It was no secret that during my last year and a half in Germany, every quarterly Battalion Hail & Farewell took place within a ten minute drive of my apartment. All it took was one event in Urzig, with the after party at my apartment. My landlord thought it was great, and the spouses were blown away by the beauty of the Mosel. It was about 15 miles from Hahn AB, and 25-30 miles from Spangdahlem and Bitburg. Small distances to many, but worlds away for others not accustomed to being so far away from home.
For the most part, people who didn't like their tours in Germany didn't venture far from the base. For me, it was among the greatest four years of my life.
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For the most part, people who didn't like their tours in Germany didn't venture far from the base. For me, it was among the greatest four years of my life.
I can imagine. What an opportunity!
I remember once while traveling solo, I got off the train in Heidelberg and went into a nearby McDonald's to get my bearings and a cup of coffee (my sister was living on the opposite end of town and I needed to figure whether I could walk or should take a cab). Inside were several U.S. Army guys and their families eating hamburgers and fries. Perhaps it was a little bit of home to them, but I wondered what I'd do in their situation: completely immerse myself in Germany or just stick with what was familiar and comfortable.
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I can imagine. What an opportunity!
I remember once while traveling solo, I got off the train in Heidelberg and went into a nearby McDonald's to get my bearings and a cup of coffee (my sister was living on the opposite end of town and I needed to figure whether I could walk or should take a cab). Inside were several U.S. Army guys and their families eating hamburgers and fries. Perhaps it was a little bit of home to them, but I wondered what I'd do in their situation: completely immerse myself in Germany or just stick with what was familiar and comfortable.
The great part about European McDonalds was that they served beer in the restaurant. In Koblenz, it was Konigsbacher, in Amsterdam, they served Heineken.
Once I discovered the restaurant at the Konigsbacher brewery, McDonalds never saw a pfennig more of my business. It had a great view of the Rhine River, and bock beer was served 365 days a year...heavenly!
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Disclosure: I am not an investor, nor am I employed by Lost Oak Winery.
Last Saturday, my daughter and I trekked down to Burleson to pick up our bimonthly wine club selections. We both are on the lowest rung, i.e. two bottles every two months. On occasion, I've seen folks leaving with 6-12 bottles.
We tasted a Shiraz bottled exclusively for club members. It's offered at $35 a bottle, a bit pricy for me, but its taste was divine. My daughter and I split a bottle of "Raindance Red", a blend of merlot, tempranillo, and ruby cab. The food pairings were lasagna, burgers, and grilled veggies. We had a cheese tray, and it went well with that, too.
"Raindance" goes for $25 a bottle, which IMO is more reflective of the growth they've enjoyed. I love the place, it's pure Texas.
If you live in DFW, it's a great place to hang out, and enjoy really good wine.
They're doing fine without my endorsement...lol.
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I received wonderful news over the weekend! I came across the website of my favorite winemaker in Germany. They responded to my email, and gave me the great news that they ship to Texas.
That may not seem like much, but Texas laws make it difficult to ship wine from outside the state.
I'll post more details when my shipment arrives. For those Riesling aficionados out there, it doesn't get much better than this. Even with shipping costs averaging $5 a bottle, I'll be paying less than half of what it would cost retail.
I know my wife won't understand why I'm going to buy a larger wine refrigerator to handle my increased inventory, but I've been buying more of the "special occasion" vintages vs. the "daily sipping" stuff recently. lol
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Good news, indeed. It can be frustrating when you know exactly which wine you want, only to find it's not available locally (as was my friends' problem, described above). I live in somewhat of a wine wasteland (small town with not very sophisticated tastes) and usually stock up when I cross state lines and hit the big city.
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Good news, indeed. It can be frustrating when you know exactly which wine you want, only to find it's not available locally (as was my friends' problem, described above). I live in somewhat of a wine wasteland (small town with not very sophisticated tastes) and usually stock up when I cross state lines and hit the big city.
Tell me about it...I found several intriguing Spatleses and Ausleses that were priced well at Truly Fine Wines, only to discover at checkout they don't ship to Texas. I went to Wine.com, and ordered a few, including a Spatlese that was priced at $33 a bottle. A bit pricey, but it was before I found the other website.
The Texas wine industry is becoming more of a player with each year. Don't have the link, but in-state consumption was such there wasn't much left over for sales outside the state. Anecdotally, I see it at Lost Oak winery: they now schedule bimonthly wine club pickups for two weekends, they just completed a major expansion of their banquet facilities, and they're selling some wines for "members only."
For couples that desire to get married at Lost Oak, you need to book it at least a year in advance. It's become one of the most favored locations for weddings in the Metroplex.
I need to get off my butt and reserve a spot for my daughter's 30th birthday party in July...lol.
BTW, I taught my 6 YO grandson the proper pronunciation of "hochgewachs" yesterday...lol.
Riesling-Hochgewächs [7] | German | PDO (1) | White quality wine, exclusively produced from grapes of the wine grape variety Riesling, the must used for production has shown a natural alcoholic strength which is at least 1,5 % by volume higher than the natural minimum alcoholic strength prescribed for the specified wine-growing zone or the part of it in which the grapes have been harvested, and which has achieved a quality number of at least 3,0 in the quality test.
Last summer, I was in Fredericksburg on vacation, at one of the many wine bars/stores there. Everytime I've been there, I've found really good German wine. While I'm talking with the sales lady, she asked me for help, "someone came in asking for a Riesling that had an "h" word with it."
Immediately, I replied they must have been referring to hochgewachs. LOL, she was impressed, saying "you pronounced it perfectly."
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"Gewürztraminer" took a few tries before I pronounced it correctly. :laugh:
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"Gewürztraminer" took a few tries before I pronounced it correctly. :laugh:
I only say that word when I'm sober... :silly:
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The shipment arrived last night, several days ahead of schedule. I opened a bottle of Spatlese, and it was as good as I remember, though the memories that came back were even better.
The process from start to finish was simple, as they have a PayPal account.
If you are a wine enthusiast, I highly recommend Weingut Eduard Kroth in Briedel, Germany. They ship to Texas, which is a rarity, so I think they ship to most states.
http://www.weingut-kroth.de/ (http://www.weingut-kroth.de/)
I knew Bartho's father well, as I'd visit the winery at least every six weeks my last 3 years in Germany. The winery was about a 10-15 minute drive from my apartment in Traben-Trarbach. We just hung out and shot the bull for 2-3 hours at a time. I recall how he loved to talk about cars, and he really liked my Volvo 242 GT. He educated me during every visit, while going through a typical wine tasting. He started with Kabinett, followed by Spatlese, Auslese, and depending on time, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese. Every now and then, he'd open a bottle of Eiswein from his personal stock. It wasn't for sale, as he typed the labels himself.
As to my first purchase, I bought a case consisting of six Spatlese and six Auslese, all were silver or gold medal winners. The recent strength of the dollar vs the Euro reduced my cost further. Including shipping, I paid less than $200 for the case. Judging by prices I've seen for similar vintages, I paid about 40% of retail.
As you view the offerings, consider that the Euro is now less than 1.1 to the dollar. However, don't expect your significant other to buy the rationale of "this is a play on the Euro"... :silly:
My wife didn't...but she hasn't tasted it yet. She's always liked Rieslings, as I found out on our first date nearly 35 years ago. I took her to a restaurant I had taken other "first dates" to, and they had a "special wine list" that you had to ask for. On that list were several Mosel wines, giving me the opportunity to talk about the town of origin, and what it was like to live in Germany. It was a great icebreaker.
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Great memories, NHN, and thanks for the tip about ordering from the winery.
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As expected, my wife didn't buy the "Euro play" meme...lol.
However, she didn't seem too upset over my purchase of an 18 bottle, dual zone wine cooler. It's able to handle up to a dozen of the elongated bottles that are more prevalent these days.
I think it was reasonably priced, $200 +/-. If/when we move to another house, I think I'll look for a built-in model.
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Just a mid-week bump...
My daughter and I picked up our wine club selections on Sunday, mine included a frizzante gewürztraminer and a blended red. I also picked up a couple bottles of Shiraz. That limited vintage was going fast.
My grandson was well behaved, and made some new friends at the winery. Like his Opa, he's not afraid to strike up conversations with people. He cracked me up while pouring his can of Sprite into a cup, he said, "Opa, this is my hochgewachs!"
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Llano Estacado winery just received a big endorsement from a surprising source: my wife.
They stopped on the return home from El Paso for a nephew's graduation. I was glad to stay home and supervise a son who had to study for tests this week.
She bought 3 bottles...she never does that! lol Seriously, if you're ever traveling through Lubbock, a trip to Llano Estacado will be well worth your time. I recall they had three levels of wine tasting, and I found their "free" level to be quite good. Next time, I'll try their $20 level for "educational purposes."
On an unrelated note, I can happily confirm that a good Riesling Spatlese pairs perfectly with spicy chile. We're having a chili cookoff at work today, and my batch had a nice kick to it. Opened up a bottle of a 2013 Spatlese that I bought from the German winery, and it cooled down my mouth immediately.
My recipe was simple: two pounds of veal, large can of tomato puree, large can of diced tomatoes, a large jar of Hatch chili, one can of black beans, one red onion diced, and assorted spices...maybe I should have avoided the teaspoon of cayenne, that might have been overkill. Next batch will likely have two cans of black beans, but there's a few people I work with that prefer chili without beans. I also added a bottle of Hofbrau Original.
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The idea of Texas wines is intriguing, not that I'll have the chance (or reason) to visit the Lonestar State anytime soon. One of these days Mr. M and I should visit a local winery. I suspect the offerings will be sweeter than we like, but no harm in tasting. We bought a bottle of local wine when we visited Gettysburg (can't remember the variety) and it was just okay. We passed a few wineries in eastern Ohio on our way to visit relatives north of Canton a few days ago; perhaps we'll give 'em a try.
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According to the AT Wineries interactive map at www.atwineries.com, there are 15 wineries in West Virginia. I find that extremely intriguing.
Which raises the question, could the state transition from a coal economy to a wine and tourism type economy? I look at how Lost Oak Winery has grown over the 3 years we've been wine club members. They've added facilities to handle events such as weddings and birthdays, and they're currently unable to meet the demand for their wine, i.e. they bring in grapes from elsewhere, such as Lubbock/Texas High Plains AVA.
I don't know the percentage of growth in their staff, but I see new faces along with the old during every visit. Their bimonthly wine club pickup now takes place over two weekends due to the growth they've experienced.
The Texas wine industry has exploded, yet their production has yet to sate local demand. Hopefully in 2017, they'll be exporting more. I doubt CA, OR, & WA gives us a thought, but that's ok with us.
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Damaging insect found in Colorado's largest wine region
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/state-news/damaging-insect-found-in-colorados-largest-wine-region (http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/state-news/damaging-insect-found-in-colorados-largest-wine-region)
DENVER (AP) -- State officials say an insect that attacks grapes has been found in Colorado's largest wine producing area.
The state agriculture department said Wednesday that federal officials had confirmed the presence of phylloxera (Fa-LOX'-ah-rah) in Mesa County's Grand Valley wine region, home to nearly 75 percent of Colorado's grape acreage.
The department says it and Colorado State University are investigating the source of the aphid-like bug and working with the vineyard owner to eradicate it. They're also working to determine the extent of the infestation.
The insect is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. It has spread to many wine regions around the world and devastated vineyards in Europe in the 19th century. According to the state, this is the first time it's been detected in a commercial vineyard in Colorado.
This is a situation that needs to be watched closely.
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Not a recent article, but interesting nonetheless. IMO, it bodes very well for other wine states, such as Oregon, Washington, and Texas.
The bustling Napa and Sonoma County real estate market continues to thrive into summer 2016.
http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/ (http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/)
(http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/napa-sonoma-vineyard-value-chart-1.jpg)
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Not a recent article, but interesting nonetheless. IMO, it bodes very well for other wine states, such as Oregon, Washington, and Texas.
The bustling Napa and Sonoma County real estate market continues to thrive into summer 2016.
http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/ (http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/)
(http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/napa-sonoma-vineyard-value-chart-1.jpg)
Interesting. Seeing a definite expansion of Vineyards in this area at least by my drive by noticing of them.
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Interesting. Seeing a definite expansion of Vineyards in this area at least by my drive by noticing of them.
I learn something new every day. The Nampa/Twin Falls area looks like a great area to visit. Of course, I'd also add Coeur d'Alene to my route, owing to its closeness to Spokane, where I went to college.
Looks like a great area for wine (Nampa), south of the 45th parallel. Grapes for wine are found between 50-70 degrees latitude. By comparison, the Mittelmosel area is at 50 degrees latitude. Calgary is at 51 degrees, and I located a few wineries in Alberta.
There is apparently room for further growth in the industry. I believe Texas has advanced to the 6th largest state, and last year's production was barely enough to satisfy local demand. The dominance California has in terms of production is simply staggering, over 80% of US production. The increasing land cost in California is obviously sending investors/growers to other states.
My palate is not sophisticated enough to notice the difference between a $150 Napa cabernet and a $25 cabernet from my favorite winery. The most important lesson I've learned about wine is, if you like it, it's good wine.
Here's a great website, from Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon:
https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/ (https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/)
Jeff's a self-styled expert on "cheap" wine, with a targeted price of under $12. I'm looking forward to his "2017 Hall of Fame" to be announced in about ten days.
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I learn something new every day. The Nampa/Twin Falls area looks like a great area to visit. Of course, I'd also add Coeur d'Alene to my route, owing to its closeness to Spokane, where I went to college.
Looks like a great area for wine (Nampa), south of the 45th parallel. Grapes for wine are found between 50-70 degrees latitude. By comparison, the Mittelmosel area is at 50 degrees latitude. Calgary is at 51 degrees, and I located a few wineries in Alberta.
There is apparently room for further growth in the industry. I believe Texas has advanced to the 6th largest state, and last year's production was barely enough to satisfy local demand. The dominance California has in terms of production is simply staggering, over 80% of US production. The increasing land cost in California is obviously sending investors/growers to other states.
My palate is not sophisticated enough to notice the difference between a $150 Napa cabernet and a $25 cabernet from my favorite winery. The most important lesson I've learned about wine is, if you like it, it's good wine.
Here's a great website, from Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon:
https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/ (https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/)
Jeff's a self-styled expert on "cheap" wine, with a targeted price of under $12. I'm looking forward to his "2017 Hall of Fame" to be announced in about ten days.
If you come now bring your skis. :laugh:
Thanks for the link. I'm all about "cheap" I bought a bottle of Woodworks cabernet sauvignon so I could make BBQ sauce out of it and that felt like a splurge. It was good though it was almost as good as a French Bordeaux I picked up for comparisons purposes.
Here's the recipe if anyone is interested:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-wild-chef/recipe-woodwork-wine-bbq-glaze
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Anyone here like Liebfraumilch?
I'm a fan, but I'm kind of an alcohol wimp. ^-^
(I like Riesling best).
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Anyone here like Liebfraumilch?
I'm a fan, but I'm kind of an alcohol wimp. ^-^
(I like Riesling best).
@musiclady Liebfraumilch? You came to the right place. Get thyself to your local liquor store and ask for a bottle of Mosel Spatlese. Pronounced "shpAt-layze", it's a German term loosely translated as "late harvest". German wine terms are primarily designations as to the amount of sugar in the grape when harvested.
In a wine class I took a few years ago, I asked several presenters as to why Mosel Riesling hasn't made a bigger splash in the US. Americans, particularly women, enjoy sweeter types of wine, and German Riesling is world class. They all responded, "German wine is too difficult to explain". I chuckled, as I had four years living along the Mosel.
Ok, back to business. You won't have to spend $30+ a bottle for quality Spatlese. Ask for a Piesporter Michelsberg Spatlese. Piesport is the town, Michelsberg is the vineyard. Michelsberg gets a bad rap, I call it the Walmart of Mosel vineyards, as its slopes are not very steep. As a result, it doesn't have the panache of an Urziger Wurzgarten, where the grapes are grown at slopes in excess of 60 degrees. You should be able to buy a bottle for 8-10 dollars. A higher quality auslese, more of a dessert wine, can be had for $15. Urzig wine normally goes for more than double.
Piesport:
(http://www.theworldwidewine.com/Wine_reviews/Weekly_cheap_wine_reviews/Section2/piesport_germany_in_tasting_cheap_wine.jpg)
Urzig:
(http://i.ck.cz/f/72888/89-381-200.jpg)
BTW, this was the view that greeted me on my drive home from work my last two years in Germany.
German wine standards are very exacting, and higher quality wines will have an official approval number on the label. It may look something like this: A.P. NR. 2 606 319 011 07.
I've been getting a bit more confident in recommending Riesling to restaurants that don't have it on their wine list. For example, one restaurant/sports bar offered chardonnay and cabernet, yet they had some spicy dishes, such as an excellent venison chili. Riesling is a perfect pairing, as the acidity balances out the spiciness of the dish. I offered my suggestion that they add a Riesling for their spicy dishes, and the fact that most women prefer a sweeter wine.
I can speak from experience. A couple of weeks ago, I made veal chili at home that included "medium" Hatch chiles. It had a nice kick to it! I opened a bottle of Spatlese and it cooled the fire almost immediately. It also pairs nicely with Chipotle seasoned black bean burgers that we get from Costco.
Enjoy!
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Jeff's an interesting fellow, and an expert at "cheap wines". He now teaches the Wine and Viticulture Course at El Centro CC in downtown Dallas. I took the class from a teacher who retired at the end of the semester. Best $150 I ever spent.
His website is an excellent resource, https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/ (https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/), and I strongly recommend it. I love his annual "$10 Hall of Fame."
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@musiclady Liebfraumilch? You came to the right place. Get thyself to your local liquor store and ask for a bottle of Mosel Spatlese. Pronounced "shpAt-layze", it's a German term loosely translated as "late harvest". German wine terms are primarily designations as to the amount of sugar in the grape when harvested.
In a wine class I took a few years ago, I asked several presenters as to why Mosel Riesling hasn't made a bigger splash in the US. Americans, particularly women, enjoy sweeter types of wine, and German Riesling is world class. They all responded, "German wine is too difficult to explain". I chuckled, as I had four years living along the Mosel.
Ok, back to business. You won't have to spend $30+ a bottle for quality Spatlese. Ask for a Piesporter Michelsberg Spatlese. Piesport is the town, Michelsberg is the vineyard. Michelsberg gets a bad rap, I call it the Walmart of Mosel vineyards, as its slopes are not very steep. As a result, it doesn't have the panache of an Urziger Wurzgarten, where the grapes are grown at slopes in excess of 60 degrees. You should be able to buy a bottle for 8-10 dollars. A higher quality auslese, more of a dessert wine, can be had for $15. Urzig wine normally goes for more than double.
Piesport:
(http://www.theworldwidewine.com/Wine_reviews/Weekly_cheap_wine_reviews/Section2/piesport_germany_in_tasting_cheap_wine.jpg)
Urzig:
(http://i.ck.cz/f/72888/89-381-200.jpg)
BTW, this was the view that greeted me on my drive home from work my last two years in Germany.
German wine standards are very exacting, and higher quality wines will have an official approval number on the label. It may look something like this: A.P. NR. 2 606 319 011 07.
I've been getting a bit more confident in recommending Riesling to restaurants that don't have it on their wine list. For example, one restaurant/sports bar offered chardonnay and cabernet, yet they had some spicy dishes, such as an excellent venison chili. Riesling is a perfect pairing, as the acidity balances out the spiciness of the dish. I offered my suggestion that they add a Riesling for their spicy dishes, and the fact that most women prefer a sweeter wine.
I can speak from experience. A couple of weeks ago, I made veal chili at home that included "medium" Hatch chiles. It had a nice kick to it! I opened a bottle of Spatlese and it cooled the fire almost immediately. It also pairs nicely with Chipotle seasoned black bean burgers that we get from Costco.
Enjoy!
Wow! Thanks for all that incredibly valuable information!
It's particularly good to know that Riesling mitigates the spiciness of foods. My entire family likes to go to restaurants where the food is a bit spicy for me (Indian, Thai, Mexican), so now I know for sure that Riesling is the wine to buy.
I do like cabernet and chardonnay, but Riesling is best for my palate.
All my kids like beer, and I've tasted some fruity beers I really liked, but my staple is a good white wine.
Thanks for the tip on Spatlese. I've been to Germany twice, years and years ago (and to the Frankfurt airport many times since) and really loved seeing your photos.
Lots of German immigrants came to Ohio because, I think, parts of Ohio have the same beauty as Germany. Just slightly different architecture! ^-^
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http://www.elixrr.com/blog/?p=994 (http://www.elixrr.com/blog/?p=994)
Excerpt:
It was the best of times, and the worst times. Or, to sum up the 2016 vintage in the Mosel region of Germany, it was a nerve-wracking vintage with plenty of ups and downs.
Hail storms in the spring damaged vineyards between Wehlen and Graach and the cool, wet conditions led some to report mildew and botrytis. This was a year that required diligent, expert vineyard management.
By October 8th, the vineyard manager at Weingut S.A. Prϋm selected out the hail damaged and botrytis effected grapes and showing nerves of steel, left the remaining harvest to ripen for an extra two weeks to up sugar levels. The risk paid off. A whopping 99.2% of Weingut S.A. Prϋm’s 2016 harvest consists of prädikat level wines with the following break-down:
30.5% Kabinett
63.0% Spätlese
5.5% Auslese
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@Night Hides Not
I would like to report that I am drinking a substandard wine---Apothic Dark. It was a gift from a friend, and I sort of forgot I had it. I opened it tonight...the aftertaste is just...bad.
But hey, it's free! And I love the bottle.
(http://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Ma0c263146c7832cc25dca1284e0e3c10o0&pid=15.1)
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I found a recent review here: http://www.honestwinereviews.com/2014/01/apothic-dark-wine-review.html (http://www.honestwinereviews.com/2014/01/apothic-dark-wine-review.html). Some of the comments were a hoot!
The only thing that matters about wine is, do you like it?
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@mystery-ak
I'm flattered that you would move my thread to the top echelon of the BR Tavern. I better get off the schneid and post new material.
Thank you!
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I think we need to get off the schneid and start drinking more wine, @Night Hides Not !
:laugh:
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I think we need to get off the schneid and start drinking more wine, @Night Hides Not !
:laugh:
@mountaineer
Couldn't agree with you more! I fixed up a batch of chili last week, from a recipe that earned me 4th place in the office chili contest. My wife was impressed, until I told her there were FIVE entries...lol. I'll say this, I fixed a double batch that filled up a large crockpot, and there was nothing left to take home. I was also asked for the recipe by a few women in the office, and I was told later that I missed winning the bronze by 13 cents. lol
My secret ingredient was a large jar of chopped Hatch chiles. The label said "medium hot", and it had a nice kick to it. I have learned that Riesling pairs very nicely with spicy foods, and I wasn't disappointed.
We'll be heading down to Lost Oak in a couple of weeks, to pick up the latest wine club installment. The two wines in my pickup will be tempranillo and orange muscat. Tempranillo pairs extremely well with BBQ and burgers, while orange muscat is said to pair well with spicy (Thai) seafood.
My daughter and I have been very pleased with the variety of wines we've been getting with each bimonthly installment. Lost Oak's prices have increased over the past couple of years, though not excessively. It's a matter of supply and demand, but more importantly their wine is very, very good.
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I've enjoyed a number of wines that are simply great when talking with family and friends, even if it gets into politics. Since tastes vary from person to person, I look for wines that aren't too dry or too sweet, something that everyone can enjoy.
The possibilities are endless, here's just a few...I've chosen a few of my favorites, feel free to augment.
1. Mosel (German) wines: a Kabinett will be less sweet than a Spatlese, and they're easy to find at most large retailers. Depending upon the group, I might be tempted to break out an Auslese, which is considered a dessert wine. My strategy here is if no one joins me, I get the whole bottle to myself. Let me tell you, that's NOT going to happen, though I can dream about it. The beauty of these wines is their low alcohol content, usually 8-9%. That's why I didn't feel any "buzz" at winefests until I was well into my third bottle.
Varietal: Riesling
Llano Estacado (Lubbock) has an excellent Riesling.
(https://www.llanowine.com/images/stories/virtuemart/product/LEW_Riesling_2013_web.jpg)
2. Rosa Blanca:
(http://www.lostoakwinery.com/assets/images/products/pictures/RosaBlanca1.jpg)
Varietals: 90% Muscat & 10 % Merlot
A beautiful bright berry color starts off this wine. Wild raspberry flowers on the nose and a taste that is reminiscent of sweet summertime memories of lemonade and popsicle stands.
One of my wife's favorites.
3. Sauvignon Blanc
(http://www.lostoakwinery.com/assets/images/products/pictures/Sauvingnon_blanc-2015.JPG)
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
A bright crisp wine that is perfect for the summer months! Subtle aromas of pear begin this wine. Flavors of pear and pumelo with a delicate minerality on the finish.
This is a wine my daughter and I share when we make a trip to Lost Oak. She prefers dry, I prefer semi-sweet to sweet. Add in a cheese board, and everything's right with the world.
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My wife and I became fans of the sweet wines produced in Germany.
I've also become a real fan of the Italian reds made at the Banfi Winery.
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My wife and I became fans of the sweet wines produced in Germany.
I've also become a real fan of the Italian reds made at the Banfi Winery.
I love Rieslings too......
I used to really like Merlots but now prefer a sweeter wine.
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The gracious @mystery-ak has authorized me to expand The Vineyard's capabilities. Before I start, I'd appreciate input on threads within our oenophile community.
As a start, I'm considering separate threads for:
Varietals: Riesling, merlot, cabernet, etc.
Favorite wineries, with the caveat that only positive comments are allowed. That attitude comes from my experience with wine producers. They're one of the last bastions of capitalism in the world, and it takes a ton of blood, sweat, and tears to make good wine. Besides, what matters most about wine is do you like it or not? If you don't like somebody's wine, find one that does please your palette.
Wine news from various states and regions of the world.
Thanks in advance for your input, my fellow "terroirists"!
(http://closcachet.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2015/05/Clos-Cachet-Terroir-definition.jpg)
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I love Rieslings too......
I used to really like Merlots but now prefer a sweeter wine.
Merlot is my favorite.
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The gracious mystery-ak has authorized me to expand The Vineyard's capabilities. Before I start, I'd appreciate input on threads within our oenophile community.
As a start, I'm considering separate threads for:
Varietals: Riesling, merlot, cabernet, etc.
Favorite wineries, with the caveat that only positive comments are allowed. That attitude comes from my experience with wine producers. They're one of the last bastions of capitalism in the world, and it takes a ton of blood, sweat, and tears to make good wine. Besides, what matters most about wine is do you like it or not? If you don't like somebody's wine, find one that does please your palette.
Wine news from various states and regions of the world.
Thanks in advance for your input, my fellow "terroirists"!
Excellent!
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Still mulling over options, spent some time looking at news, other wine blogs.
There will be a lot of post-worthy material over the next couple of months, as the first reviews will be coming in on the 2016 vintage year.
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Last night, I was watching a show on Smithsonian, "Hitler's Last Day". What caught my eye was the bottle of wine on his dinner table, so I hit the DVR and played it back. Lo and behold, clearly readable was "Piesporter Goldtropfchen Auslese."
(http://www.kwagga.de/mab/wein/etikett/de/domklausenhof1r.jpg)
Obviously, this label is much more recent, and reflects the more stringent German laws of today. For example, for a label to contain the name of a varietal grape such as Riesling, it must have 85% or more of Riesling in the wine.
I've been unable to verify that this was the actual vintage drunk by Hitler at that meal, but I'll keep checking.
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http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/319540-stores-around-washington-selling-out-of-trump-wine (http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/319540-stores-around-washington-selling-out-of-trump-wine)
There’s a run on Trump Wine, with stores in the Washington region selling out of bottles bearing the president’s name.
Mike Mackie, co-owner of The Wine Cabinet in Reston, Va., says the brand is flying off his store shelves quicker than he can restock it for multiple reasons.
You’ve got supporters who are buying the wine because of [President Trump’s] election victory,” Mackie tells ITK.
“You’ve got people who are buying the wine just to have something to talk about. Some are buying the wine just as a joke on somebody else who didn’t vote for Trump,” he adds. “And then you’ve got people who’ve once they’ve tried the wine, realize it’s a well-made wine. So you’ve got quite a bit of demand.”
I always enjoy a happy story!
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I need to check in on this thread more often.
It's fascinating!
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I need to check in on this thread more often.
It's fascinating!
And, you thought it was just a bunch of winos!
:drunk:
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I need to check in on this thread more often.
It's fascinating!
@musiclady - it would undoubtedly help if the moderator got off his rear...lol. I admit it, and my wife will agree that I've been greatly distracted by the success enjoyed by the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team.
Thanks for stopping by!
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And, you thought it was just a bunch of winos!
:drunk:
One really has to work at it to get drunk on a fine Riesling. The sweeter vintages, such as a Spatlese or Auslese, are usually less than 10% alcohol by volume.
If you're looking to get snockered, then a fortified wine is more up your alley. Those usually contain at least 20% alcohol by volume.
I recall one crazy evening at a weinfest near where I lived. For some reason, my friend and his wife issued a challenge to me to try each of 25 wines being presented (the glasses hold .1 liter, i.e. a shot glass). They decided to join in the fun. I distinctly recall stopping at #7...they did too. We were comparing notes, and we agreed it was one of the best Spatleses we had ever sampled, and we had both been in country over 4 years (his wife was a local girl).
I think I got home about 4 am, it was a Monday night. If you ever go to Germany, Monday night is THE night to attend a weinfest. The tourists are gone, and the townfolk let their hair down. Friday-Sunday are fine, too, I just came to love those Monday nights.
Next morning was brutal, though...my buddy had a heckuva time getting me up (he commuted to work with me), Oma (Grandma) next door thought I was dead, and the sun was just coming over the eastern ridge of the Mosel, like a white laser drilling into your retina. What the heck, I was 26 and indestructible. I wouldn't dare try such a thing today.
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I wasn't saying being a wino is a bad thing!
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Excellent job of describing "structure" as it relates to wine.
https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/wine-terms-structure/ (https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/wine-terms-structure/)
Excerpt:
Keep these points in mind when thinking about structure:
• Think well-made wine and poorly-made wine instead of good and bad. Good and bad are relative; what one person thinks is good – dry, rough, and with very little fruit – could be someone else’s idea of bad.
• A well-made wine, regardless of anything else, is balanced. The alcohol, fruitiness, sweetness, tannins, and acidity play off each other, and one doesn’t dominate the others. A cheap wine can be balanced; an expensive wine can be woefully out of whack.
• A well-made wine should have three components – a sensation in the front of the mouth, in the middle, and in the back. You might get fruit in the front, some sweetness in the middle, and tannins in the back. The point is that a poorly made wine doesn’t have more than one or two components, and you usually only taste it in the front. Think of New Zealand sauvignon blanc with too much grapefruit and little else and you get the idea.
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I recall one crazy evening at a weinfest near where I lived. ...
Ugh, your anecdote reminded me of a trip to Wien, Austria, when my sister was there as a Fulbright scholar. We all went to a weinstube to try the "new wine." Never got so sick on wine in my life. :thud:
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Great article from The Wine Curmudgeon: https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/costco-wine-lets-drink-local/ (https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/costco-wine-lets-drink-local/)
I learned about this recently when the Costco buyer for Texas approached one of the state’s wineries. The winery, its sales person told me, was flabbergasted. Why would Costco want to sell its wine? If nothing else, it didn’t make enough to fill one of Costco’s huge displays. But quantity doesn’t matter as much as quality, part of what the chain’s founder/guru Jim Sinegal told me years ago when I was lucky enough to interview him for an airline in-flight magazine. The retailer wants shopping to be like a treasure hunt, where its customers run across something they didn’t expect to find. In this case, quality local wine.
Think I'll start joining my wife on her trips to Costco, for "research purposes." lol
I do enjoy the "treasure hunt" aspect when I visit a store or a winery. Fredericksburg, in the Hill Country of Texas" is a favorite of mine. They have several wine stores and wine bars, each with their own style and variety. One of the stores always seems to have something unusual from the Mosel River in Germany. On my last trip, I bought their last two bottles of a Hochgewächs Riesling. I endeared myself to the saleslady by teaching her the pronunciation of "Hochgewächs"...lol.
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http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-farms-immigration/ (http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-farms-immigration/)
Wine prices, like other commodities, will increase, so let's blame Trump.
An informative article overall. Shifting production from vineyards to orchards, such as olives and almonds, could create problems in those industries, i.e. more supply.
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This post could be classified as a glorified bump.
Now that basketball season is over, and I've recovered from the Zags' valiant effort in the title game, it's time to turn my focus away from the courts to vino.
My mobility was limited due to auto issues: was rear-ended first week in December, and the other driver's insurance company drug it out over four months. Long story short, we settled last week, and my wheels have definitely been upgraded. No injuries, thankfully.
Have been looking for reviews of 2016 Mosel, but without success to date. No 2016 wines appearing on Eduard Kroth's website, either.
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This post could be classified as a glorified bump.
Now that basketball season is over, and I've recovered from the Zags' valiant effort in the title game, it's time to turn my focus away from the courts to vino.
My mobility was limited due to auto issues: was rear-ended first week in December, and the other driver's insurance company drug it out over four months. Long story short, we settled last week, and my wheels have definitely been upgraded. No injuries, thankfully.
Have been looking for reviews of 2016 Mosel, but without success to date. No 2016 wines appearing on Eduard Kroth's website, either.
Glad you're back and healthy!
Thanks, I think I'm over my bout with March Madness! lol
My Zags have the pieces for another great season, though it would be foolhardy to expect results similar to this past year.
Ours is not a "blue blood" program, i.e. where the fans are disappointed with anything less than a title. Our coach, Mark Few, describes it as a "journey, not a destination." I concur with that opinion. I'm just hoping they have a game scheduled within a day's drive of Dallas next year, so we can make another road trip.
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Based on this article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/end-wine-oclock/ (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/end-wine-oclock/)
It turns out many women just can’t face its high alcohol content any more. Confessions came thick and fast from around the table, detailing misdemeanours committed while under the influence of a few too many glasses of white. ‘I stay off the loopy juice now unless it’s with a meal,’ said one friend.
A quick search revealed numerous articles on lower alcohol wines, here's a representative list:
•Moscato d'Asti 5.5% ABV (lightly sparkling sweet white from Italy)
•Brachetto d'Acqui 6.5% ABV (lightly sparkling sweet red from Italy)
•Kabinett Riesling 8% ABV (light sweet German Riesling)
•Spätlese Riesling 8.5% ABV (rich sweet German Riesling)
•Alsace Blanc 9%–10% ABV (France)
•Muscadet 9.5% ABV (France)
winefolly.com/tutorial/the-lightest-to-the-strongest-wine/ (http://winefolly.com/tutorial/the-lightest-to-the-strongest-wine/)
(http://winefolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/alcohol-content-in-wine.png)
My cooler always will have a Mosel Riesling in it, usually Spatleses and Ausleses. Cracked open a bottle Sunday night to enjoy while viewing the season ending episode of Billions.
The first two on the list look interesting, as I'm a fan of sparkling wine and Italian prosecco.
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Wines with lowest alcohol content
Alternate Title: Pointless Things To Drink Other Than Water
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Wines with lowest alcohol content
Alternate Title: Pointless Things To Drink Other Than Water
LOL - I don't drink wine to get inebriated, it just seems to work out that way.
During my years in Germany, I enjoyed going to wine fests on the last night, Monday evenings. The tourists were gone, and the locals were letting down their hair. The party never ended until well after midnight.
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I'm bumping this thread because it's giving me some wonderful ideas for Mother's Day.
I'd like to know more about other drinks like after dinner drinks. Mom likes Baikeys.
Things of that nature,
Anyway, thanks for this gem of a thread.
Bump
:beer:
( no wine emoji)
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We had an enjoyable bottle of vinho verde recently - I don't remember which label - and I've decided it should become the summertime refreshment of choice this year. Just a hint of sparkle, light and crisp. Picked up a bottle yesterday and if it's as good as the one we drank last week, I'll share the vintner's name.
*Edit to add: the one we had last week that was so good was "Gazela."
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I've got a niece getting married in a few weeks, and I'm giving the happy couple a case of wine. Just emailed my friendly winemaker in Germany with a bit more varied order.
Instead of the standard, award-winning fare (Riesling), I'll be trying out the German version of Pinot Noir, Spätburgunder. As long as they have it in stock, I'll always order a few 2010 Ausleses, one of several that are either silver or award winning.
I didn't go that far off the path, as I'll be treating myself to 2009 Beerenauslese for Father's Day.
Sunday, we're heading down for the bimonthly wine club pickup, Lost Oak has many new offerings...should be fun as always.
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We had an enjoyable bottle of vinho verde recently - I don't remember which label - and I've decided it should become the summertime refreshment of choice this year. Just a hint of sparkle, light and crisp. Picked up a bottle yesterday and if it's as good as the one we drank last week, I'll share the vintner's name.
*Edit to add: the one we had last week that was so good was "Gazela."
Is it a dry wine...I am into a sweeter wine now...
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Is it a dry wine...I am into a sweeter wine now...
Not totally dry. A notch or two sweeter than Pinot Grigio, perhaps.
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Post vacation bump...was down in the Hill Country for a wedding.
I would have more to report, but my wife (conveniently) lost her car keys, and was unable to take her car. That was the original plan, as she was leaving early to head back to work, I stayed the entire week as originally planned. That meant my schedule was tied to the in-laws instead of 2-3 days of winery hopping.
All's well that ends well, I suppose. One of our days was spent in Greune, home of "The Grapevine", a very nice wine bar stocked with plenty of Texas wine. My first glass though was a crisp Riesling from Germany, and the second was a "Llano Viva Rosso from Lubbock, TX. A blend of two classic grapes, Brachetto and Moscato d’Asti."
A bit sweet, but the effervescence added to it. Another fine offering from the Llano Estacado winery in Lubbock.
http://grapevineingruene.com/ (http://grapevineingruene.com/)
Gruene is a great little town to visit if you're in the Hill Country. Perfect for me: wife and inlaws can spend as much time in the shops as they desire, while I'm hanging out at the Grapevine. lol
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Bumping the thread in advance of another vacation: this time, it will be the next two weeks. Heading for Spokane, I've been needing a road trip for a couple of years, and I haven't been back to GU since '01. My after action report will include the Spokane Wine Trail, and I'll be trying offerings of Washington and Idaho, at a minimum.
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Just had a glass of Napa Valley Grgich Chardonay. Delicious!!
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Just had a glass of Napa Valley Grgich Chardonay. Delicious!!
We were just at a family event where someone brought a couple of Grgich reds. Nice. I figured I'd look for it next time I'm at the big wine store (doesn't look like Kroger carries it). ^-^
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Visited Barrister Winery in downtown Spokane yesterday. A bit difficult to get too, but worth the trouble.
Very friendly place, great wines. I bought a bottle of their Sauvignon Blanc, and a bottle of a red blend called Rough Justice. Surprise, surprise...the winery is owned by two grads of Gonzaga Law School.
The trip has been everything I hoped for and more. The Gonzaga campus has transformed over the past 15 years. Student body is nearing 6000 undergrads, triple that of when I was there decades ago.
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Not much to report on the wine front. We made it home from our jaunt to Spokane. Our stops on the way home included Little Big Horn, Mt. Rushmore, and Dodge City...no time for wineries. More of a case of wanting to get home after 10+ days on the road.
My inventory is in an overstocked mode currently...both coolers are maxed out (total 26 bottles), plus a half dozen bottles on the rack...time for a few "special occasions."
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Not much to report on the wine front. We made it home from our jaunt to Spokane. Our stops on the way home included Little Big Horn, Mt. Rushmore, and Dodge City...no time for wineries. More of a case of wanting to get home after 10+ days on the road.
My inventory is in an overstocked mode currently...both coolers are maxed out (total 26 bottles), plus a half dozen bottles on the rack...time for a few "special occasions."
That's a nice problem to have.
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Not much to report on the wine front.
Same here. I've been too busy lately to visit a wine store, let alone to open a bottle. We did have something to celebrate last week, so we popped the cork on a bottle of Spanish sparkling wine (brut). That's about it. *terribly sad*
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We were just at a family event where someone brought a couple of Grgich reds. Nice. I figured I'd look for it next time I'm at the big wine store (doesn't look like Kroger carries it). ^-^
Incidentally, we had that wine in a restaurant in Bismarck, ND on our trip.
So you see, it wasn't all hiking and sweating. :dx1:
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No posts since July. Man you guys are letting this thing die on the vine. Get it? :tongue2:
Pumpkin Spice Latte Season (The seasonal formerly known as Fall formerly known as Autumn) so maybe that'll get things going again.
I finally tried a German Riesling @Night Hides Not. Good stuff.
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Please tell me no winery has even attempted pumpkin spice chardonnay! I may lose it!
On a brighter note, I'm going to the big city this morning and hope to stop by my favorite large wine store. The "cellar" is looking a bit sparce.
We live in a semi-rural area where Kroger and Dollar General are about the only places to shop, and I rarely buy wine at Kroger except for Pinetti pinot grigio.
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Hailstones 'the size of pigeon eggs' devastate Bordeaux vineyards
David Chazan, Paris
27 May 2018 • 3:07pm
Hailstorms have devastated thousands of acres of prime Bordeaux vineyards, prompting the French government to promise support for winegrowers, some of whom have lost their entire crop.
Cyril Giresse, a winegrower, said hailstones “the size of pigeons’ eggs†destroyed grape buds and left vines bare on Saturday.
“The storm lasted only about 15 minutes, but in some places, there’s nothing left at all,†said Mr Giresse, who runs the Château Gravettes Samonac in Bordeaux’s Côtes de Bourg appellation. “No leaves, no grapes, just the vines stripped as if the grapes had all been picked.†... The Telegraph (U.K.) (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/27/hailstones-size-pigeon-eggs-devastate-bordeaux-vineyards/)
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I had a delicious Riesling at a little Italian restaurant in Cleveland (called "La Dolce Vita" in Little Italy).
It was called "Pacific Rim" and it was absolutely scrumptious.
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We're likely to travel to the Alsace region soon (perhaps as soon as September) to see where some of my ancestors came from. Of course, there will be wine stops. Riesling, though - I don't know. Just don't like 'em sweet!
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We're likely to travel to the Alsace region soon (perhaps as soon as September) to see where some of my ancestors came from. Of course, there will be wine stops. Riesling, though - I don't know. Just don't like 'em sweet!
It’s my understanding that Alsace Riesling is drier than Mosle Riesling. You can also look for the word “trocken†on the label, signifying dry on German wines.
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It’s my understanding that Alsace Riesling is drier than Mosle Riesling. You can also look for the word “trocken†on the label, signifying dry on German wines.
Definitely will do! We have our airline reservations and are ready to go. I've had an Alsatian Sylvaner, which was nice.
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Alsatian wine update: we were in Kaysersburg, France, and I was determined to buy some wine. We stopped at a vintner's shop and picked up two bottles of 2016 Pinot Gris (at something around $9.32 per bottle), as that's all we could manage to transport home. We've had one of them and oh my gosh, is it good.
Andre et Lucas Ancel is the winery.
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Alsatian wine update: we were in Kaysersburg, France, and I was determined to buy some wine. We stopped at a vintner's shop and picked up two bottles of 2016 Pinot Gris (at something around $9.32 per bottle), as that's all we could manage to transport home. We've had one of them and oh my gosh, is it good.
Andre et Lucas Ancel is the winery.
Here's their website, though I don't know any French.
https://vinsdacote.com/33__vins-d-alsace-andre-ancel (https://vinsdacote.com/33__vins-d-alsace-andre-ancel)
The pictures of the town are stunning. I'm going to contact them to see if they ship to Texas. There are several that look very tempting, i.e. the Rieslings and the Gewurztraminers. The pricing on every selection was very competitive.
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@Night Hides Not We met a British couple at a little cafe in Obernai who told us they drive their Land Rover to the Alsace on a regular basis and fill it up with cases of their favorite wines. Does that sound like heaven!
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Sommelier reveals the PERFECT wine pairing for every course on Christmas Day - and they all cost less than £21
The supermarket wines to pair with all of your Christmas day dishes
Includes recommendations for breakfast, turkey, goose, beef and pudding
Tesco's Pinot Noir, £11, is perfect with turkey, and Asda's £5 Rioja for a nut roast
By Chloe Morgan For Mailonline
Published: 08:06 EST, 24 December 2018 | Updated: 09:03 EST, 24 December 2018
Not sure many of the wines mentioned are available here, as this is from a British newspaper, but you may find it helpful, nonetheless. Read all about it at the Daily Mail (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-6526631/The-perfect-wine-pairings-Christmas-dinner-revealed.html)
Here's a recipe for mulled wine:- Heat (don’t boil) red wine in a large pan with sugar to taste (roughly 3 tbsp. per bottle).
- When the sugar has dissolved, squeeze in the juice of an orange, retaining the skins.
- Push cloves into the orange skins and add them to the pot with a couple of cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp. powder) and a good grate of nutmeg.
- If you require a bit more kick (in case of especially difficult relatives) add a good slug of cognac, whisky or cherry brandy for extra richness.
- Simmer for 20 minutes and serve
He suggests the following wines for mulling: Torretta di Mondelli Nero d'Avola (£4.00 Sainsbury’s)
El Puente Tempranillo (£4.75 Morrisons)
Toro Loco Organic Red (£4.99 Aldi)
Lidl Costières de Nîmes Rhône (£6.49 Lidl)
Tesco Finest St. Chinian (£6.50 Tesco)
He also recommended a sparkling wine from Aldi: Aldi Exquisite Collection Crémant du Jura.
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What Did Jesus Drink? A Bethlehem Winery is Embracing Ancient, Indigenous Grapes
Linda Gradstein
As millions of people around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas, Bethlehem’s Cremisan Wine Estate has just finished bottling its 2018 vintage. Founded by Salesian monks in 1885, Cremisan makes wine using indigenous Palestinian grapes. Some scholars say these are the types of wines that Jesus most likely drank.
“The Salesian fathers started making the first wines, called Messa, to use in churches,†Fadi Batarseh, Cremisan’s winemaker, says. The monastery started making wines in the 1880s, using grapes that are at least 2,000 years old. Batarseh, a Palestinian Christian and Jerusalem native who studied winemaking in Italy, joined the winery in 2015. “We make a white and a red, both sweet, because Catholics use white wine for mass, and the Orthodox use red,†he says.
While winemakers in Israel’s Golan Heights have found success growing imported grapes like Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cremisan and select others are embracing the fruit that has grown in the region for centuries. Batarseh is leading the charge, incorporating modern technique and local, ancient grapes. ...
Cremisan is just a few miles from Jerusalem, on the outskirts of Bethlehem. The winery is stunningly beautiful, with green hills more reminiscent of Tuscany than the hardscrabble West Bank. There are terraces and hundreds of ancient olive trees that also make excellent olive oil, which the winery also markets. ... Read more at Vine Pair (https://vinepair.com/articles/what-did-jesus-drink-a-bethlehem-winery-is-embracing-ancient-indigenous-grapes/)
(https://static.vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/jesus_internal_2.jpg)
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Oh, the humanity!
Bordeaux fire destroys $13 million worth of wine in France
By Ebony Bowden
April 18, 2019 | 2:55pm
Fans of Bordeaux have plenty of reason to whine this week.
A blaze at a warehouse in the vaunted wine-making region in South West France incinerated $12.9 million worth of vino on Tuesday afternoon.
At least 2 million bottles of wine and spirits were destroyed and 80 employees were evacuated when the fire broke out at the Bordeaux warehouse.
Roughly 60 firefighters spent 15 hours fighting the raging blaze but were unable to save a significant amount of booze, which belonged to wine producer Sovex, French media The Local reported. ...
New York Post (https://nypost.com/2019/04/18/bordeaux-fire-destroys-13-million-worth-of-wine-in-france/)
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That's awful!