winebill

From the Berry bros rudd announcement new Mouton Label "As is the tradition at Mouton-Rothschild, Robert Wilson will be reimbursed with several cases of the 2001 Grand Vin. " Mr. Wilson probably wished he was asked to design the 2000 Vintage. Not that the 2001 is a dog !

Even if it's tongue and cheek, Ric forman is a poor example. He has been making wine in napa before Gil Nickel bought Far niente. Ric Forman Anyway you are right that Fat Niente Cab is overpriced. and is usually a tannic monster

Parker is now full bodied and starting to show some age. high in alcohol, rich and hedonistic. read now or cellar for a few more years !

............And the Darioush Cabernet is amazzzzzing !!!!!

Another affordable Viognier is Fairview ,from the Paarl region of South Africa Classic aroma of Peaches and apricots, full bodied with a good taste of oak, but not over the top. Strong acidity, with a touch of smokiness. A relatively new wine for Fairview. About $ 17.00 a bottle

From the Laurent Perrier's website Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100% rated Grands Crus villages, this champagne gets its glorious pink colour and rounded red fruit flavours from a process know as 'saigneé' in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. The grapes are sorted and destemmed before going into the vat. Laurent-Perrier’s experience in making red ‘Coteaux Champenois’ wines ensures a perfect maceration phase. This can last for up to three days and gives the wine its colour, as well as the full range of Pinot Noir aromas. Unlike most rosé champagnes, the base of Laurent-Perrier’s Cuvée Rosé Brut is made by a technique known as ‘saignée’, or ‘bleeding’, rather than simply by blending red and white wines. The wine is aged for a minimum of four years and is manually disgorged. Grand Siècle ‘Alexandra Rose’ 1990 Grape varieties: Over 80% Pinot Noir and less than 20% Chardonnay Growths: Only 100% rated Grands Crus, such as Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay, Mailly for the Pinot Noir, Avize, Cramant, Chouilly, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger for the Chardonnay. Grapes from the best single vineyard parcels are sorted and destemmed before vinification. This rare wine results from an original technique for blending Chardonnay with Pinot Noir which has macerated for three days. It allows the two varieties to release their full range of aromas. Ageing lasts at least six years or more, depending on the characteristics of the vintage.

It's always been my feeling that if you open a good bottle of wine........ then you will have a special occaison.

Another Vin Santo to seek out is the Querciabella 1990 "Orlando" They only made this wine in 1990 naming it after Sebatianos son in his birth year. Wonderful flavors of dried fruit and vanilla. Starting to dry out a bit now,but still showing a beautiful sweet spice. Worth finding. It's about $75.00 for a 375 ml.

Maybe the French should fight back and make Sparkling Thunderbird !

Another idea is a German wine from the Mosel. The sweetness of the Lobster meat pairs well Riesling. Something at the Spatlese or Auslese level would be good. The 2001 And 2002 vintages are outstanding. A few producers to look for are........ Kerpen Selbach-Oster Willi Haag Dr Loosen J.J. Prüm Fritz Haag von Hövel Pass the lemon please.

What about "Half-Bottles"? Why dont't more restaurants have a decent Half bottle list ?

Well Trish....... I think I'd save the Billecart Rose for New Years Eve App's. Maybe something that involved Lobster or some sort of shellfish. The balance of the acidity and fruit from the Champagne will pair well with the sweetness of the seafood. Then come New Years Day I'd make up a big pot of Chili, and fire up a big ,gutsy Zinfandel to wake up the senses !

Where else Trish ? But in Greenwich. I know , I sell them all ! The Importer recently raised the price of Billecart. Blaming it on the EURO I'm sure. Good luck on your search

Trish, All of these are available in Connecticut: Zardetto Prosecco Argyle Mumm Napa Valley DVX Nino Franco Prosecco All of the Schramsberg Sparklers, including Mirabelle,which is great value @ $13.00 a bottle. another good find (and available in Conn.) is "Bonnaire Blanc de Blancs" 100 % Chardonnay from 100 % rated vineyards. around $25 bucks a bottle also ... Billecart Salmon is also in Conn. The Non-Vintage Rose is great. ($55.00) And last but not least... Champagnes from Charbaut of Epernay. Brut NV $22.00 Rose NV $29.00. CHEERS !

Actually I posted this on Dec 13 th.

Another wonderful Glass manufacturer is Bormioli Rocco from Italy. They have many different lines, but the "Premium" are particularly good. You can find them for about $7- a stem. bormioli rocco premium They are strong enough to put in the dishwasher, but if you have the patience it is better to wash your wine glasses with Baking soda. Then you will have no soap residue, and smell wine and not detergent. They also have a great decanters.

Don't forget Austrailia for there "Stickies". Great Botrytis Semillons, and they are cheap. Worth seeking out.

Expensive Tastes: U.K. Wine Buyer Gets Tongue Insured for $17 Million

To some it's not even a matter of what tastes good. It's the status of possesing one of the top 100 wines. It's the old "I have it,and you don't" mentality. Meanwhile there are thousands of wines people miss out on enjoying.

Making manicotti's with a crepe instead of a pasta shell is wonderful. The texture is so good, and seems to bring out the taste of the filling even more. I think it's time to whip up a batch.

Bad ratings. Check these out.wine spectator Chapoutier needs to take out some ads

My two cents........ I'd be afraid of the 89 Rombauer. The 89 cabs , in general were pretty uneven in quality. It may just have a lot of tannin and the fruit may be gone. The Rauzan segla should be a knockout, and have just the right balance for your menu. as far as the La Chapelle, and Chave.............patience

Serving suggestion for appetizer portion for soup serve in a "shooter" size shot glass. perfect amount for a great atse, and it will compliment all the other foods

I tasted this wine (and also the 99 Barbarescos) with Tino about a month ago while he was in Connecticut. What a knockout ! These wine have great structure and incredible tannins. Great "old style" wines. Can't imagine what the 2001's will be like. The 1997 "Roncoglia" Barbaresco is a wonderful wine, and grossly underpriced for the quality.

Faiveley's Mercurey's are great value. Most are under $25.00 a bottle and are well made. from Clive Coates: MERCUREY, DOMAINE DE LA CROIX JACQUELET, 1999 "Less advanced than the Villeranges. But with very good depth and potential. Ripe fruit. Good grip. Plenty of substance underneath. Slightly fuller than the above. Slightly more tannin. Slightly more to it, as you would expect. Very good plus. From 2004." This was retailing recently for $ 15.00 a bottle ! Even at $20.00 it's a steal