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Send us a textWine lovers know that finding a decent Pinot Noir under $10 is challenging enough, so when Domain Dave discovered the $4.99 Motif Monterey Pinot Noir 2023 at Trader Joe's, skepticism was natural. Yet this bargain bottle delivers surprising quality that defies its humble price tag.Pinot Noir demands specific growing conditions—cool nights, moderate days, ideally morning fog, and a long growing season—making budget versions rare. The Motif brand, previously known for its $5 Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, has expanded to this Monterey County offering with an attractive brown-designed label. While it won't compete with premium Pinots, this wine offers genuine varietal character with straightforward cherry notes, black pepper spice, hints of dried strawberry, and ripe plum undertones.What's remarkable is the balance. Despite lacking oak aging (impossible at this price point), the wine avoids becoming either a fruit bomb or too acidic. Likely produced by Bronco Wines, a company known for value-priced options, this Pinot excels as a casual "back porch wine" or party option—imagine serving four bottles for just $20! While not suitable for special occasions or fancy dinners, it's perfect for everyday enjoyment when you want something light yet flavorful. If you're a budget-conscious wine drinker or simply curious about how far $5 can stretch in the world of Pinot Noir, this Trader Joe's find deserves a spot in your shopping cart.Looking for more affordable wine recommendations? Visit CheapWineFinder.com where we review three value-priced wines each week, helping you drink well without breaking the bank.Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com
Recorded - 3/9/2025On Episode 312 of the Almost Sideways Movie Podcast, we reveal the winners of our own movie awards show, the Pinots. What took home the top prizes? There were definitely some surprises. Then, we review the follow-up to a Best Picture-winning classic. Our power rankings revolve around character aliases, and our trivia segment looks at independent movies this century. We also learn during recording about the DK Metcalf trade. It was an action-packed episode! Here are the highlights:What We've Been Watching(6:15) "The Mother and the Whore" Review: Zach(11:30) "Casino" Review: Terry Oscar Anniversary Watch(13:55) "Shaun the Sheep Movie" Review: Terry Oscar Anniversary Watch(15:50) "Unforgettable" Review: Todd Liotta Watch(18:30) "Fighting Tommy Riley" Review: Todd Pawn Show DVD Watch(23:00) "The Call of the Wild" Review: Adam Ford Explorer Watch(27:50) 2024 PINOT FINAL WINNERS(1:13:45) "Mickey 17" Featured Review(1:29:20) Power Rankings: Movie / TV Aliases(2:04:45) PR Honorable Mentions(2:14:40) Trivia: Best Independent Films of the 21st Century(2:25:35) Quote of the DayFind AlmostSideways everywhere!Websitealmostsideways.comFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsidewaysTerry's Twitter: @almostsideterryZach's Twitter: @pro_zach36Todd: Too Cool for TwitterAdam's Twitter: @adamsidewaysApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
On this episode of Daly Notes - Adam talks about the 2024 Pinots and the fall out of some of his nominations!Then Adam takes on the latest Scott Derrickson film - The Gorge, starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy! Then he hops in the Ford Explorer with 2010's Morning Glory! Then he rounds out the episode with a 1990 film - Blue Steel!WHERE ARE THEY STREAMING?The Gorge - Apple TVMorning Glory - Paramount+Blue Steel - Amazon PrimeFollow Adam on Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/almostsideways/Daly Notes is hosted by Adam Daly and is a part of the AlmostSideways family.Find AlmostSideways everywhere!Websitealmostsideways.comFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsidewaysTerry's Twitter: @almostsideterryZach's Twitter: @pro_zach36Todd: Too Cool for TwitterAdam's Twitter: @adamsidewaysApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4mYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
The 2024 Almost Sideways Pinot Awards have come and gone, and now it's time to overanalyze our over-indulgence. Terry and Todd sit down and discuss the stats and voting that took place that led to the nominations that were made, as well as discuss what we thought of our winners in the minor categories discussed live during the awards show. It's always a fun episode. Make sure you check out our full awards show found on our podcast feed and our YouTube channel.Watch the live recording of the 2024 Pinots on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/HvBqBZCBT3o?si=LayVQP81dWOHvakHFind AlmostSideways everywhere!Websitealmostsideways.comFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsidewaysTerry's Twitter: @almostsideterryZach's Twitter: @pro_zach36Todd: Too Cool for TwitterAdam's Twitter: @adamsidewaysApple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
On this episode of Big Blend Radio, Linda Kissam "Food, Wine & Shopping Diva," talks with Cameron Bower of Ghost Hill Cellars. Nuzzled in the heart of Oregon's famed Willamette Valley, Ghost Hill Cellars stands as a marvelous example of exceptional winemaking craftsmanship, particularly renowned for its exquisite pinot noir offerings. Read Linda's article about her tasting experience, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/the-unforgettable-pinot-noir-experience-at-ghost-hill-cellars/ Learn more about Ghost Hill Cellars at https://www.ghosthillcellars.com/ Travel writer Linda Kissam appears on Big Blend Radio every first Saturday. Follow her podcasts here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1LoD5wiSJu4NM4KZxuJYoj Follow Diva Linda's adventures here: https://allingoodtaste.info/ This episode is also being shared and featured on Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" channel. Check out our network of podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork
Die Weinbrater wagen sich in den Aargauer Jura und probieren zwei Pinots aus dem kleinen Ort Ueken.
Craig Ceccanti is co-founder of Pinots Palette, interviewed by David Cogan of Eliances Heroes radio show. Craig talks about how the Pinots Palette idea came during a dining room discussion with co-founders. They built the business literally over nights and weekends while working daytime jobs until they decided to bite the bullet and jump in to it full time. The company has seen meteoric rise in popularity and spawned copy cats across the Country.
Craig Ceccanti is co-founder of Pinots Palette, interviewed by David Cogan of Eliances Heroes radio show. Craig talks about how the Pinots Palette idea came during a dining room discussion with co-founders. The company has seen meteoric rise in popularity and spawned copy cats across the Country.
Für die heutige Episode mache ich mich auf den Weg in die ganz im Süden der Republik gelegene Weinregion Baden. Denn wer wie ich nach edlen Alternativen zu den berühmten weißen und roten Burgundern sucht, wird nicht zuletzt in diesem Teil Deutschlands fündig. Die feinsten Burgunder unter ihnen können zwar auch schon mal die 100 Euro-Marke knacken, aber es gibt auch hervorragende Weine, die weniger als die Hälfte, manche nicht mal ein Viertel dessen kosten, was unsere französischen Nachbarn dafür aufrufen. Sie verdienen unsere Aufmerksamkeit. Zum Beispiel das Weingut der Gebrüder Mathis in Merdingen am Tuniberg, westlich von Freiburg. Hier regieren heute Sabeth und Severin. Sie ist in der Pfalz groß geworden, er in Basel. In Geisenheim hat die Liebe sie zusammengebracht. Heute leiten sie eins der interessantesten Weingüter am Tuniberg. Die Weine der beiden aus den Sorten Weiß- und Grauburgunder, Chardonnay und Spätburgunder, strahlen eine berührende innere Ruhe und Harmonie aus. Sie sind zart und fein texturiert und gleichzeitig voller Energie. Es sind Weine, die ihr Herz auf der Zunge tragen und uns schon beim ersten Schluck in ihren Bann ziehen. Mich erstaunt insbesondere ihr Auxerrois und schon bei der ersten Begegnung frage ich mich, ob ein Auxerrois vom Tuniberg so betörend sein: in der Nase kühl, klar, frisch und lebhaft wie ein ins Tal hopsender Bergbach, am Gaumen präzise, elegant, energetisch und einem langen, fröhlichen Ausklang, der mir unweigerlich ein Lächeln entlockt. Aber auch die Chardonnays und Grauburgunder überzeugen auf ganzer Linie. An der Spitze der Pinots stehen die Crus Hohrain und Rosenloch, deren 2021er gerade verfügbar sind, aufgrund der geringen Stückzahlen bei Erscheinen des Podcasts aber auch schon vergriffen sein können. Eine mehr als interessante Alternative ist dann der Spätburgunder Alte Rebe. Dieser dichte, unfiltrierte Pinot stammt von über 30 Jahre alten Reben und reift 18 Monate in kleinen Fässern. Mir gefällt er wegen seines ungemein saftigen und raffinierten Gaumenauftritts, seiner superfeinen Tannine und konzentrierten Kirschfrucht und weil er im Finale noch mal richtig Gas gibt und so auch als Speisenbegleiter eine gute Figur macht. Von Sabeth und Severin will ich wissen, wie sie all das in so kurzer Zeit auf die Flasche bekommen, wie sie herangehen an die Pflege ihrer Weinberge und den Prozess der Weinbereitung. Ich will wissen, wie die beiden ticken, mit welchen Idealen und Werthaltungen sie durchs Leben gehen und was sich für die nächsten Jahre so alles vornehmen.
The dust has barely settled on our 2009 Pinots, but it's time to analyze what happened and how the stats look. Terry and Todd sit down and discuss how the nominations came about, who was close, and who could win. Tune in to Episode 282 in a couple weeks to find out who wins our top awards! Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
Recorded - 7/21/2024 On Episode 280 of the Almost Sideways Movie Podcast, we jump back 15 years and talk all things 2009 with our 2009 Almost Sideways Movie Awards. The Pinots are here!!! We release the nominations for the major awards and also debate the nominees and winners for our smaller categories. We had a lot of fun! Check back in a couple weeks for Episode 282 when we will release the winners of the major category Pinots. Here are the highlights: (10:40) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (17:35) Best Minor Character (28:30) Worst Performance (39:30) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (46:20) Most Nicolas Cage Performance (56:40) Most Underrated Film (1:09:10) BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY (1:17:00) Matt Damon What Movie Are You In Awards (1:28:55) Most Overrated Film (1:42:00) BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (1:47:15) 2009 Tripod of Depravity (2:21:00) BEST ACTRESS (2:30:40) Best Movie Death (2:41:00) BEST ACTOR (2:46:25) Best Scene (2:55:10) BEST DIRECTOR (3:00:30) Highest WAR Performance (3:09:10) BEST ENSEMBLE (3:14:40) Quote of the Year (3:25:30) BEST PICTURE Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
In this episode, Pinot Noir reigns supreme. The grape that made Burgundy famous and produces some of the most expensive wines in the world takes to the tasting ring. Which wine will wear the belt in the blind wine tasting? Unknown to us, tonight we tasted these three Pinots: 2022 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley ($25.99) from our local wine store - Wall to Wall Wine; our second wine was a 2021 San Simeon Monterey Pinot Noir ($19.99) from Costco, and our final wine was the Kirkland Signature Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($11.99) from Costco.Next week we will taste a 2023 Landkastel Riesling ($6.99) from Aldi; a 2023 Kirkland Pinot Grigio ($4.99) from Costco; and an Espiral Vinho Verde ($4.99) from Trader Joe's.
Embroidery Monterey Pinot Noir 2021-$6,89 Of Costco GoodnessThis is a wine that sells at Costco for $6.89, much more elsewhereThis Pinot Noir splits the difference between Meiomi-style Pinots and Classic-style PInots.More medium-bodied than the others.Does it taste good?Yes, it is an excellent affordable Pinot Noir!For all the info check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and listen to the BEST CHEAP WINE PODCAST ON THE PLANET!!!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com
Recorded - 3/24/2024 On Episode 264 of the Almost Sideways Movie Podcast, we wrap up our awards season by announcing the winners of our yearly awards, handing out the final Pinots of the year. We also review the new Road House movie and break down the best cast chemistry in movies. Here are the highlights: What We've Been Watching (7:25) Todd TallaBoogie Review: Night Watch (10:15) Adam Anniversary Review: The Messenger (12:45) Terry Oscar Anniversary Review: The Story of the Weeping Camel (15:35) Terry Double Feature Review: Late Night with the Devil, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (18:40) Zach Review: Immaculate (24:25) Featured Review: Road House (2024) (46:50) 2023 ALMOST SIDEWAYS MOVIE AWARDS MAJOR WINNERS (1:38:15) Power Rankings: Best Cast Chemistry Trivia! (2:30:45) Zach Trivia Review: Creed III (2:35:30) Todd Trivia Review: Leo (2:38:50) Trivia: Oscar / Pinot Crossovers (2:47:20) Quote of the Day Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
The Almost Sideways team had a blast in Las Vegas revealing the nominees and winners of the 2023 Almost Sideways Movie Awards. After the Pinots were done, and after we all returned home, Terry and Todd got together to analyze and assess the carnage that was our awards show. We analyze our debated categories and winners, then we pull the curtain back on the nomination process for the major categories. How did the voting go? Why did certain movies get nominated and others not? We wrap up our conversation by going over some all time Pinot stats through three award shows. It was a great conversation that we have after every awards show. We just turned on the microphones this time so you could join us. (8:00) Debated Category Analysis (33:00) YouTube Awards Analysis (34:30) Major Category Nomination Analysis (1:19:00) Pinot All Time Stats Enter the 16th annual Almost Sideways Oscar Challenge! Pick the winners here: https://forms.gle/aSseLo5zMiFU96Q67 Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
Recorded LIVE - 2/25/2024 On Episode 260 of the Almost Sideways Movie Podcast, the four of us were LIVE in Las Vegas to celebrate the announcement of the 2023 Almost Sideways Movie Awards!!! Who will have a shot to win some Pinots? Who did win Pinots in our minor "debated" categories? Who won Merlots for the worst of the year? Why did we think it was a good idea to rely on hotel WiFi? Why was security in our hotel room during our live recording? What a wild show it was!!! Due to the hotel WiFi, the audio for this podcast isn't super high quality. Just a warning... Stay tuned for the winners of the major awards in 4 weeks. Here are the highlights: (6:30) Best Supporting Actor - NOMINEES (14:30) Best Minor Character - WINNER (24:00) Biggest Stickman - WINNER (33:15) Best Supporting Actress - NOMINEES (39:10) Most Nicolas Cage Performance - WINNER (46:10) Worst Performance - MERLOT WINNER (53:10) Best Original Screenplay - NOMINEES (57:00) Most Disappointing Film - MERLOT WINNER (1:04:00) Best Adapted Screenplay - NOMINEES (1:09:10) Most Surprising Film - WINNER (1:16:55) Best Actor - NOMINEES (1:24:15) Biggest Douchebag - WINNER (1:32:35) Most Watched YouTube Reviews - TOP TEN (1:38:25) Most Punchable Face - WINNER (1:47:50) Best Actress - NOMINEES (1:53:15) Best Scene - WINNER (2:05:25) Best Ensemble - NOMINEES (2:11:30) Highest WAR Performance - WINNER (2:23:55) Best Director - NOMINEES (2:31:30) Quote of the Year - WINNER (2:43:15) Best Picture - NOMINEES Enter the 16th annual Almost Sideways Oscar Challenge! Pick the winners here: https://forms.gle/aSseLo5zMiFU96Q67 Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
Recorded 1/14/2024 On Episode 254 of the Almost Sideways Movie Podcast, the four horsemen of the AlmostSideways embark on one of their favorite journeys that only comes once a year: the unveiling of their top 10 films of the year. We discuss the best and worst of 2023, reveal our top 10's, discuss our significant other's top 10's, and reveal the first look at our site's top 5 films of 2023. This episode was streamed LIVE on YouTube, Facebook, and the EX-Twitter. Our next LIVE episode will be Sunday, February 25th in Las Vegas for the 2nd annual Almost Sideways Movie Awards which we call the "Pinots." Be sure to tune in! To watch the YouTube feed of this episode, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/eokDrXiWho0?si=nj3Z-8Z__6B5_PY7 Here are the highlights: (8:20) Todd's Prop Bets (14:30) Bottom 5 of 2023 and Stats (25:30) #'s 10-8 (45:50) #'s 7-6 (1:09:40) Halftime: The Top 2023 Films from Our Significant Others (1:18:00) #'s 5-4 (1:38:00) #3 (2:00:00) #2 (2:19:50) #1 (2:46:00) Recapping Our Lists and Final Thoughts (2:56:00) Quote of the Day Find AlmostSideways everywhere! Website almostsideways.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmostSidewayscom-130953353614569/ AlmostSideways Twitter: @almostsideways Terry's Twitter: @almostsideterry Zach's Twitter: @pro_zach36 Todd: Too Cool for Twitter Adam's Twitter: @adamsideways Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almostsideways-podcast/id1270959022 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7oVcx7Y9U2Bj2dhTECzZ4m Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/almost-sideways-movie-podcast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfEoLqGyjn9M5Mr8umWiktA/featured?view_as=subscriber
Wer glaubt schon alles über die „Königin der Rotweinsorten“ zu wissen, sollte sich diese Episode ganz genau anhören! Unser „Indiana Jones“ der Weinreben begibt sich auf die historische Spur des weltbekannten Spätburgunders, der international auch als Pinot Noir bezeichnet wird. Zurück bis an den Beginn der Ampelographie schaut sich Andreas Jung die Aufzeichnungen und Beschreibungen seiner Kollegen ganz genau an. Er deckt die Fehler der Vergangenheit auf, die bis heute eine falsche Identität der Pinots prägen. Er setzt seine Erkenntnisse in den richtigen Kontext und beschreibt ein neues, interessantes Bild der heute vielleicht prägendsten Rotweinsorte. Anhand der Gene beschreibt er einen noch unbekannten Stammbaum der Pinots und blickt bis an deren Ursprung zurück. Mit einem Rotwein vom Blauen Arbst oder Süßschwarz tauchen Sie genussvoll in die Welt der Pinots ab und schmecken deren Geschichte an Ihrem Gaumen. www.schmecken-sie-geschichte.de
Kevin again. Here we are, in a very special Kevin season, and John is too busy getting drunk in Montreal to write anything here.An Auvergne, a Jura, and an Alsatian walk into a pinot.... you won't believe what happens next.TricotTissotBinnerOk i'll fix this up later see ya chumps. Support the show
Vergessen Sie ihr bisheriges Weltbild der Pinots. In dieser etwas speziellen Episode eröffnet Andreas Jung Ihnen eine noch völlig unbekannte Pinot-Welt. Wir schauen zurück an den Beginn der Rebsortenkunde. Nach der französischen Revolution war es in der französischen Ampelographie üblich, Rebsorten mit ähnlichen und/oder identischen Merkmalen in Sortengruppen zusammenzufassen. Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Schwarzriesling, etc. mit ihrem ähnlichen Aussehen werden in der heutigen Weinwelt als Pinots oder Burgunder bezeichnet. Sie haben Ihre eigene Geschichte und Stammbaum. Es handelt sich um die wohl bekannteste Sortengruppe. Noch bis Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts bestand eine andere Nomenklatur als heute üblich! Neben den heutigen Pinots, die damals als „Gamez“ deklariert wurden, gab es weitere Sortengruppen wie z.B. „les Cots“, „les Tresseaux“, „les Troyens“, „les Noiriens“ oder „les Pineaux. Unser „Indiana Jones“ schaut den Ampelographen des 18. Und 19. Jahrhunderts ganz genau auf die Finger. Er entdeckt bisher völlig unbekannte Zusammenhänge, wodurch immer klarer wird, dass früher andere Pinots wertgeschätzt wurden. Er entdeckte, dass die meisten Synonyme des heutigen Spätburgunders eigenständige Rebsorten waren. Jeder Weinliebhaber, der bisher glaubte, die Welt der Pinots gut zu kennen, wird durch das schwer durchschaubare Durcheinander restlos verwirrt. „Man“ stellt am Ende der Episode fest, dass man eigentlich nichts wusste. Wer den früheren Pineaux sensorisch auf die Spur gehen möchte, findet die passenden Weine in unser Online-Vinothek: www.schmecken-sie-geschichte.de
Die zwei Podcast-Protagonisten, Andreas Jung und Ulrich Martin, kämpfen verbal um die Existenz der historischen Rebsorte Blauer Arbst. Wie konnten so viele Rebsorten verloren gehen? Eine immer wieder gestellte Frage. Zum Beispiel, wenn eine Rebsorte falsch bestimmt wird und dadurch einer anderen, falschen Rebsorte zugeordnet wird. Dann verliert sie ihre Existenz. Das könnte aktuell beim Blauen Arbst passieren! Wenn er nicht als eigenständige Sorte anerkannt wird, sondern als Klon des Spätburgunders definiert wird, hätte das verheerende, gesetzliche Auswirkung auf die gerade wiederentdeckten Rebsorte. Was geht da gerade im weinrechtlichen Background des deutschen Weinbaus vor? Wo liegen die Unterschiede der beiden Rebsorten? Anhand seiner einzigartigen, wissenschaftlichen Recherche zeigt Andreas Jung detailliert, was die beiden Pinots unterscheidet. Sie hören eine exakte historische Verortung einer ausgesprochen wertvollen Rotweinsorte, die früher in unseren Regionen sehr geschätzt wurde. Wer ganz genau wissen will, wie die Weine des Blauen Arbstes schmecken und was sie von den Weinen des Spätburgunders unterscheidet, findet die sensorische Antwort in unserer kleinen Online-Vinothek: www.schmecken-sie-geschichte.de
Depuis les vignes on aperçoit le chai du Domaine des Béliers. Du chai on voit les rangées des vignes plantées de Pinots, de Müller-Thurgau, de Gamay et de Gewürztraminer en lisière de bois. C'est ici à une quinzaine de kilomètres de Metz, qu'Eve Maurice nous a accueilli. Et c'est au crépuscule en ce mois de janvier lors d'une visite au chai que nous avons remonté le fil de cette aventure en AOC Moselle et de ses nombreux projets à venir. ++++ Interview : Julien Gangand Montage : Laurent Le Coustumer Musique : Nadia Boulanger, La ville morte | Lili Boulanger, Prélude en ré bémol | Lili Boulanger, Cortège
My first encounter with the Donatsch wines was in April 2022 in a masterclass, and I was deeply touched. Martin is a truly honest guy who makes mesmerising Pinots, Chardonnays and Completer in Mali s, Graubünden, Switzerland. He not only wants his own wines to be enjoyed by people who can appreciate great wine made in his exceptional region, but he is also eager to make Swiss wines more known and recognised all around the world. Martin talked about the history of their 125 years old winery, his beautiful terroir, why almost no Swiss wines leave the country and his philosophy behind the (self-made) labels. CONTENT: 0:55 - Swiss market and why you can't find any Swiss wine in your country? 6:55 - How Burgundy influenced the modern Donatsch craze 16:40 - Mood of Graubünden 30:35 - Completer for the future! 44:00 - Martin's idea of a great wine 53:15 - Introduction to Swiss wine country Guest: Martin Donatsch | Donatsch Winery Wine Ghosts Instagram: @wineghosts | More content: www.wineghosts.com Support & Get Exclusive on the Wine Ghosts Patreon Site: https://www.patreon.com/wineghosts | Join the Wine Ghosts Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/wineghosts/ | Wine Ghosts' Channels (Instagram, Podcast etc.): https://linktr.ee/wineghosts
Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2020-Your Turkey Will Thank YouThis is a $14.99 sent Pinot Noir from the Carneros AVA.It is an upscale Pinot/Chardonnay growing region.The Pinots from this AVA typically sell from $15 to $70 and beyond.Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the awesome PODCAST for all the details!!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com
This week's show covers the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, south of Meursault. In this part of the Côte de Beaune you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. We start with a recap of episode 455 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Beaune and the most famed Chardonnays in the world from the Montrachet family of vineyards. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, which sets us up well to do deeper dives on other parts of Bourgogne so we can understand the villages even better. As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap. Here are the show notes: We discuss the pricing of Burgundy and why wines are so expensive. We talk about the difference between Burgundy and Napa that was sparked by a conversation on Patreon. Here is the podcast I talk about with Laurent Delaunaywhere we address some of the pricing issues. We talk a bit about the negociant system and the secondary market before moving to the communes. _____________________________ This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange Blagny (Blaeh-NE -- Pinot Noir) Between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, Blagny is a small village appellation with red wines exclusively of Pinot Noir. The majority of wine is classified as Premier Cru. Whites are permitted to be Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, but not Blagny – since white is often better here, Blagny is not well-known because the name is only for red Blagny has steeper vineyards than most spots in Burgundy and they are at higher altitudes 340- 400 metres/1,116 -1,312 ft vineyards. In the past, vignerons didn't want to make wine in the village because it was too cool, but with climate change it is becoming more popular Blagny's Pinot is like red fruit, black fruit, sandalwood, and spice. With age which it needs because tannins can be strong, leather, pepper, cocoa, licorice, earthy, gamy notes appear. St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) Aubin is between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, but it does not lie on the main Côte d'Or escarpment, but rather in a valley west of Chassagne. In warmer years, this cooler climate area does well, especially the top Premier cru En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien (means teeth of the dog -due to the sharp stones there) and La Chatenière Aubin grows a majority of white (Chardonnay), and the best sites arecloser to Puligny and Chassagne. Common notes are white flowers, lime, flint, chalk, mineral, almond, hazelnut, orange, mineral, and cinnamon. St. Aubin blanc can be sharp in youth or can be full – depending on vintage, terroir and producer. With age the wine is more like beeswax and honey and marzipan. Whites can age up to 10 years. The Pinot Noir is has black fruit with spice and cocoa notes. The wine can be tannic in youth but becomes softer and more herbal with 5-8 years. Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites" Puligny-Montrachet (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) A very small vineyard area (95 ha/235 acres) of nearly all Chardonnay –the terroir is complex in Puligny. The hillside has many different limestone, marl, and alluvial soils. The slopes face east and southeast. Four Grands Crus of Montrachet are located in the borders of Puligny. Top Premiers Crus: Le Cailleret, Les Pucelles, Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes, Folatières The Chardonnay is known for floral, mineral, marzipan, hazelnut, lemongrass, croissant, honey, lemon curd, limeade, peach, and green apple aromas and flavors. Producers traditionally use oak fermentation and aging but the flavors are restrained. We discuss the Grands Crus, all in the southern part of the appellation: Bâtard-Montrachet (10.27 ha/25.38 acres, shared with Chassagne) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (3.43 ha/8.48 acres, all in Puligny) are lower down the hill from Montrachet. The wines are honeyed and minerally, but less rich than Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet Le Montrachet (9.59 ha/ 23.7 acres, shared with Chassagne) is considered the best white wine on earth. The Grand Cru is from the ideal mid-slope. The wines are (apparently) elegant with powerful fruit, minerality, smoke, toasty aromas and flavors. Bottles start at about US$600/bottle Chevalier-Montrachet (7.48 ha/18.48 acres, only in Puligny) is nearly as good as Le Montrachet, lying at a higher elevation, with less clay Photo Credit: BIVB Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) Chassagne is one of the largest communes in the Cote d'Or with 761 acres/308 ha – Chardonnay is 70% of production and Pinot Noir is 30%. With complex soils, there is a range of quality and flavor in the village wines. The Chardonnay has pronounced mineral, white flower (verbena, honeysuckle), toasted almonds, toast (from oak), and fresh butter. The wine can be like peach in riper years. They are full but always have a backbone of acidity. The Pinots are fruity with black fruit, strawberry briar, and earth notes. It is soft but has tannin and needs time to mellow. There are 55 Premier crus of varying quality, since most of the steep slopes are for Premier Crus and Grands Crus of Chardonnay, much of the Village wine on the flatter areas is Pinot Noir Grands Crus: Shared with Puligny: Bâtard Montrachet, Le Montrachet Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: 100% in Chassagne -- 1.57 ha/3.88 acres, very small production From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer: The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet). Santenay (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) This is the last major village of the Côte d'Or and makes nearly all red wine, only 1/8 is Chardonnay. The orientation is still eastern and southern but here there is a shift to more southerly facing vineyards, still with limestone and clay. Santenay's Pinot Noir is earthy, with dark flower notes like rose petals, violet, red fruit and licorice. It can have lighter tannin, is acidic, and is a great intro to Burgundy that we can sort of afford. The Chardonnay is minerally and floral with great acidity, and a trace of nuts and spice. Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) This is where a total shift takes place and the Côte de Beaune terroir changes. In Maranges, the hills face south and southwest and the slopes become gentler, soils break down and become more of a patchwork. Gentler slopes, more heat and heavy clay lead to dark, rich wines (they were used as vins de médecin, to beef up the wines of the Côte de Nuits in bad years, so they never focused much on their own quality). Maranges is located in a different administrative department, Saône-et-Loire, where the Côte Chalonnaise lies. It's made up of three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges The Pinot Noir is fuller and darker with red preserves, black cherry, earth, licorice, pepper, and less nuance. The wines have smooth tannin, medium acidity and are similar to those of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Chardonnay is floral with minerals and honey, it is an easy drinking wine. We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start. Photo Credit: BIVB _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
As Lexman pitches a new project to his listeners, he's interrupted by a knock on the door. Peeking out, he sees a man wearing a scarf and holding a bottle of Pinot Noir. Michael I. Jordan guest stars to tell the story of how he became a hatchery owner, and how making Pinots helps hatch chicks.
Greg Graziano joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on this encore presentation. The CWC folks are gone fishin' this week and there is no new show for today, Sept. 7, 2022. So this podcast episode is a repeat of a show that originally aired on KSRO on Dec. 30, 2020, featuring Greg Graziano, the winemaker for the Graziano Family of Wines. Greg Graziano, winemaker for The Graziano Family of Wines the joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country today. His grandfather, Vincenzo Graziano, landed on Ellis Island in 1907 and worked his way across the country to Mendocino where he bought 100 acres with his future brother-in-law and began planting grapes, two years before Prohibition. During Prohibition they did whatever they could to survive, selling what wine was legal to sell. Then they sold grapes to Gallo and Italian Swiss Colony, and also Sebastiani and Parducci. Then the family started Mendocino Vineyards in the early 1950s. Gallo and Italian Swiss Colony bought most of the bulk wines then. Later, it was purchased and renamed Cresta Blanca. Then Constellation bought it and changed it to Dunwood, which never took off. Greg started making wine in 1977 and started Milano winery with his friend Jim Maloney. In 1985 he went to work for La Crema and took over in 1986 and was winemaker until 1990. They made 50,000 cases per year then, and now it's maybe 2 million, so it's a different thing now. The Jackson Family owns it now. They grow around 30 different grape varieties. He studied at UC Davis and did not graduate, but he explains how he knows what he needs to know. He learned by working for some really great winemakers. Dan Berger appreciates that they make wine from so many varietals from Italy and elsewhere that nobody else is working with. They have a 2019 Monte Volpe called Vesuvius from Potter Valley. The wine is a blend of grapes that grow around Vesuvius, including Coda di Volpe, Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Trebbiano and others. The vineyard is at a higher elevation so it is cooler so the grapes have higher acidity. The different varieties in this wine are usually never all together. It is very complex and rich, but not oaky. “The fruit is barking at me in this, it's wonderful.” – Steve Jaxon Greg mentions that they are using screw caps now. They found that there are too few people able to work a corkscrew. The year has been difficult due to all the pandemic closures, but that will improve. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the coolest bargains on wine, beer and spirits. The Graziano Family of Wines includes all the different brands, four at the present time with one more on the way. Monte Volpe is all Italian grape varieties. St. Gregory is all Pinots. They take a break to taste Dan Berger's Cellar Dweller of the week. It is a 2014 J Lohr Cuvée POM, a Merlot-based Bordeaux style wine. It was fresh and young in 2018 and now (2020) it still has yet to develop its characteristics. Next they taste the 2017 St. Gregory Pinot Meunier. Dan mentions that there is more Pinot Meunier planted in France in Champagne than actual Champagne grapes. Dan calls it a white wine with color. Greg explains how to identify it against ordinary Pinot Noir by looking at the growing tips of the vine and underneath the leaf, they are covered with tiny white hairs. (The Munier in French is a miller, who gets covered with white dust by milling grain.) It's very floral. They're probably the oldest producer of this in the state. Chandon used to make it but stopped, there was another too. They also make sparkling wine from it. The winery is in Redwood Valley but the tasting room is in Hopland, so that is the place to visit. There are outdoor chairs and umbrellas, for now, but they are open (late 2020). Click the logo to visit our sponsor Rodney Strong for the latest on the 2022 Summer Concert series. A 2016 Barbera is next. Greg opines that in America,
GLF Wines owner Greg La Follette ("la-FOLL-et") is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, to talk about his label GLF Wines, and more. The Drive co-host Harry Duke is also in the studio. Greg has been on CWC a few times before. The first was this episode on April 12, 2017. We heard about his previous label Alquimista Cellars in his next episode on November 21, 2018, then again on June 17, 2020. Dan Berger's Cellar Dweller of the Week This is a six-year-old French Rosé from Côtes-du-Rhone that Dan kept as an experiment. Usually he would not keep a Rosé this long, but it was so good when it was young he kept one just to see what would happen. It is mainly Grenache and it is still flavorful although a bit past its prime. Dan calls it “toasty” and remembers it had more peach and dried peach flavors before. Another unusual aspect is its copper color, another product of aging. Riesling is Dan Berger's favorite variety and this year he is actually making some, and Greg La Follette is his winemaking consultant in the project. He is getting three tons of Riesling grapes from a grower in Mendocino. He also made some Cabernet Sauvignon, called Berger, which was not for sale. Bottle Barn has a vast selection of great wines, from everywhere, some of which you have never heard of, at bargain prices. Dan spent some time at Bottle Barn today and gives an extensive report on their vast selection. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the coolest bargains on wine, beer and spirits. Greg La Follette arrives Greg La Follette has arrived, with a bandaged finger. His new brand is GLF, Greg La Follette wines and he also has Marchelle Wines to specialize in small scale production from old vines. He begins his story, “Well, I'm a farmer.” (That's true, but he is also a scientist.) He has grown grapes on five continents and consulted to many winemakers around the world. Greg was first a student and then a teacher at UC Davis. Retired from that career, he is now devoted to his own projects and to being a grandfather. He worked for Zelma Long at Simi and worked with Mary Ann Graf there, back when they were all laying the foundations for the present day stature of wine country. Alquimista Cellars did not make it through the pandemic. (That was his previous label, which he talked about in his previous CWC episodes.) The wines went mostly to Michelin-ranked restaurants, with Chardonnays starting at $60 and Pinots from $75 to $120. Their bottled wines went to his partner and he kept the barrel wines, which he has labeled under GLF now. The GLF wines sell for $36 on the website, sometimes less in a couple of Florida-based discount retailers. Greg tells about having been André Tchelistcheff's last pupil. His present GLF brand is dedicated to making premium wine accessible. Ever since he was a wine student he wanted to make wines that people could afford. His GLF and Marchelle brands both accomplish that. Marchelle is devoted to ancient vines. They are available at the website marchellewines.com.
Summer getaways in the South Island are one of the best summer travel escapes to be experienced. From the scenic frames of Lake Brunner to the historic chattels of Arrowtown and not to miss the award-winning Central Otago wineries and their top Pinots. Whatever your plans are in Summer, if you can fit in a trip down South - it will be well worth the drive,
Understanding Wine: Austin Beeman's Interviews with Winemakers
Austin Beeman visits the Original Vines of Eyrie Vineyards with Owner and Winemaker Jason Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards. In this long video, shot amongst the Original Vines, Jason Lett discusses the terroir of the vineyard, the effect of a variety of soil types, the benefits and challenges of own-rooted grapevines, and a little of the history of the Lett family. Special Thanks to Amy McCandlish TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Austin Beeman Visits the Original Vines of The Eyrie Vineyards 01:08 Meet Owner & Winemaker Jason Lett and Talking Geography 02:53 Soil and Elevation in the Dundee Hills 05:20 Wind, Temperature, and Elevation in the Dundee Hills 07:12 Veraison Explained 09:13 Own-Rooted Vines Explained 10:33 The Eyrie Vineyard. The Original Vines of the Willamette Valley 11:28 What is an Eyrie? 12:47 Organic Viticulture, Phylloxera, and a Bottle of Bleach 14:52 Between the Rows of Vines 15:32 The Traditional Practices 17:59 Jason Lett's Journey Back to His Family's Vineyard. Filmed on location at The Eyrie Vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA of Oregon. *** THIS IS EPISODE #82 OF UNDERSTANDING WINE WITH AUSTIN BEEMAN Video Podcast: http://www.austinbeeman.com/podcast Itunes Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Direct RSS feed: http://understandingwine.libsyn.com/rss Work With Austin: http://www.austinbeeman.com/about-me or acbwine@gmail.com FOLLOW THE WINE ADVENTURE Website: http://www.austinbeeman.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/understandin... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinbeeman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AustinBeeman EQUIPMENT I USE Main Camera: https://amzn.to/3exbl8n Stabilized Camera:https://amzn.to/3oUVvJS Lens: https://amzn.to/3uCfHAs Music Licensed from Epidemic Sound. https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra... Austin Beeman is a 20 year veteran of the wine business with extensive experience in Marketing and Sales (wholesale, retail, & DTC.) Currently Vice President of Marketing for Cutting Edge Selections - one of the leading fine wine distributors of the Midwest, Austin has a deep knowledge of the global wine business. While Director of Marketing for Bonny Doon Vineyard, he managed one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in the wine industry. His video podcast “Understanding Wine with Austin Beeman” has been praised in USA Today and his photography has appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Austin holds an MBA in Wine & Spirits Management from Kedge Business School in Bordeaux. *** About The Eyrie Vineyards https://eyrievineyards.com “David Lett pioneered both Pinot noir and its white wine cousin, Pinot gris, the two grapes that define Oregon wine today. But just as important, he established the very tone of Oregon winegrowing: artisanal, individualistic, even idiosyncratic… You can look at Oregon's 300-plus wineries and 17,400 acres of vines and trace it to Lett. But he left more than that. He bequeathed a uniquely Oregon ‘wine genome,' one that others now seek to copy.” Matt Kramer | The Wine Spectator | The Oregonian --- “Three months after meeting David Lett in 1966, I was Diana Lett, standing out in the middle of a field of grape vines in Oregon, with a shovel and a brand new yellow rain-suit. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I was thrilled to be in on the opening chapter of a great adventure. It seemed like a long time at the time, but in a few years several other families joined us. As we got to know each other, we realized that we shared ideals. We also realized that we had an absolutely unique opportunity – to build a wine region from scratch, and build it right. 50 years and a thriving community later, it does look like we did it right. I am so proud of what has been accomplished in these five decades, and I am very grateful that I got to be a part of it. I am immensely glad that I have been able to spend my life in this beautiful state of Oregon, helping to build The Eyrie Vineyards.” Diana Lett 2015 --- “In 2005 I came back to Eyrie as winemaker. I was often asked, “What are you going to change?” My answer was, ‘Fundamentally? Nothing.' Since then, we have planted new vines and introduced new varieties to the Willamette Valley. We moved to wild yeast fermentations. We developed a 21-step process to guarantee the quality of our library releases. We released single vineyard Pinots from each of our estates for the first time in our history. In spite of the changes, nothing has changed. Exploration and innovation has been a part of the Eyrie adventure since Dad planted the first vines in 1965. I'm honored to have a part in carrying the journey forward.” Jason Lett 2016
We are so excited to sit down with Dave Fraschetti, who puts on several wine events in California including Vin Diego in San Diego, Rancho Mirage Food and Wine Festival, and the Palm Springs Pinot Noir Fest. He gives us some insight on what it takes to put on such an event and why his events have been so successful!Dave's philosophy is really about educating. He is very selective about which wineries are invited to participate in his upcoming Passion 4 Pinot (Palm Springs Pinot Noir Fest), to be held on January 8, 2022 at the JW Marriott's Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, CA. At this event you will find 60 top-tier, world-renowned wine makers from Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Napa, Lodi, Willamette Valley...all who are known for their amazing Pinot Noirs, and the perfect growing conditions for this fickle grape.A true food wine, Pinot Noir is a very special grape that is enhanced by a great meal, and a great meal makes this delicious, soft bodied wine even more magical! Palm Springs Pinot Noir Fest is taking place in Palm Desert, CA at the beautiful JW Marriott's Desert Springs resort on January 8, 2022. This event was a sell out in its 1st year and is sure to be a sell out in January!Want to join us? Buy tickets at palmspringspinotfest.com and as a listener of Inside the Bunghole you will receive $10 off the ticket price! Just add promo code BUNG when you check out! We'd LOVE to see you there and share a glass of Pinot with you!https://palmspringspinotfest.com
The Wine Pair brings out the Big Mac and some reasonably priced Pinot Noirs to see how well they pair together, and if any of the Pinots are worth your hard earned cash. Carmela tastes her first Big Mac, and has to come clean about not knowing that the Big Mac has a bun in the middle. They sing the famous Big Mac song (which does not talk about a middle bun!), and discuss their opinion on McDonalds all up. Wines reviewed in this episode: Wine by Joe 2017 Pinot Noir, Barefoot Pinot Noir (non-vintage), and Rue de Perle 2018 Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Listen in to hear the ratings, which go as low as a 3 out of 10, and that may be a generous score! And, can someone please tell us who the hell Jerry Mead is and how the Jerry Mead International Wine Competition gave one of these wines an 86 rating?
Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Russian River Pinot Noir 2020- The Real Deal?What is the difference between this $12.99 Russian River AVA Pinot Noir and all the $7.99 Russian River Chardonnay and Pinots from Trader Joe's?Anytime a Trader Joe's wine sells for above $9.99, there is something up.Ok, 13 bucks for a Russian River Pinot is cheap, but is it worth it?Well, check out www.cheapwinefinder.com or listen to the Podcast and get all the details!!!
Im Rheingau finden sich nicht nur unfassbar tolle Rieslinge, auch die Spätburgunder reifen dort zu einzigartigen Pinots. Ein junger Winzer kam aufgrund eines Schicksalsschlags schneller in die Verantwortung als ihm lieb war-dennoch trotz aller Widrigkeiten ist die Liebe zum Rotwein so groß, dass er noch jede Menge Pläne hat. Freut euch auf Philipp König vom Weingut Robert König. Den Link zum Weingut findet ihr hier:https://www.weingut-robert-koenig.deGewinnspiel: podcast.kunze.tv See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week on The Wine CEO Podcast we are finishing our 2 part Beginner's Guide on New Zealand by chatting about the South Island Wine regions, food pairings, and more! Check out my blog post on the wineceo.com HERE to read more about New Zealand and to see a map of the top wine producing regions. ------------- Sponsor of Episode #35: Wash & Wik Candle and Soap Co. Enter code: THEWINECEO at checkout for 20% off your purchase -------------- In the South Island, the main regions of note are Marlborough, Caterbury, Waipara, and Central Otago. Marlborough is known almost exclusively for Sauvignon Blanc. It produces 70% of New Zealand wine and over 85% of the country's Sauvignon Blanc. It's also fitting that we discuss Marlborough first because it was actually the first area on the South Island where grape vines were planted. The region is made up of multiple valleys and each imparts specific flavor profiles to the grapes. (For example, some areas offer more irrigation while others have unique soil blends.) Often winemakers in Marlborough will harvest Sauvignon Blanc grapes from multiple valleys and blend them to find a balanced flavor. Marlborough does have some Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris; but, it's mostly known for Sauvignon Blanc. Many producers here age their wine in stainless steel tanks while some age on old French oak barrels that impart little flavor to the wine. Basically, there's little to no oak influence so these wines taste clean, crisp, and refreshing. Up next are the regions of Caterbury and Waipara. I combined these two because they are fairly small producing regions located on the central eastern coast of the South Island. They're also both located right next to the large city of Christchurch. These areas are known predominantly for Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, but there is some Riesling and Pinot Gris grown here as well. Last but not least is Central Otago, which is in the south east region of the South Island. This area is known for Pinot Noir and is definitely the second most well known region in the South Island, next to Marlborough. There is a small amount of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling grown here - but Pinot Noir is definitely the main attraction. The reason for this is the unique red colored soil made of clay, lime, and gravel; which imparts unique minerality to the grapes. Additionally the climate in Central Otago is rather dry and sunny, helping the Pinot Noir grapes to develop nice fresh fruit flavors. Typically New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are stylistically known for having notes of grapefruit, passionfruit, ripe pear, tropical fruits, kiwi, and herbal notes that a lot of folks equate to fresh cut grass and herbs. The Pinot Noirs can range in flavor across the North and South Islands, but they tend to have notes of cherry, cranberry, mushroom, raspberry and spices or vanilla. Food Pairings: With these unique flavor profiles, you have a lot of great options to pair New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noirs with food. NZ is surrounded by ocean, so there's a lot of seafood in their cuisine. New Zealand Sauvignon blancs go really nicely with oysters, shrimp, light white fish, and almost anything that is light and needs acid. Because of the herbal flavors, they also pair nicely with heavily herbed light dishes. So for example, think about a shrimp pasta with lemon and fresh parsley - this would be great with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Additionally, New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs pair nicely with salads because of the herbal and vegetal flavors. One thing that a lot of folks don't expect is that New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs actually go really well with asian foods. The tropical fruit and lime notes are delicious with South Pacific island cuisine. (And if you aren't familiar with Fiji and the Polynesian islands, think about fish with soy sauce or lime and coconut milk as this is classic cuisine to the region). New Zealand Pinot Noirs pair nicely with lamb because of the earthier and spicier notes. But, because they are also light, fruity, and acidic, they also pair well with duck and chicken. My personal favorite though is salmon. New Zealand Pinot Noir is light enough to not overpower salmon making for a delicious combination. Fun Fact: One of the things that New Zealand is known for is utilizing the Stelvin Closure or Screw Cap in almost all of their wines. You would be hard pressed to find a wine with a cork in it in this country and culturally it's more odd to see a wine with a screw cap than a cork throughout the islands. This may seem counterintuitive, but if you remember listening to The Wine CEO Podcast Episode #18, then you know that screw caps are becoming more and more popular around the world because they are actually a safer way to seal bottles than natural corks. Screw caps have been widely accepted in New Zealand for this reason for years and it's truly just a common practice in the winemaking culture and for all of the New Zealand wine consumers to expect screw caps. Wines to try: Sauvignon Blancs: Cloudy Bay was the first New Zealand winery to put Sauvignon Blanc on the global map. It's a bit of a legend! Brancott also makes delicious Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough. Kim Crawford is a classic label that always has consistent and great quality Sauvignon Blanc. Palliser Estate also has some delicious Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Noirs: Ata Rangi is a top producer with delicious Pinots. Oyster bay is really affordable, but good quality and consistent. Dog Point is a delicious Pinot Noir maker from Marlborough. Check out thewineceo.com to sign up for my newsletter and to receive my free guide to food and wine pairings!
Today's flight features: MacMurray Pinot Noir, Montoya Pinot Noir, Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages, and Sara Bee Moscato.
Chad Melville is the Head Winegrower at Melville Winery We Talk About: -His Father Ron's vineyard in Calistoga -The road to buying property that is now Melville today -His winemaking style, including older oak and more -Benefits of being 100% estate grown -The 2019 Pinot Noir, 2018 Chardonnay and other Pinots from different blocks https://melvillewinery.com/
[2021 - Season 8 Episode 321] Let's head to the farm to meet a trio of favorites: Noir, Blanc, and Gris. And watch out for that winemaker who's crazy like a fox! This week's guests share the stories of Fox Farm Vineyards of Dundee, Tertulia Cellars of Walla Walla and Abbalone Vineyard of Eugene. Join host Brian Calvert for all this, plus our "Wine and Booze in the News" feature. Master of Wine Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery stops by to answer our wine questions in his segment "Ask Bob," and Justin Stiefel of Heritage Distilling Company visits with our "Drink of the Week." Thank you for listening, and remember, you can find out more about the show and listen to past episodes at NorthwestWineRadio.com Thank you for listening and be sure to share our show with your friends. The next new episode of Northwest Wine Radio will be posted here and on our podcast channels: Monday, May 24th A PRODUCTION OF copyright 2021 The Northwest Channel. All Rights Reserved. Audio cannot be used without permission.
Rock out with your Pinot out as Pinot Envy ensues and Julie’s eye rolling nearly tips the studio. Did you know Pinot speaks many languages? Pinot Gris is a chameleon and Alejandro shares his favorite California Pinot Noirs. While our hosts play with their Pinots the conversation goes Sideways but before it does the duo reveals that Champagne is getting a new wine, Italy has a few reds you should know, and tips on how to test a wine pros mettle in our second episode of season 2 all while welcoming Stephen James @ragazzi_perduti of Uva Imports @unvaimports to the Stump Chair! Our Picks for this Episode AreHugel Pinot Blanc, Alsace - FranceImported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd.@etienne_hugel #hugel #alsaceSun Goddess, Friuli Pinot Grigio Ramato - Italya wine by Mary J. Blige @therealmaryjblige @sungoddesswinesImported by Trinity Beverage Group #sungoddessCristom Vineyards, Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Willamette Valley, Oregon - USA@cristomwine #oregonpinotnoirHONORABLE MENTIONSDomaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris @kermitlynchwineCalera Pinot Noir @calerawinePeay Vineyards @peay_vineyardsFlowers @flowerswineryDon't forget to check-out our current Roster of virtual CLASSES, COURSES, and EVENTS from anywhere in the world here - subscribe so you can be alerted when we post new classes (classes are weekly and new classes are posted monthly) - and FOLLOW US, LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and Send us question and feedback!Current Classes and Courses check it out hereTwitter @winenormalInsta @normalschoolofwine www.normalschoolofwine.com
À la base, c'est une histoire d'amitié entre Aubert et Mathieu qui ont une même passion, le vin. Au départ de Carcassonne, partons sur la route visiter les beaux vignobles de Chardonnay et de Pinots noirs. Les deux jeunes français font des vins remarquables. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On divise de monde en deux! Le vieux monde et le nouveau monde. Je vous explique les différences générales entre les types de vin qui proviennent de ces deux ''régions''. Le goût, les pratiques vinicoles, les étiquettes et les classifications. Exemples de Pinots noirs: Vieux monde (Bourgogne): Jean-Claude Boisset Les Ursulines (22,65$). Nouveau monde (Californie): La Crema Pinot noir Sonoma Coast (30.60$)
Greg Graziano, winemaker for the Graziano Family of Wines, joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country today. His grandfather, Vincenzo Graziano, landed on Ellis Island in 1907 and worked his way across the country to Mendocino where he bought 100 acres with his future brother-in-law and began planting grapes, two years before Prohibition. During Prohibition they did whatever they could to survive, selling what wine was legal to sell. Then they sold grapes to Gallo and Italian Swiss Colony, and also Sebastiani and Parducci. Then the family started Mendocino Vineyards in the early 1950s. Gallo and Italian Swiss Colony bought most of the bulk wines then. Later, it was purchased and renamed Cresta Blanca. Then Constellation bought it and changed it to Dunwood, which never took off. Greg started making wine in 1977 and started Milano winery with his friend Jim Maloney. In 1985 he went to work for La Crema and took over in 1986 and was winemaker until 1990. They made 50,000 cases per year then, and now it's maybe 2 million, so it's a different thing now. The Jackson Family owns it now. They grow around 30 different grape varieties. He studied at UC Davis and did not graduate, but he explains how he knows what he needs to know. He learned by working for some really great winemakers. Dan Berger appreciates that they make wine from so many varietals from Italy and elsewhere that nobody else is working with. They have a 2019 Monte Volpe called Vesuvius from Potter Valley. The wine is a blend of grapes that grow around Vesuvius, including Coda di Volpe, Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Trebbiano and others. The vineyard is at a higher elevation so it is cooler so the grapes have higher acidity. The different varieties in this wine are usually never all together. It is very complex and rich, but not oaky. “The fruit is barking at me in this, it's wonderful.” – Steve Jaxon Greg mentions that they are using screw caps now. They found that there are too few people able to work a corkscrew. The year has been difficult due to all the pandemic closures, but that will improve. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the coolest bargains on wine, beer and spirits. The Graziano Family of Wines includes all the different brands, four at the present time with one more on the way. Monte Volpe is all Italian grape varieties. St. Gregory is all Pinots. They take a break to taste Dan Berger's Cellar Dweller of the week. It is a 2014 J Lohr Cuvée POM, a Merlot-based Bordeaux style wine. It was fresh and young in 2018 and now (2020) it still has yet to develop its characteristics. Next they taste the 2017 St. Gregory Pinot Meunier. Dan mentions that there is more Pinot Meunier planted in France in Champagne than actual Champagne grapes. Dan calls it a white wine with color. Greg explains how to identify it against ordinary Pinot Noir by looking at the growing tips of the vine and underneath the leaf, they are covered with tiny white hairs. (The Munier in French is a miller, who gets covered with white dust by milling grain.) It's very floral. They're probably the oldest producer of this in the state. Chandon used to make it but stopped, there was another too. They also make sparkling wine from it. The winery is in Redwood Valley but the tasting room is in Hopland, so that is the place to visit. There are outdoor chairs and umbrellas, for now, but they are open (late 2020). Click the logo to visit our sponsor Rodney Strong for the latest on the 2022 Summer Concert series. A 2016 Barbera is next. Greg opines that in America, we have a tendency to over-do everything, but he makes wine in the old world style. This Barbera got some oak aging, but it's very rare to do that in its native Piemonte. This is the Enotria brand. It was the Greek name for Italy and means Land of Wine. (Eno means wine in Greek.) This variety can get too ripe when its grown here because we have so much sun.
The Poppy Monterey Pinot Noir 2017 is sourced from vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA inside of Monterey County in California's Central Coast AVA. Arroyo Seco translates to a dry riverbed and is located southeast of the Monterey Bay.This area is a deep valley close to the Pacific Ocean and has warm days cooled by afternoon winds off the ocean. It has a large differential between daytime temperature and nighttime temps that Pinot Noir grapes crave.The Poppy wine brand, the poppy is the California state flower, was founded in 2003 by the Silva Family who has 45 years of experience farming in Monterey. It the "house" brand for the Monterey Wine Company, founded in 2002.Half of the wine produced in California come from faux wine companies, meaning that they do not own their own vineyards or production facilities (a winery).The Monterey Wine Company provides a facility and services for these faux wineries. From crushing the grapes to bottling the finished wine they have you covered. If you ever feel the need to start your own wine brand give them a call.The Poppy Monterey Pinot Noir 2017 was fermented and aged with some lots of the Pinot Noir in stainless steel vats and others in French oak barrels. About halfway thru the fermentation and aging process, they rotate the wines. The oak fermented wine goes to stainless steel and the stainless steel gets transferred to oak barrels. The 2017 vintage is the current release and that tells you a bit about the production methods used to produce this Pinot. It is a young, drink-it-now wine, Poppy recommends drinking it with 4 years of release.If in 2020 a current release is a 2019 or 2018 vintage, that would indicate that the winemaker used techniques that would allow the wine to balance fairly quickly. A 2017 vintage in 2020 suggests more involved production methods that would need additional time for the wine to be ready for sale.It is not necessarily a difference of good or bad if a wine is made for faster release or has more extensive production. It is more of a stylistic difference, but I find I prefer Pinot Noir wines that need more time to balance.I am a fan of coastal California Pinot Noir and Monterey County has its share of excellent Pinot Noir producers. While they have many high0-end wineries, Monterey has a pretty good track record for making excellent affordable Pinot Noir. I found the Poppy Monterey Pinot Noir 2017 onside for $11.99. The alcohol content is 13.5%.Poppy Monterey Pinot Noir 2017 Tasting NotesThe color is a clear, see-thru garnet red. The nose is very promising, there is bright, ripe cherry, with herbs, mushroom, oak spice, crushed fall leaves, black pepper, a little vanilla, and strawberry. A good Pinot Noir has a very unique aroma.This Pinot Noir has a silky smooth mouthfeel and a good bit of complexity on the palate. It starts with slightly tart cherry, a touch of tea, exotic spice, a little creamy vanilla, and strawberry. The mid-palate offers a rougher brush of spice, a salty sensation, and cranberry.The tannins do not interfere with the flavor profile and the acidity is the kind I like. It gets you reaching for the next sip without consciously thinking about it.The SummaryThe Poppy Monterey Pinot Noir 2017 provides a very solid Pinot Noir drinking experience.This Pinot Noir reminded me of much more expensive Pinots.At $11.99, I expected a quality wine, but the Poppy gave me more than I was expecting. This is not good for the price Pinot Noir, this is a straight-up good Pinot Noir. It just happens to be rather affordable.
Lindeman's Bin 99 Pinot Noir Love Noir Pinot Noir Deloach Vinyards Heritage Reserve Pinot Noir In this episode, Rob, Scott, and The BBB review a trio of cheap / bad Pinot Noirs in Pinots from Lindeman's Bin 99, Love Noir, and Deloach Vineyards Heritage Reserve. Will any show any type of classic Pinot character, will any show any type of character of any kind? We shall see... on The Wine Vault.
Today we wrap up the tour, the weapons were put down. They took down the finish line on the Planche de Belle Fille, FDJ visiting Pinots goats. Sagan conceded green. Roglic slept on his defeat. It was all smiles and pageantry on the roads to Paris. Familiar scenes of the Yellow jersey team with teammatesContinue reading "2020 Tour de France: Pogacar wins & the tour by the numbers"
ForhjulsTour præsenteres i samarbejde med Oddset fra Danske Spil +18. Første slag i Pyrenæerne blev en underholdende og dramatisk en af slagsen. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) tabte over 25 min. og er ude af klassementet, Tadej Pogacar hentede 40 sekunder på Roglic, Bernal og Co., Dumolin viste i dag, at det er alt for Roglic og så vandt franske Nans Peters (AG2R) en flot udbrudssejr, hvor danske Søren Kragh blev nr. 8. I dagens udgave af ForhjulsTour vender vi naturligvis det første store slag i Pyrenæerne, hvor Tadej Pogacar (UAE) havde hørt vores bønner over natten. I går kunne Alex fortælle om dengang han slog Sagan, i dag kan Mielke stolt fortælle, at han for 4 år siden slog Pogacar. Vi diskuterer også Roglic og Jumbos plan i dag - hvorfor kørte han ikke videre på Pogacars første angreb? Var han selv i krise? Jumbo-Visma var i hvert fald til at danse med i dag. Vi kigger også frem mod morgendagens bjergetape i Pyrenæerne, som bliver en led sag. Medvirkende: Alex Rasmussen og Anders Mielke
Was John Floyd the "New Orleans slasher?" We argue the case with Tiffani Slenker. Follow @TryTrialAgain on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Time to wine down with a really grape episode of “How Did I Get This Far?” Host Amanda Ogen talks with expert guest Julien Tremblay about the basics of wine. Julien is an Estate Host at Arista Winery in The Russian River Valley sharing their Pinots and Chardonnays with members and guests. The two pour it all out as they discuss their advice and experiences with wine. Join Amanda on @howdidigetthisfarpod for a VIRTUAL WINE TASTING on Instagram Live on July 14th at 7PM EDT! Learn about Italian wine labels and grapes from Wine Specialist Sara Maule of Frederick Wildman and Sons, a historic company famous for importing high quality French and Italian wines. Explore all Frederick Wildman wines at https://www.frederickwildman.com and purchase from their selection at https://www.reservebar.com. Let’s get far! Subscribe to “How Did I Get This Far?” wherever you listen to podcasts and follow along on social media: Instagram @howdidigetthisfarpod Facebook @howdidigetthisfar Twitter @howdidigetthis1 Edited by Micky Ferguson Get updates via email or SMS: https://howdidigetthisfar.podcave.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The StoryLoudenotte Pinot Noir 2018The Loudenotte Pinot Noir Pays d'Oc 2018 is a $6.99 Trader Joe's import exclusive sourced from grapes from the south of France. The Oc in Pays d'Oc refers to Occitania which runs from the border with Spain to the Rhone Valley to the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean.The wines from this region are designated as IGP wines which is a step below the AOC classification. IGP wines are the wines that folks in Europe drink every day. They are usually well made and produced in large enough quantities to keep the price down.This part of France is not well known for Pinot Noir, many of the Red wines are blends. But here is a link to another Trader Joe's Pays d'Oc Pinot Noir that has been a solid value for the last several vintages.The Pays d"Oc region of France has a wine history going back to Ancient Rome. They have found evidence of winemaking that goes back 2,600 years. That they still produce wine here a couple of thousand years later, says a lot but the area.There is no technical information available for the Loudenotte Pinot Noir and the label gives no clues. It says bottled in France, also bottled with care, and product of France, not exactly detailed information. The back label says the grapes came from selected vineyards, but every wine has grapes from vineyards that somebody selected.So, to learn more about this Pinot Noir, we are going to pour and glass and take a sip. At $6.99 we are not taking much f a risk. the alcohol content is 13%.Loudenotte Pinot Noir Pays d'Oc 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a dark, but still clear garnet red. The nose is black cherry, spice, light herbs, plum, and black licorice. Yes, I know licorice is supposed to be black, but I was raised on red Twizzlers. This is a Pinot with a silky mouthfeel, but a more challenging flavor profile. It tastes of ripe black cherry, black pepper, a slightly rough edge from herbs, and then smooth plum. The mid-palate adds tart cranberry and a good slap of Altoid's spice. The tannins are smooth and the acidity is balanced.The Summary* The Loudenotte Pinot Noir Pays d'Oc 2018 is a decent Pinot Noir, I can't say it is my favorite Pinot, but it is well worth the $6.99 price tag.* There are few sub-seven buck Pinot Noirs this good. Though there are several Pinots in the $10 range that I prefer.* Expecting a world-class Pinot Noir is silly, it's all about exploration and they Loudenotte is worth a stop on your wine journey.
The StoryThe Trader Joe's Reserve Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is a $9.99 Trader Joe's exclusive. Anderson Valley is located in coastal Mendocino and is situated between two mountain ranges. Two more things to note are this the 2018 vintage and is Lot #201.Anderson Valley has a growing reputation for the production of fine Pinot Noir wines. I noticed that the alcohol level is 14.5% which fairly heavy for a Pinot Noir. Burgundian Pinot Noir is closer to 12.5%, so this is a substantial increase.I did a quick check of currently released Anderson Valley Pinot Noir's and found that 14.5% is not out of line. So this should be a Pinot Noir with a bit more weight on the palate than California Pinot Noir.Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer claims that this Pinot Noir is comparable to $30 Pinots from the region. I believe them, we recently did a post on a $12.99 Napa Chardonnay that TJ's said would have cost twenty-five dollars under a different label. And that claim rang true.A Pinot Noir from a winery located in Anderson Valley can easily sell for $30 and usually much more. A Brand wine, that is a wine that is not tied to a particular winery, may come in a bit cheaper. But Pinot Noir from a well-regarded AVA can get expensive in a hurry.It's funny, one of the reasons I thought the $12.99 Napa Chardonnay should have cost twice as much is because it had a real cork, no composite or plastic cork. Value-priced wine almost never has a real cork, you are drinking the wine within 48 hours of buying it, there is no reason to use a real cork that when it isn't really needed.The Trader Joe's Reserve Anderson Valley Pinot Noir has a composite cork, so no tip-off there, it is just that a 100% Anderson Valley Pinot Noir can command a good price. But, that is if it from a well-known winery or a winemaker with a solid track record.Store label wine just cannot demand the same prices as established wineries can for their wines. Folks will pay thirty plus dollars for a Pinot Noir from a boutique Anderson Valley winery because they know what they are getting and what to expect.Trader Joe's Reserve wines have been wines well worth buying for quite some time, but they are a mixed bag. Where they came from and how they were made varies. There have been $9.99 wines that should have sold for $50 and $9.99 wines that were priced about right.So, if this was a $30 wine under a different label, a label where the wines provenance and vintage history can be verified, that is believable. That is the main story here, Trader Joe's Reserve wine, Grand Reserve, Platinum Reserve, and the rest are for adventurous bargain hunters. Sometimes you find a great bargain and sometimes not so much. I think this one just might be a bargain.Trader Joe's Reserve Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Tasting NotesThe color is dark, but still see-thru garnet red. The nose is cherries and spice, a little vanilla, some herbs, black pepper, and cold coffee. This is a little bit heavier on the palate, the 14.5% alcohol does make a difference, but the complex Pinot Noir flavors are on full display.It starts with ripe black cherry, and a healthy dose of exotic spice, there is a hard edge for herbs and a splash of black pepper.
There is a generational change taking place in wine in California. Senses Wines is the dream of three childhood friends from Occidental, California, Chris Strieter, Max Thierot and Myles Lawrence-Briggs. The west Sonoma Coast winery partnered with acclaimed winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown to make exciting Chards, Pinots, and now some Cab Sauv. Will Harlan oversees Promontory Winery in Napa, California. Will, along with his legendary winemaking dad, Bill Harlan waited patiently until they came across and acquired the unique property that is now Promontory in Napa. The winery specializes in Cab Sauv made by Cory Empting.The Grape Nation is powered by Simplecast.
The StoryThe Bluebird Monterey Pinot Noir 2016 seems to be an orphan wine. All the social media for Bluebird Wines and they had everything, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, all stopped posting in 2015. There is a single webpage, for the 2013 vintage of this wine.They seemed to have produced other wines from past vintages, but this is the only wine still for sale. I also found it selling at a local grocery store, Mariano's, which is a Kroger store in the Chicago region. This is not your typical grocery store wine.For one thing, this is a small production, boutique Pinot Noir, the label says only 52 barrels were produced (about 15,000 bottles). Most of the bottles found in supermarkets (not all) tend to be produced in the hundreds of thousands. Mass production keeps the price down.The second thing is the tasting notes name Garys' Vineyard as a/the source. The only source is for the 2013 vintage and this is the 2016 vintage, I am guessing everything stayed the same.Garys' Vineyard is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands not far from the Monterey Bay, it is one of the premier Pinot Noir vineyards in California. Pinots sourced from this vineyard routinely sell in the fifty dollar range. The Bluebird Monterey Pinot Noir 2016 was found for under $15.The Bluebird label only shows Monterey County as a source, maybe they sourced grapes from other parts of Monterey. Their information only lists one vineyard. If it is sourced solely from Garys' Vineyard this is a wildly underpriced Pinot Noir, even if it is only partially sourced from there it is still very well priced.There are many high-end Pinot Noir brands that show Garys' Vineyard and Santa Lucia Highlands on their front label. The Bluebird Pinot Noir seems to be modestly labeled. This is a 2016 vintage which is a good deal of aging for an under $15 Pinot Noir. This wine was aged in French oak barrels for 16 months, with 40% in French oak barrels and the rest in neutral oak barrels. Neutral barrels have been reused to the point that they no longer have any oak flavoring left to impart. The winemaker could use stainless steel tanks, but oak barrels let a tiny amount of air into the barrel. That minuscule amount causes enough of a change for the winemaker to go through the extra trouble and expense of barrels.The Bluebird seems to be a boutique, small production, well-sourced wine that just happens to be selling at a grocery store. There are interesting bargain wines everywhere if you take the time to search for them. The alcohol content is 13.8%.Bluebird Monterey Pinot Noir 2016 Tasting NotesThe color is a see-thru garnet red. The nose is really good, inexpensive Pinot Noir is usually dominated by fruit on the nose along with the expected herbs and spices. But, here we have an array of exotic scents, herbs, dried fall leaf, unusual spices, cherry, pork cooking on the outdoor grill, a whiff of smoke, this wine has a nose that takes you on a journey.This is a medium-bodied wine with bright acidity and delicate flavors. It starts with tart cherry, a slightly rough edge from the tannins. oak spice, tea, and a hint of chocolate.The mid-palate brings orange zest, sweet blueberry, licorice, herbs, and cranberry. The acidity gives this Pinot a good deal of length. What I enjoy about a good Pinot Noir is that you have to seek out the full display of tastes and textures. Some wines hit you over the head with flavor and that is fine, but I like a wine that does not give up its secrets so easily.The SummaryThe Bluebird Monterey Pinot Noir 2016 is a very fine Pinot Noir. It has features that are not normally found for under fifteen dollars.I think I am going to take my time next time I am in a grocery store searching for a wine and not just grab whatever is on sale. The Bluebird Pinot shows that there are treasures to be found if you take the time to look.
The StoryThe Cotillion Pinot Noir 2017 is a Trader Joe's $9.99 exclusive brand sourced from vineyards in 56% Monterey County, 33% Sonoma County, and 11% Santa Barbara County in California. Under usual circumstances, this is a wine that would show 'California' on the front label as a place of origin since 67% of the grapes came from the Central Coast AVA and 33% came from the North Coast AVA. But since each of the AVAs mentioned are excellent Pinot Noir growing regions Cotillion preferred to brag a little.The Cotillion Pinot Noir is one of my favorite Trader Joe's wines, here is a link to the 2016 vintage, not only do I enjoy the Pinot Noir, but I am partial to the label. The label shows animals at a party and each animal is wearing a head mask of another animal, such as the fox is wearing a chicken mask and chicken is wearing a fox mask. It is all very strange.The Cotillion Pinot Noir 2017 is interesting, it is sourced from some of the better Pinot Noir locations in California. Santa Barbara County is only about an hour and a half drive north of Los Angeles. The surrounding area is too hot in the summer to grow grapes, much less finicky Pinot Noir, the vineyards are located on a section of land that juts out into the Pacific Ocean on two sides. That gives the vineyards cool Ocean winds on both sides and plenty of early morning fog.Monterey County is located near a Bay south of San Francisco, there is a deep spot in the ocean just off the coast that concentrates very cold water, that keeps the Monterey vineyards the right temperatures for grape growing. Monterey also has a diverse landscape, coastal mountains, valleys, and benchlands. They successfully grow a wide variety of grapes and there are some excellent Pinot Noir areas.Sonoma County is well known for Pinot Noir, with the Sonoma Coast AVA, the Russian River AVA and the Sonoma side of the Carneros AVA. While Cotillion does not specify where exactly in these quality Pinot Noir growing regions the grapes were sourced, I am crossing my fingers and hoping that they would not be bragging on the front label if they weren't from someplace good.Another detail in the Cotillions favor is that the current vintage is 2017, which gives this Pinot Noir at least 2 years of aging. The back label mentions vanilla and oak undertones, so some sort of oak aging took place. Value priced wines often keep you guessing if oak barrels were used or not, but since this Pinot needed a full two years plus to reach its balance, that does suggest oak barrel is used and not some other more economical method. The alcohol content is 13.8%.Cotillion Pinot Noir 2017 Tasting NotesThe color is a see-thru cherry jelly red. The nose is pretty decent, it is a little on the ripe fruit side, but still hs plenty of Pinot Noir funk. There is black cherry, herbs, crushed fall leaves, a savory note, vanilla, a little spice, and dusty chocolate powder. This pinot has an excellent silky mouthfeel, the ripe fruit on the nose is much more subdued in the body of the wine. It tastes of tart cherry, soft spice, slightly sharp herbs and plum with vanilla.The mid-palate adds some Altoids spice, cranberry, chewy sweet tannins, and orange zest. The acidity is well-balanced, this is a bright, zesty Pinot Noir. The finish is soft but does stick around for some time.The Summary The Cotillion Pinot Noir 2017 is a throw-back Pinot. There has been a trend lately for more full-bodied Pinots that are blended with Petite Sirah or Syrah. They are very popular the leading brand recently sold for a third of a billion dollars. But the Cotillion is a value-priced version of the best old school California Pinot Noir. It isn't equal to 40 or 50 dollar Pinot, but it does have some of the characteristics of those more fancy Pinot Noirs. AT $9.99 any Pinot Noir that can remind you (if not actual match) of the expensive stuff is ok with me. The Cotillion gives you a real Pinot Noir drinking experience a...
Greg Morthole visits California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger today. Barry Herbst is back today too. Greg Morthole is a winemaker who first worked as a lab technician at Vinquiry in 1999. It’s an analytical lab for wine. Then he worked for Chalk Hill Winery before he joined Rodney Strong in 2005. Today he is the winemaker for Davis Bynum. He got to know wine better from the perspective of the wine lab, with his bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from University of Wyoming. Dan Berger says that he is interested in what the Davis Bynum brand has been doing with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Raspberry, strawberry aromatics and forest floor are the common flavors that come from the cooler temperatures. There are different characters that come from different areas that make up the Russian River Valley terroir. In the 2017 Bynum Pinot Noir, there are tasting today, there are flavors coming from two areas. This wine is 30% from the Dutton Ranch in the Green Valley area, which gives it some briary, raspberry bright cherry and blueberry flavors. Another 50% comes from the Santa Rosa plain, which brings different flavors. There are riper characteristics, a more developed riper cherry into plum flavor. Dan Berger says there is also something subtle, which is a trace of loganberry. He also thinks it needs about 2 years in the cellar, or that it be decanted, if it’s to be drunk now. Greg brought two modern Pinots and one old style. They make two different single clone Pinots and a Russian River one. The Russian River blend has come fruit from the warmer and the cooler regions. They do some other very small batches, 9 or 10 barrels at a time, which are specific to individual clones, such as the 2A clone. Greg Morthole describes how his job changed when his old boss Rick Sayre retired. He has taken everything he has learned from him and others. Before Davis Bynum, Greg Morthole worked for Rodney Strong. He was a professional dancer who had a worldwide career. After that wound up in Sonoma County and got into wine. Dan Berger tells how he started with a tasting room in Tiburon, where he eventually got more involved in the winemaking and he eventually decided to move from Tiburon to Sonoma County. He was one of the first to plant Chardonnay in the mid-60s. He knew France from having been there as a dancer, and went back to learn about Chardonnay. That's where he learned the importance of acidity in Chardonnay.
The StoryThe Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2018 Lot #23 is a $12.99 Trader Joe's exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Carneros AVA which is half inside the Sonoma AVA and half inside the Napa AVA. This is the 10th vintage of TJ's Grand Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir, we last reviewed the 2017 version. Carneros is an interesting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape growing region.The Carneros AVA is farther inland than most Pinot growing regions and is able to have the proper climate because its southern border is the San Pablo Bay (that is the bay just north of the San Fransico Bay). This brings cool breezes in from the Pacific Ocean which along with the poor soil (remember, quality wine grapes need to struggle to produce good wine, happy grapes make bad wine) create proper Pinot Noir conditions.Carneros Pinot Noir tends to start in the $20 range and go up from there. So, $12.99 is a very good price if the Pinot Noir if this Pinot Noir is even close to those more high-end Pinots. There are not any "budget" wineries in Carneros, the grapes had to come from quality vineyards. Plus the 12.99 TJ's price seems to indicate a quality source for this wine. Trader Joe's does not give any information on the maker of this Pinot Noir or the source of the grapes, but this being the 10th vintage indicates a stable source.At first, I thought a 2018 vintage may be a little young for a Carneros Pinot Noir, but I checked and there are plenty of 2018 Pinots on the market from big-name producers. The Grand Reserve Pinot Noir was aged in French oak barrels for 10 months, which is right on par with Carneros Pinot Noir selling in the $40 range. So, even though we do not know the who, what, and where of this wine this Trader Joe's Pinot Noir does have a track record and what little we do know about it matches up to some top-notch Pinots. The alcohol content is 13.9%.The Tasting NotesThe color is a see-thru garnet red, with a clear halo. The nose is very promising, there is the aroma of herbs, mushroom, dried autumn leaves, spice, cherries, black pepper, all very delicate and enticing. This is a smooth fruit-driven Pinot with an exotic edge. It tastes of black cherry, licorice, sharp spice, and ripe plum. The mid-palate brings in black pepper, raspberry, a salty sensation, herbs, and bitter dark chocolate. The tannins do not bite and the acidity lets the flavors unfold but does not interfere with the flavor profile. The finish is persistent and while subtle does last.The Summary * The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2018 Lot #23 does a very solid impression of a more expensive Pinot Noir. * So you know where I am coming from, I prefer the more classic Russian River, Sonoma Coast-style Pinot Noir to the modern Meiomi-style big and fruity Pinot Noir. * The Grand Reserve Carneros Pinot tastes like old-school California Pinot Noir. It has the tasty ripe cherry that you would expect along with the crazy, funky flavors that only California Pinot seem to have (well, have in abundance, anyway) * There was a time, not long ago, when value-priced Pinot Noir was simple, inoffensive cherry-flavored wine. Not exactly terrible, but nothing worth remembering. * Today, there are many cheap Pinots that are extremely enjoyable, solid and worthy wines in their own right. Winemakers have adopted new (new to California Pinot Noir, not Beaujolais, France) that has brought improvements to the point that cheap Pinot Noir is my favorite cheap red wine. And the TJ's reserve is a great example of cheap Pinot ...
The StoryThe Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir 2017 is an inexpensive Pinot Noir, I found it for $7.99 at Costco that should provide a solid value. Castle Rock is an interesting wine company, they have been around for 25 years and have a unique business model. They own no vineyards, all their grapes come from long term contracts with well-respected vineyards. They own no winery or equipment, again they lease space and winemaking gear from existing wineries. They have a very low overhead which allows them to produce wine that will hit above its pricetag. Another interesting thing they do is they get grapes from all the leading AVAs. For instance, with Pinot Noir, they source grapes from the Central Coast, Monterey, Carneros, Russian River, Columbia Valley, and Willamette Valley. If you are looking to explore the Pinot Noir regions at a value price they have you covered. They do the same with other grapes.Mendocino County is just north of Sonoma County on the Pacific Coast and has all the climate advantages as Sonoma, but somehow is overlooked by many wine drinkers. While there are many well-respected Pinot Noir producers in Mendocino, it is a great place to look for Pinot Noir bargains. The Pinot is a 2017 vintage which is a decent amount of aging for a wine I found for $7.99. You can tell a great deal about wine by the year it is released, a 2018 Pinot would be a young fruit-forward, made to come together quickly, while 2017 will most likely have a more involved winemaking process which added another year to its release. That does not mean that one is better than the other, just in some way produced differently. The alcohol content is 13.5%.The Tasting notesThe color is a see-thru garnet red. The nose is black cherry, herbs, dried autumn leaves, black pepper, brownies cooking in the oven, and exotic spice. This is a light side of medium Pinot, subtle, delicate Pinot Noir. It tastes of smooth cherry, black pepper, herbs, and strawberry. The mid-palate adds spice that has a bit of a sharp edge, cooling black cherry, jammy raspberry, orange zest, and a little dark chocolate. The acidity is well-balanced and the finish is soft but lengthy.The Summary This is an elegant Pinot Noir, that is something I did not expect in a sub-$10 Pinot. It has the same body and texture as expensive Pinots, it does not have the layers of flavors and depth, but it does just fine for a $7.99 Pinot Noir. The Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir would pair well with the Thanksgiving feast, it nails the turkey, stuffing, and sweet potato thing. Gooey, cheesy side dishes may throw the pairing off a little, but there is enough acidity on hand to pull-thru.
Wine Road: The Wine, When, and Where of Northern Sonoma County.
Wine Road | Episode 92 | Renae Perry of Papapietro Perry Wine Road provides the Wine, When and Where of Northern Sonoma County with news on events, wineries, wines, dining options, activities, and places to stay. Show Notes 0:35 Wine of the Day—Papapietro Perry 2015 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir 1:37 Story of how Papapietro Perry came to be 9:35 Dry Creek Valley Smackdown! 11:25 Papapietro Perry portfolio-- 1 Rose, 1 Chardonnay, 1 Zinfandel, and 10 Pinots! 12:14 The tasting room experience 14:53 Renae’s Perfect Day spots 17:25 Wine Road Golf Tournament (May 2020) 18:57 Irreverent T-Shirts at Papapietro 20:18 Item of the Day – Inflatable Swans Drink Floats 22:18 Book of the Day –Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Links Papapietro Perry Armstrong Redwoods Lake Sonoma The Ranch at Lake Sonoma|Horseback riding Sbragia Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA.
In Episode 38, Damien and Jonathan welcome the owner of Atlas Bistro on the show to saber a champagne bottle and to talk Oregon Pinot Noir. Todd founded Atlas Bistro 19 years ago and it has become one of the best hidden gems in Phoenix and in America. The show starts off with a quick demonstration on how not to saber a bottle, a discussion about Grower Champagnes, our favorite wine importers, and how he founded the restaurant. Quickly the guys get into how Atlas Bistro, after 19 years, stays one step ahead of restaurant trends through global travels and how great it was being featured on The Food Network this year. While enjoying two great Pinots and talking all about the different growing regions in Oregon they get into reminiscing about the best bottles ever shared at Atlas and what wines got everyone into wine. It was a lot of fun to record this episode and if you haven't yet been to Atlas or haven't gone in a while, it is a perfect time to make a reservation.This episode is available on YouTube (and we recommend watching Todd's epic saber fail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf4OS9wmqnM Wines Tasted:Champagne Marc Hebreart Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs2017 Walter Scott "Justice Vineyard" Pinot Noir - Willamette Valley, OR2012 Soter Vineyards North Valley Pinot Noir - Yahmill-Carlton, Dundee OR www.atlasbistrobyob.com(480) 990-CHEF
After a successful career in the high tech industry, Bernard Lacroute determined that it was time to follow the footsteps of his Burgundy ancestors by growing Pinots. He and his then-wife, Ronni Lacroute, looked for a number of years at land that was suitable for growing Pinot grapes. Then, in January of 1991, they found a cattle ranch that was located just outside of Yamhill, OR with ideal qualities. The ranch in the rolling hills of the Yamhill-Carlton American Viticulture Area (AVA), a region known for growing world-class Pinot noir, was purchased and named after the mixture of Willamette and McKenzie sedimentary soil beneath the property—WillaKenzie Estate. The Lacroutes aimed at making wine that was reflective of the terroir on which the vines were planted. Their desire to form a small, family-owned Oregon winery would shape the development of WillaKenzie Estate as a whole. The first plantings took place in 1992 on south-facing slopes and replaced blackberries and the native pasture and poison oak. Much of the vineyards were planted around untouched stands of Douglas fir, maple, and oak trees. The chosen varieties of grapes planted include Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Gamay Noir, and Chardonnay, but two thirds of the vineyard is dedicated to Pinot noir from mostly Dijon clones, as well as some clones originally grown in Oregon. A second land purchase, 95 acres located among the Dundee Hills, was made in the year 2000. After the volcanic parentage of the soil, the vineyard was named Jory Vineyards. Of the 95 acres of land, only 25 acres of cloned Pinot noir have been planted.
Oh, there is no doubt that Grape Encounters Host David Wilson gets mighty tired of the same old food and wine pairings. So when he came upon a truly novel event taking place in late October in San Francisco, he couldn’t wait to get the event’s producer, Emily Martin on the line. The event is Read More The post Episode #533 – Pinots and Plaid with the Wine Fashionista, Emily Martin appeared first on .
Sebastian Fürst und ich sitzen in der vom Buntsandstein geprägten Steillage "Klingenberger Schlossberg" und sprechen darüber, wie gut Deutschlands Rotweine, vor allem die Spätburgunder sind und ob sie sich im internationalen Vergleich sehen lassen können. Zudem will ich von ihm wissen, wie sich Weinqualität am Gaumen dingfest machen lässt, denn schließlich müssen sich all die Anstrengungen und Maßnahmen qualitätsorientierter Winzer irgendwie geschmacklich niederschlagen. Schließlich zählen seine Pinots aus den Lagen Centgrafenberg mit dem Filetstück Hundsrück neben den Schlossberg-Gewächsen zur absoluten Spitze in Deutschlands Rotwein-Segment.
First and foremost, James MacPhail is a winemaker. For over 18 years he has handcrafted high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - in small quantity. His AVAs have ranged from Santa Barbara to Eola-Amity Hills in Oregon - with Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley, and the cooler regions of Sonoma Coast peppered in between. With an industry flooded with novices, James is a reputable veteran. His long history of success making premium wines for his own label (and others) has primed James MacPhail to offer this expertise as a high-end wine consultant, and so ‘Wines by James MacPhail, LLC’ was born. Undoubtedly dedicated and committed to his craft, James has produced over 100 different Pinots and Chardonnays (also a Merlot and a Cab!) with 90+ point scores -- making him one of the only few members of the 90+/90+ Club in Sonoma County. James realized that winemaking satisfied his interest in the things that motivated him and kept his interests keen: the local land, art, business - and the desire to create. So it seemed natural for him to launched his own brand in 2001: ‘MacPhail Family Wines’. His gift for creating exceptional wines was recognized and in 2007 James was asked by The Hess Collection to start Sequana, an exclusive Pinot Noir program focused on Pinot noir from the Russian River Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands appellations. By 2011 he was making 4000 cases for MacPhail Family Wines, and 12,000 cases for Sequana. The hats James was wearing were many, and in the fall of 2011, it was mutually agreed that The Hess Collection would acquire his brand so that James could focus on what got him into the industry in the first place - his love of winemaking. In 2016, after years of intense ‘hands-on’ for both brands, James decided to leave The Hess Collection and take his knowledge and expertise in crafting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and become a resource for others. “Wines by James MacPhail” became a reality. Partnering only with wine-growers and vineyard managers that understand the significance of terroir-based, vineyard designate wine, and share his same commitment to sustainable farming, James’ dream has always been to make something from the earth that he can share with others. An expert in his craft, James plans to make wine as long as he retains his six senses - the sixth being his acute understanding of the grape. Throughout it all, he stays true to his belief in traditional, old world techniques and minimal intervention. James MacPhail takes very seriously the honor of being a part of people’s tables. Here, he says, is where relationships are formed, ideas are exchanged, and passions are shared.
Flying Goat Cellars, an urban winery located in Lompoc, will celebrate it’s 20th harvest this year. Winemaker Norm Yost has almost 40 years in the industry, working as winemaker in Napa, Sonoma, Oregon and Australia before arriving in Santa Barbara County in 1998. Yost launched the first sparkling wine program in the SB county in 2005. He now offers five expressions of méthode champenoise handcrafted sparkling wine produced in-house. He’s also recognized for his elegant vineyard designated Pinots from Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills AVAs. Look for Flying Goat's 20th anniversary barrel select Pinot Noir to be released later this year.
This week we are talking about Bulgaria a country in Southeast Europe. Wine Recommendations - Big thank you to Grapes & Barley Imports for providing the wines for this episode. All but one of these wines are from the Thracian Valley. Bulgariana Rose 2017 - priced around $13. This rose wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes Aromas of strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and minerality Its dry with medium acidity with flavors similar to aromas - lots of berry flavors Light in aromas and flavors but everything I want in a rose - fruity, crisp, really refreshing Rough Day Chardonnay 2016 - priced around $9. This is an unoaked style of Chardonnay Aromas of tropical fruits like melon and apricots as well as some lemon aromas It’s dry with a light to medium body, medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas - mostly tropical fruits This wine is a light crisp unoaked chardonnay that perfect for summer Bulgariana Pinot Noir 2014 - priced $15. The grapes for this wine come from a subregion of the Danube Plain in North-east Bulgaria Aromas of cherry flavored cigars, salmai, and coffee Its dry with medium body, medium plus acidity, light tannins with flavors of cherries, tobacco, coffee and dirt This pinot is a more fuller body style and less fruit than Pinots from other places. Not your delicate Pinot Noir like Burgundy or Willamette Valley - this Pinot has some teeth Bulgariana Gamza 2016 - priced around $12. Made from the Gamza grape - which is a dark skinned variety used to make red wine found in Central Europe and the Balkan area. It’s also known as Kadarka Aromas of dusty earth, spice with a hint of black cherries and black plum It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits, spices and dusty earth Very deep full wine that is not very fruity but a great texture to the wine with smooth tannins Rough Day Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - priced around $10. Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, dusty earth and spice This wine is dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors of earth and dark fruits This wine is all about the fruit - its very juicy, really approachable wine with smooth, satin like tannins Winemaker’s Selection Un Double Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2012 This is a part of Walmart’s private label program 50% of each Cab Sav and Syrah Aromas of dark fruits like black cherries and black plum as well as pepper It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium acidity and tannins with flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits and spice This wine is very juicy, ripe, lush wine that is big and bold We pair this wine with an aged cheese and it really shined with some fatty food Check out the website for Grapes & Barley Imports to learn more about where you can purchase these wines. Sources Wine Folly Bulgian Wine Wikipedia Book: The World Atlas of Wine
The Erath Oregon Pinot Noir 2016 is sourced from vineyards all over Oregon, the Willamette Valley AVA is the one that everyone knows, but there is also the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA. Erath Winery is one of the Chateau Ste Michelle family of wines and this is their "Taste of Oregon" Pinot Noir, they produce several different Pinots including high-end single vineyard Pinot Noir. The stated goal for this wine is "to make the best Pinot Noir in the world for under $20" and they just may have pulled it off since both Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator awarded this sub-$20 Pinot, 90 points. For me giving a wine a point score is essential if you are purchasing a $150+ wine and want to insure you are buying one of the elite wines, for under $20 value priced wines points don't mean as much. But, both those publications have well-respected, talented critics and while their palates may not been in tune with yours or mine, they do know how to identify quality in the vineyard and in the winemaking. So a good score for a value wine does indicate top quality, if the wine appeals to you or not is another story. The 2016 growing season in Oregon was cool and long, just what Pinot Noir grapes need to excel. 20% for this wine was aged in new French oak, they didn't specify if it was oak barrels or other means to impart oak seasoning. The alcohol content is 13.5%. The color is clear, see-thru garnet red. The nose is delicate and complicated, herbs, cherry, mushroom, baking spices, black pepper, raspberry, and a whiff of dark chocolate. This is a light to medium-bodied wine, the flavor profile starts off soft, then builds, very cool. It tastes of ripe cherry, a slap of pepper, some not sweet cola, candy spice, and herbs. The mid-palate shows tart cranberry with cream, orange zest, a quick hit of milk chocolate, and smooth plum. The tannins are sweet, you sense them, but there is no bite. The acidity is solid, you don't get these many flavors unfolding in a sip of wine without well-balanced acidity acting as a backbone. The finish engages you palate and then slowing fades away. The Erath Oregon Pinot Noir 2016 is an excellent Pinot Noir, no need for a "for the price" qualifier. It has flavor galore, it has structure that holds the wine together, but also stays out-of-the-way of you're sipping pleasure. I used to say that the Willamette Valley AVA produced my favorite Pinot Noirs, but I think from now on I will simply say my favorite Pinot Noir comes from Oregon.
The Trader Joe's Cotillion Pinot Noir 2016 is a $9.99 Trader Joe's exclusive sourced from vineyards in 56% Monterey County, 33% Sonoma County, and 11% Santa Barbara County. These 3 counties are very solid Pinot Noir growing region and the bottle could have indicated California as the grape origin, since 2 of the AVA's are in the Central Coast AVA and 1 in the North Coast AVA, but they wanted to "show-off" it's semi-fancy pedigree (especially for the price). This is a TJ's wine that comes back every year, we reviewed the 2013 vintage and as I recall, liked it. The back label indicates some sort of oak aging or conditioning and a 2016 vintage is a fair bit of bottle aging for a ten buck wine. Certain wines take longer to come together and be drinkable for release, they tend to produce $10 wines to find their balance quickly. So a current vintage of 2016 shows the producer didn't rush this bottle to market and that is a good thing for any wine, but especially for Pinot Noir which tends to be delicate and shouldn't be rushed. The alcohol content is 13.8%. The color is a legit, see-thru garnet red, with so many Pinot Noir's having Petite Sirah and other grapes blended in nowadays I am used to seeing deep, dark Pinots, I prefer the real thing. The nose is impressive, smoke, herbs, mushroom, black pepper, cherry, grilled meat, it's the aromas found on the expensive stuff. This is a medium bodied, nicely balanced, old-school Pinot Noir. It tastes of cherry, a little Dr. Pepper (not sweet), a rough contrast of herbs, and creamy vanilla. The mid-palate offers exotic spice, raspberry, black pepper, and a late slap of Altoids spice. The tannins are soft and sweet and the acidity stays in the background, this can be a food wine as well as an excellent sipper. The finish is vibrant and lengthy. The Trader Joe's Cotillion Pinot Noir 2016 is an unexpectedly satisfying California Pinot Noir. It constantly reminded me of Pinots from the expensive, highly touted growing regions, not a best of California TJ's $9.99 Pinot. It is not as delicate and etherial as the best Pinot Noir, but it does drinks very well and in a blind tasting you would never guess the price. Plus it has a label with Victorian-style animals dancing at a party where they are wearing masks of other animals. Wonderful label and a wonderful wine.
Tom Simoneau is back today with Brian Maloney, winemaker at De Loach Vineyards, in to talk with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. He is also in charge of the Sonoma County wines of the Boisset collection and he also made a sweepstakes-winning wine for Buena Vista. Brian’s great grandfather planted vineyards and founded a vineyard at the turn of the 20th century. He was born and raised in Sonoma County and his family has farmed for over 100 years. He attended UC Davis and right after worked for Greg La Follette at De Loach, and for Jean-Charles Boisset. He purchased the Buena Vista winery in Sonoma and they are bringing it back to life. They replanted some vineyards and these wines are the result. Brian tells about Jean-Charles, who studied at USF and UCLA and is married to Gina Gallo. Dan Berger tells that the Boisset wine empire is one of the most revered in Europe, with great winemaking teams all over Burgundy. They already knew an awful lot about wine when he came to California. He speaks glowingly of California wine. Tom says he takes a lot of heat in France for that. Dan says he’s really quite a spokesman for California wine. Brian says he inspires you to make a better wine and it’s what they’re doing in the vineyards and in the wineries. De Loach, founded by Cecil De Loach who was a fireman, made great wine and then sold the winery and started Hook & Ladder. They’ve been on this show too, last Aug. 15. It’s a cooler area of the Russian River Valley in his area that they call Olivette. Dan says the most consistent Zinfandels come from there, old vines still producing good tonnages and great wine. The Chardonnay vines are right in front of their tasting room. They taste a 2016 De Loach Chardonnay. The fleur-de-lis (which is French for "lily") crest is embossed on the label. This Chardonnay is rich but with good acidity and tropical fruit like underripe pineapple and some really appealing citrusy notes. Tom says it has both warm and cool region flavors. Brian says it has richness and freshness. Next they taste a Russian River Pinot Noir that it bottled to support the Russian River food bank. They have done this every year since 2009. It's a 2017 Pinot Noir that is so young that it's a shame to open it. Dan says you can taste the potential but you don't taste what it is going to be. Dan says it's a real winemaker's wine because you have to understand the vision of the winemaker. They bottled it right before harvest, only about 2 months ago. Brian Maloney is the winemaker at Buena Vista too, and does a project called JCB for Jean-Charles. Next they taste a wine he calls OFS, which Tom says stands for Our Finest Selection. Dan says it is about 4 to 6 years away from optimum aging. Tom says Brian's wine is big and complex, that the fruit was picked correctly and not overdone in the winery. In a great vintage he will make 1000 cases. Tom says there are a lot of Pinots that cost more and are not as good as this. The next wine is from their Marin County project. There are only a couple hundred acres of grapes growing in Marin County, on only 3 vineyard sites that they work with. Dan says it is very cold out there and it's marginal territory for grape growing. Brian agrees that the yields there are not very high Barry Herbst tells about the new Bottle Barn online store, which will have its own flash sales and allows for shipping to almost all the United States. Next they taste the Maboroshi Pinot Noir, made from grapes from the Mabaroshi vineyard. (It's on the left of the bottles lineup picture, above.) It's a 2014 and he says it needs at least 10 years to mature. Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley and Sebastopol Hills are the source areas. Dan says this one will age longer than any of the others from today, up to 25 years. He has worked at this site with De Loach since 2004.
Der vielleicht formstärkste Fahrer des Herbstes hat beim letzten Radsportmonument des Jahres noch einmal zugeschlagen. Thibaut Pinot gewann Il Lombardia und beendete eine 21-jährige französische Durststrecke bei diesem prestigeträchtigen Event. Malte Asmus und Lukas Kruse würdigen den Ritt von Pinot, aber sie schauen auch zur Tour of Turkey, die mit einem spannenden Schlusstag zuende ging. Sam Bennett holte sich seinen dritten Etappensieg und Eduard Prades entriss Alexey Lutsenko am Ende noch das Trikot des Gesamtsiegers. Und auch die Hammer Series fand in Hong Kong ihren Abschluss. Euch gefällt dieser Podcast - oder ihr habt Kritik, Fragen oder Anregungen? Dann freuen wir uns, wenn wir von euch hören. Lasst uns gerne bei iTunes eine Rezension und ein bisschen Feedback da. Schreibt uns, was ihr gut oder auch schlecht findet, oder welche Themen wir eurer Meinung nach mal in einer Sendung behandeln sollten. Nutzt dafür gerne auch die Kommentarfunktion unter diesem Beitrag auf meinsportradio.de. Oder ihr schreibt unserem Moderator direkt per Mail (malte.asmu...
Der vielleicht formstärkste Fahrer des Herbstes hat beim letzten Radsportmonument des Jahres noch einmal zugeschlagen. Thibaut Pinot gewann Il Lombardia und beendete eine 21-jährige französische Durststrecke bei diesem prestigeträchtigen Event. Malte Asmus und Lukas Kruse würdigen den Ritt von Pinot, aber sie schauen auch zur Tour of Turkey, die mit einem spannenden Schlusstag zuende ging. Sam Bennett holte sich seinen dritten Etappensieg und Eduard Prades entriss Alexey Lutsenko am Ende noch das Trikot des Gesamtsiegers. Und auch die Hammer Series fand in Hong Kong ihren Abschluss. Euch gefällt dieser Podcast - oder ihr habt Kritik, Fragen oder Anregungen? Dann freuen wir uns, wenn wir von euch hören. Lasst uns gerne bei iTunes eine Rezension und ein bisschen Feedback da. Schreibt uns, was ihr gut oder auch schlecht findet, oder welche Themen wir eurer Meinung nach mal in einer Sendung behandeln sollten. Nutzt dafür gerne auch die Kommentarfunktion unter diesem Beitrag auf meinsportradio.de. Oder ihr schreibt unserem Moderator direkt per Mail (malte.asmus@meinsportradio.de) oder Twitter (@MalteAsmus).
World's Funniest Wine Radio Program. For those who appreciate fine wine, or enjoy poking fun at those who do.
Plesner, Djurhuus og Elming samler op på den helt fantastiske Giro d'Italia. Den sidste vanvidsuge vendes og drejes, men der bliver også tid til den traditionelle quiz. Hør mere om Aru, Yates' og Pinots nedtur, Froomes kæmpe optur og meget mere i denne Giro-special.
World's Funniest Wine Radio Program. For those who appreciate fine wine, or enjoy poking fun at those who do.
In this episode, C.J. and Ryan cover horrible Pinots, that Cream Duck-Ka-Kaya and TIP Karma. They also say goodbye to Lauren
New World Wine Awards chief judge Jim Harré says wine volumes may be down but quality is up. Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/pinots-charge-forefront-new-world-wine-awards-entries-ng-204803
Craig Ceccanti is co-founder of Pinots Palette, interviewed by David Cogan of Eliances Heroes radio show. Craig talks about how the Pinots Palette idea came during a dining room discussion with co-founders. They built the business literally over nights and weekends while working daytime jobs until they decided to bite the bullet and jump in to it full time. The company has seen meteoric rise in popularity and spawned copy cats across the Country.
Dawn,T, Red, M and Alpha review Perfection (A Neighbor From Hell Series Book 2) Perfection Written by: R. L. Mathewson Narrated by: Fran Jules Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins Series: A Neighbor From Hell, Book 2 Unabridged Audiobook Release Date:11-25-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Publisher's Summary Zoe is used to taking care of herself and has long ago accepted that if anything bad was going to happen, it was going to happen to her. So when she loses her job over something most bosses would probably be happy with and her life starts going downhill from there, she doesn't expect it to get any better. She certainly didn't expect any help from the loud jerk next door, but then again she has nothing to lose so puts her trust in him and hopes for the best. What she didn't expect was the once in a lifetime opportunity that he offers her through an arrangement where they both benefit and no one is supposed to get hurt - but she should have known better because her luck has never been that good. Like most Bradfords, Trevor has a soft spot for food, but that's about all. He leads a pretty straightforward life and likes to keep things simple and that includes his relationships. He wants the perfect woman and knows exactly what she'll be like. So when he discovers much to his horror that he's thinking about his frumpy little neighbor he decides the best way to get his head straight is by working her out of his system. He'll keep her around, but only until he finds perfection. Lay of the Land Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 Our Take: Fruity, but not sweet. Very good... We all drank 2 bottles. Bright cherry notes and yummy red fruit. This is like a triumphant chorus of Pinot Noir with a lean elegance and brightness that really differentiates it from our Californian Angel-funded Pinots! Angels loved Lay of the Land Sauv Blanc, and we couldn't wait to see what Mike would deliver if we asked him to make an iconic New Zealand red. There's a fresh, almost breezy quality here that you'll only get out of New Zealand Pinot and we're sure it's going to be flying out of stock. Get in now before you miss out. Food suggestions Wild Marlborough pork or roast / BBQ chicken. Always good versatile wine for anything that comes off the BBQ
On Star Wars Day, May The Fourth, we welcome Sumen Rai back to The Adelaide Show to talk all things Space in South Australia Sumen tells us about the recent NASA International Space Apps Challenge held in Adelaide. She also sheds some light into the far corners of South Australia's space universe, uncovering an international space university, international astronautical conference coming to Adelaide next year, the Mars Society, and the promising outcomes of the local entries in the Space Apps Challenge. Sumen is quite bullish about our state's readiness for space and this show will certainly take you on a voyage to some of the super things happening. Other 'May The Fourth' highlights Wine tonight - two Pinots from Brian Gilbert at Lofty Valley Wines For the Made To Move Minute, Max Martin ... continues his series on pain and diagnosis. In IS IT NEWS, Nigel quizzes us on our knowledge of ... space. The Adelaide Visa Council has another defendant, with a strange name. In musical pilgrimage we have a track from a South Aussie currently touring the UK, Tom West. Support the show: https://theadelaideshow.com.au/listen-or-download-the-podcast/adelaide-in-crowd/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Everyday on my commute to work I pass Miner Family Wines in the Oakville District of Napa. I was quite fortunate to stop on my way home recently and have a conversation with my friend, and Miner winemaker, Stacy Vogel. Before we got talking about her post at Miner, Stacy detailed her experiences traveling and working France and Australia. Given how much time I spend cleaning and sanitizing the winery where I spend my days, I was a bit envious when Stacy described the benign neglect that was part of her internship at Bouchard Pere & Fils in Burgundy. Stacy also did stints at Tahbilk winery in Victoria, Australia, Cain Vineyard and Winery in Napa, and Ledson Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma. I'd recommend to anyone visiting Napa to check out Cain, it's a bit spectacular. There's no such thing as a short harvest at Miner, as they are working with Burgundian, Bordelais, Rhone varieties, and even some Sangiovese. It's one of my favorite pass-times to pick on Pinot producers and I figured Stacy was game because Miner produces five Pinots and quite a bit of that fruit comes from Garys' Vineyard in Santa Lucia.
Ron Siegel of Anaheim Hills CA and Robert Mott of La Quinta CA discuss current events, financial markets, politics, and even poking fun at the rest of the media in a live radio broadcast from Anaheim CA. Ron and Robert will discuss: ADP Jobs Report; Why Wines with Higher Alcohol Content are Rating Higher; What is the difference in all the Pinots; Wine Club release and pickup party; What you need to do if you lose your job during the Home Purchase Process; Futures of Homeownership among our youth; Risky Home Insurance Customers – Are You one?; FCC involvement with Washington Redskins; Mortgage Minute; Your Credit Matters; Real Time Real Estate; Word on Wealth; and so much more. Ron Siegel, consumer advocate and mortgage lender, discusses anything that affects the roof over your head, your bank account or other items that will benefit you / your family. Reach Ron at 800.306.1990 Ron@RonSiegelRadio.comwww.RonSiegelRadio.comwww.SiegelLendingTeam.comTwitter: @RonSiegelwww.Facebook.com/RonSiegelRadio
Hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving again. The change in the seasons, holiday get togethers with family and friends, playoff baseball and football games give us many opportunities to share some of our favorite foods and wines. The variety of foods that can be found on holiday dinner tables are numerous. The taste sensations can range from, sweet to sour, savory to umami and salty. Trying to find one wine that pairs well with your families honey glazed ham or smoked turkey, your sisters cornbread stuffing, Uncle Jim’s stuffed mushrooms and Grandma’s pumpkin pie would be a fools errand. The key to making a good impression with respect to wine choices is diversity. You’ll have a better chance of success by offering several bottles with a wide range of flavor profiles. Just open up a few of your favorites and some of our suggested bottles, place them all on the table and let your guests pick which wines they want. Our first suggestion a 2012 Moscato D’ Asti “Bricco Quaglia by La Spinetta is an excellent way to welcome your guest to your home. This Moscato is the real deal and not some quickly rushed to the market mass produced bottom shelf pretender. La Spinetta is most famous for their Barolo and Barbaresco but those wines are way too serious for most holiday gatherings. 100% Moscato at 5.5% ABV the “Bricco Quaglia” has an intoxicating aroma of green apples, apricot and white peaches. On the palate it’s slightly sweet with a good balance of acidity and a delicate sparkle. Priced between $18 - $22 you’ll want to stock several bottles in the fridge because we guarantee this wine will be a runaway favorite. The 2012 Conundrum is a proprietary blend of California white wine. This wine is from the house of Wagner Family Wines, makers of the iconic brand Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. A bottle of their Cabernet will set you back $130, but for about $20 to $24 you can buy into all of their excellent winemaking expertise and bring a bottle to the table that everyone will offer a comment on. The website www.wagnerfamilywine.com tells us the wine is made up of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscat Canelli and Viognier, although they don’t tell you the percentage of each varietal. The Wagners have farmed in Napa Valley since 1906 and they source the grapes for this wine from Napa, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Tulare counties. If we had to use one word to describe this wine it would be “exotic”. The Conundrum name is appropriate as it is a truly unique wine. Honey baked apples, musk melon, peaches and vanilla spice on the nose followed by more of the same on the palate. The wine has a thick and rich mouth feel with good acidity for balance. Try not to open this one up before dinner is served because it just might disappear before the turkey is carved. The 2012 Philo Ridge Vineyards Gewurztraminer from Ferrington Vineyards Anderson Valley is a 100% vegan wine. Not everyone is a carnivore: now you’ve got all the bases covered. You’d be surprised how many wines can’t meet the vegan designation. Philo Ridge is 5.5 miles up an all weather dirt/ rock road, two miles off the electrical grid and it’s 100% solar powered. If you find yourself in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley you don’t need a four wheel drive vehicle to taste their wines though, they have a tasting room right on highway 128 in Boonville. At 0.049 g/l of residual sugar (that’s dry) and 14.1 % ABV this Gewurztraminer will amaze your guest with its strong floral aromatics and its rich full bodied texture. It’s packed with flavors of stone fruits, lemon, lychee and spice. The pescatorians in your group would enjoy this Gewurztraminer with seared scallops or broiled salmon. Philo Ridge’s Gewurztraminer will most likely be the most polarizing wine at the table. Watching your friends and family debate over the best pairing combinations and the merits and shortcoming of the wines will be a lot more fun than bringing religion or politics to the table. Fred Buonanno aka Tractor Butt owns the winery with his wife Heather and they only produced 195 cases of this wine so it will require more diligence to track down, but it’s well worth the hunt. $15 to $19 If you’ve listened to some of our pod casts you know that Bill’s wife is a huge Pinot Noir fan. Obviously Bill gets to try lots of Pinot Noir and this is one of his favorites. Pinot Noir is right at home on your holiday dinner table because its naturally high acidity matches well with most holiday fare. We discovered this wine several years ago. The first vintage we tried was 2009 and I believe that may have been the inaugural vintage for the Cazar label. The 2012 Cazar Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a declassified/ second label for Chasseur. Bill Hunter is the winemaking savante and owner of Chasseur wines. A declassified wine is a wine that does not meet the prescribed standards of the first or top wines of a producer. For example in Bordeaux France, Chateau Latour’s second label is Les Forts de Latour. A current vintage of Château Latour will cost you about $1600 and the Les Forts de Latour cost about $250. Is the Latour six times better than the Les Forts de Latour? Not hardly, but at these elevated price levels, scarcity, marketing and prestige enter into the equation. Chasseur is best known for their Pinot Noirs from the “true” Sonoma Coast areas around Freestone, Occidental and Sebastopol, but they also make some wonderful Chardonnays. Chasseur Pinots retail around $60 a bottle and the Cazar Pinot Noir retails at $20 to $23. The 2012 Cazar Pinot represents a chance for you to show a little insider knowledge and offer your guest a fantastic bottle of wine at the same time. Displaying a beautiful medium ruby hue Cazar’s Pinot on the nose exhibits a red fruit profile of pomegranate, cranberry, cherry and earth notes. On the palate you’ll notice raspberry, black cherry, spice, cola and that hallmark of structure and silky texture that you find in all of Bill Hunter’s wines. From the blockbuster 2012 vintage in California, a farmers delight, don’t miss out on this one. The 2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir pronounced “may-oh-mee” is another wine from the Wagner family. This is a tri- appellation Pinot Noir with grapes sourced from Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties. It’s deep garnet color is complimented with a very forward rich and ripe fruit nose. In the mouth, candied cherries, black cherry cola, vanilla and lots of oak, Not a shy Pinot Noir: this one’s more of a hammer and a crowd pleaser amongst those that like big fruit forward Pinots. At $18 to $22 a bottle it is a great value. La Bastide Saint Dominique’s 2010 Cotes Du Rhone Villages is composed of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mouvedre and 15% Carignan. The estate was founded in 1976 and the winemaker Eric Bonnet is in the process of converting their vineyard holdings to organic farming. This wine features a red fruit aroma of cherries, plum and kirsch. On the palate those flavors are accompanied by some pepper, sage, licorice and earth notes. At 14.5% ABV this is a full bodied wine with just the right amount of fruit, rusticity and tannin to compliment a variety of fall season dishes. Our last recommendation is the Yalumba Muscat Museum Reserve. This is a late harvest wine whose fermentation is arrested by fortification with neutral grape spirits. The Aussies affectionately call these types of wines stickies. You’ll want to hold this wine in reserve and not put it on the table with the other wines. After the table has been cleared most of your guest are by now in sensory overload and are trying to digest all the different types and amounts of food and beverages. Once the cakes, pies and other desserts make their way to the table that’s when you break out the Yalumba Muscat. Remember it’s a fortified wine and it clocks in at 18% ABV, so a little goes a long way. This is a wine for sipping and savoring. In the glass it features a deep amber color that runs clear at the edge. The nose shows over-ripe raisins, burnt sugar, caramel, dark molasses, with a hint of Vick’s Formula 44. It’s very sweet but has great acids that hold the balance beautifully. The finish last forever and it’s lip smacking good. It’s packaged in half bottles and cost $17 to $20. Make sure the cooks and the dish washing crew get a glass before the rest of your guest. It’s a nice gesture and a great way to say thanks for all their hard work.We hope you find our seven wine suggestions for the upcoming holiday season helpful. Listen to our pod cast to get more insight and learn about a few more wines we recommend. Cheers!
This is our second pod cast featuring Pinot Noir. While we focused on Sonoma County Pinot Noir on the last show, we opted to show a little more range this time. This show features Pinot Noirs from New Zealand, France and Mendocino County as well as several wines from Sonoma County. Sorry Oregon, we'll devote a podcast to the wonderful Pinot Noirs you produce in an upcoming show.The different aromas, taste and styles that we experienced during the tasting made it easy to see why Pinot Noir is such a hot ticket wine. In fact, this was the first tasting we've conducted where there was no leftover wine.Some of the topics covered in this show are old world wines vs new world wines, the different colors of Pinot Noir and the Sideways phenomenon. Most of the wines we featured are readily available at your local retail outlets, though some may require more diligence to acquire. The average price for the wines was $26. Did we find a knock your socks off $15 Pinot Noir? Does such a wine exist? Take a listen to find out the answers to these questions and more.We used our tasting panel format to evaluate the wines. First tasting without food and then trying them with food and cheeses. As expected the Pinots showed their affinity for food. If you're invited to a dinner party and you don't know what's on menu, but you're in charge of the wine, Pinot Noir is an excellent default red wine to rely on. Bill kept the pizzas coming and the kids had a wonderful time helping him make them. A good time was had by everyone in attendance. Kick back and pull a cork on bottle of Pinot Noir and join us as we share what we learned about "The Heartbreak Grape".
This epidsode focuses on alternative packaging for wine. We discuss aluminum cans and bottles, tetra-paks, Bag in Box wines and other alternatives to glass bottles.Box Wine was invented by Thomas Angove, a winemaker in Australia. As a result Box Wine is well received in Australia and has gained acceptance in Europe as well. In fact Bag in Box wines represent 45% of all domestic wine sales in Australia.The story in the U.S. is less cheery. Box Wines have not been able to escape the image of poor quality wines, made to offend the least amount of people. We took a little heat from the wine ladies when we asked them to participate in evaluating the wines, as they showed the prejudice that many wine drinkers in the U. S. can express towards wines offered in a vessel other than the traditional glass bottle. The payoff for the ladies was that they got to pick the featured wine for the next show and they chose Pinot Noir. A fine choice, since we feel that Pinot Noir is perfectly suited for the foods we enjoy during the fall and winter months. We uncovered several standout Pinots for that show and we look forward to sharing our discoveries with you. The equivalent of four bottles in one easy to store and use container and the fact that unused box wine stays fresher for longer than wines bottled in glass make Bag in Box wines a viable choice for consumers. Lower manufacturing and shipping cost and a smaller carbon footprint make Bag in Box programs attractive to many wine producers.For this show we tasted nine wines. As always we're looking for wines that offer good character/ flavors, that are true to type and represent a good value. Hey, who knows, maybe we'll find a wine that you could put in a decanter that will be good enough to fool one of your know it all wine friends. A big Thank You to all our listeners. We appreciate the support!
When I saw the post introducing Wine Blogging Wednesday #10 over at My Adventures in the Breadbox, I thought to myself it was about time we went back to the white side of the wine world after several forays into the red (or rose) zone. But “white pinot”? What’s that all about? It seems that our old red friend, the Pinot Noir, has mutated over the millennia and has produced another related white varietal most commonly known as Pinot Gris. Yes, yes, I know that “gris” translates to “grey” but the juice is quite white even with extended skin contact. The problem with this variety is that is goes by so many names depending upon where it is grown that it is hard to know what you are drinking without a scorecard. A Google search turned up the following synonyms: * Pinot Grigio (Italy) * Pinot Beurot (Loire Valley, France) * Ruländer (Austria and Germany, Romania, sweet) * Grauburgunder or Grauer burgunder (Austria and Germany, dry) * Grauklevner (Germany) * Malvoisie (Loire Valley, France and Switzerland) * Tokay d’Alsace (Alsace) (currently being renamed due to EU regulations) * Auxerrois Gris (Alsace) * Fromentau (Languedoc, France) * Fromentot (France) * Fauvet (France) * Gris Cordelier (France) * Grauer Mönch (Germany) * Monemrasia * Crvena Klevanjka (Croatia) * Szürkebarát (Hungary) Yikes, that’s quite a list! Another interesting point is that the style varies depending upon the region. This can range from the light and lean Pinot Grigio’s from Italy to the more substantial full fruit Oregon style to the classic floral and silky Alsatian wines. For this event, started with a wine I spied on the by-the-glass selection of the local eatery where I just finished dinner. It was a 2003 Pinot Grigio from Stella of the Umbria region in Italy. I found this wine to be almost clear in color with the slightest hit of straw and a lean fruity nose typical of the varietal. On the palette it had nice citrus and apple flavors, good acidity and a dry, slightly minerally finish. A very good start to this evening’s festivities earning an 8.5/10 on my scale. A quick Google later I found this to be a fine value at only $6 a bottle. Next, I decided to pull a Pinot Grigio from California out of the cellar that a friend gave me last summer. It is from La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi of the 2002 vintage that retails for $15. This is another label from the prolific Mondavi family that was started in 1994 to, “celebrate their Italian heritage from California vineyards”; as usual, brilliant marketing The winemaker’s notes reveal that this wine is a blend of 98% Pinot Grigio and 2% Tocai Friulano, the top native grape from Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. He also points out the fruit came from Monterey County (87%), the Los Carneros (7%), and 3% each from El Dorado and Santa Maria Valley. Thankfully, the wine did not see any oak and was not subjected to the rigors of malolactic fermentation, so I expected it to be full in fruit flavors with a nice dose of acidity making this a good match for shellfish (oysters, anyone?!). This wine was also shy on the color with a bit of the old yellow/green, but had a much more powerful citrus nose than the previous Grigio. Nice lemon and pear flavors and bracing acidity finish bone dry. A solid 8.5/10. Pinot Blanc is a mutation of Pinot Gris that used to be widely planted in Burgundy. This was until the Appellation Controlee laws knocked out Pinot Blanc in favor of Chardonnay. The grape is most identified in France today with the Alsace region where it is the number 3 grape behind Riesling and Sylvaner. Pinot Blanc also has some identity issues, but they seem to be isolated to California where much of what is labeled Pinot Blanc is actually Melon de Bourgogne, also called Muscadet in France’s Loire region. Like Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc is quite malleable to the hand of the winemaker, taking oak well so wines can be light and fruity to big and oaky. As with Chardonnay, I prefer my Pinot Blanc unoaked, so I chose a bottling from the reliable Trimbach of Alsace. It is their 2001 Pinot Blanc that is blended with a bit of Pinot Auxerrois and sells for about $15 a bottle. This wine is straw in color with a hint of green, has a lean citrus nose and with apple and nut flavors. Another bone dry wine with high acidity, it would be a natural with food. I found this wine to be delicious and earn a 9/10. So what was learned in this tale of Two Pinots? That they are surprisingly similar in flavor and great food wines. I think I like the more elegant style of the Pinot Blanc, but as can be seen from my tasting notes, it was a close race. The best of tasting goes to the Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2001 with best value to the Stella Pinot Grigio 2003. Thanks to Alice from My Adventures in the Breadbox for a great theme; I can’t wait until the next installment!
This week’s show is all about Pinot Noir, featuring a wine lover's review of the film, "Sideways", and tasting three Pinots from California and Oregon: - La Crema, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2002 ($18) - Erath, Oregon Pinot Noir 2002 ($15) - Beringer Founders' Estate Pinot Noir 2002 ($9)