Brad Ballinger

I have two wines from that list. The 1997 Harlan Estate was one of the worst bottles of California Cab I've ever had. The 1990 Montrose was one of the best Bordeaux I've ever had. Both wines were consumed in the same evening with a bunch of other wines by a bunch of Internet wine board people who, like many of us, are fanatical consumers. The Harlan was controversial, but more people disliked it than like it. The Montrose was the consensus top wine of the evening. That someone assigned identical 100-point ratings to them confounds me, and makes me glad I don't pay attention to the numbers.

I don't have an answer for this, except that I'm a little surprised that growers in other parts of the world harvestripe fruit and make balanced wines with 13.5% (or lower) alcohol. Likely, the plot (valley floor or hillside) as something to do with it. Maybe they're mislabeling the alcohol percentage, which has been known to happen. I'd love to hear from a grower on this issue because I'm totally clueless and wouldn't mind being enlightened. My experience with some wines from Argentina is that they are 15% alcohol and there is still an off-putting amount of residual sugar in the finished wine. Now that's too ripe for me.

Riedel stemware of all shapes and sizes is a topic that frequently comes up in the wine forum. A summary of some conventional wisdom on the general topic is that the Riedel stems help with enjoying the bouquet of the wine -- the shape of the bowls allows the aromas to expand within. Opinions on mixed about the delivery to the exact spot on the tongue claim. And they look cool. The O glasses are new product designed by marketing. There is a current discussion of the Riedel tasting glasses going on in the wine forum right now. These are glasses that have hollow stems so you can measure a pour of wine, and then you can roll the glass on the table to aerate it and evaluate the color. You don't want to be caught without one!

I've eaten twice and North Pond, and won't go back again. I will miss the setting. I won't miss the crowded tables, rushed service, food that didn't match the price tag, lack of attention to the wine list. I feel it's overrated.

I knew we'd be hearing from you, Mary. But I have a question about this comment of yours that will undoubtedly take this thread in an entirely different direction. I don't know if we will ever have a meeting of the minds on it, and that's okay. But what is true varietal character? And who decides? How can you take terroir out of the equation entirely? I'm sure one response is that certain terroir contributes to true varietal character, but that's having it both ways IMO. Okay, it's more that one question, but... Oh, and that 2003 Hanson Vineyard Viognier of yours is 15%.

NV Santo Wines “Kameni,” Santorini. This is a dry wine named after a volcano on the Greek island of Santorini. It came to me by way of a neighbor couple who brought back several wines from Europe a few years ago then realized they aren’t really wine people. They gave me about 8 wines total that had been sitting in a box in a dark corner of the basement for a few years. I offered to pay for them, but they said I was doing them the favor by taking them. This wine is a blend of a white grape called assyrtiko and a black (red) grape called mandilaria. The wine was light bodied, with tart fruit, and lacking complexity. My guess is it would be best drunk the minute you get it home from the store – provided they just got it off the truck, who just got it off the dock, where it was just bottled. Okay, that’s a bit extreme, but you get the idea. At its best, this would be a wine with simple fare, and could probably stand up to some grilled meat. It appears to have seen some, but not a lot of, oak. I have no idea what the price is, but it is probably a good value for certain settings. 1998 Domaine Comte Peraldi Vin Rosé d’Ajaccio. Ajaccio is an AOC on the island of Corsica. This rosé is made from 100% sciacarello, and came in the same basement box from the neighbor. More salmon in color than pink. This wine was a pleasant surprise. It has the spice I’ve come to appreciate from many rosé wines, but the minerality here is really something. At the same time there is a steely sleekness and an earthiness that lends depth to the flavor profile. It’s really more about minerals than fruit. But I confess to not knowing it that is because it is six years old or not. This is my first Corsican wine, so I’ve never had a younger version. But the fruit was by no means dead. The wine was nicely balanced with a clean and lively finish.

A lengthy discussion on BYO, including corkage in this thread. And this one.

The tasting glass design is for professional tasting, period. The amount poured in the hollow stem allows you to turn the glass on its side and roll it to both aerate the wine and view the color. I didn't read the article by the way, so if I'm restating the point made there, I apologize. But given that they are for professional tastings, the masses will certainly snap them up. What would-be wine aficiando would pass up the oppotunity to peacock around at a wine tasting with a glass expressly for that purpose? I've brought my own glasses to some tastings, but that's only when I know my alternative is a Libby glass that makes it impossible to evaluate wine (or worse, one retailer uses tine plastic Solo cups). The Riedel tasting glass simply "goes to 11" in these venues, and there is a fabric of geekdom that doesn't want to be on the outside looking in.

Like a couple have already commented -- me and the missus. I can't include family members beyond that. Been there. I've done a big Thanksgiving extravaganza more than once only to get a few "now that's interesting" comments. Philistines! I'll also echo one other reply -- my departed father. My parents divorced when I was young, and he moved away. After I was seven, I probably saw him a cumulative total of less than six months (and I'm being generous) before he died in 1982. Going through his things, I came across a large set of cookbooks with recipes written on paper stuffed inside many of them. I never saw him cook (but never was at his home), so nurture didn't contribute to my affinity for cookingl it had to be nature.

I'm not so sure Brad, at least at the higher or more creative end. Just about every chef working in whatever you want to call the New American style--those influenced by or trying to emulate the cooking of a Thomas Keller or Rick Tramonto--have or have had a foie gras dish on their menus utilizing a late harvest or dessert wine along with fruit--as a sauce or macerating the fruit--and not just pairing the wine with the dish. Reducing fresh fruits changes those fruits--and many think deadens the flavor and the acidity/brightness quotient of said fruit--and that's where some inherent acidity in a good dessert wine can help layer flavor. The Asian/Fusionists, or whatever you want to call them, also realize sweet wines harmonize with their food well and not just in a wine-food pairing sense. I see glazes and gelees of dessert wines used in savory applications quite a bit when dining at the high end--usually as an accent, say glazed on clam or oyster for instance--and all this could pretty easily be adapted by you Cane because you'd use so little of those relatively expensive wines at home (versus in a restaurant)--you'd use leftovers much the same way a chef would use. I'd try not to dilute the wine and use it pure in your dish. You could also pour out a gelee of the dessert wine then cut it into cubes and sprinkle it on a dish--some chefs put the dessert wine cubes in a bowl along with some other ingredients--and then pour a hot consomme or stock over it tableside--allowing the cubes to melt and release aroma. I was thinking more the home cook. Restaurant chefs, particularly Keller and Tramonto are an entirely different league, and it's not even apples to apples. They cook with plenty of ingredients that would be once-in-a-lifetime luxuries for me. Thanks for the comment about reducing fruit. I was thinking moe in terms of juices that compotes, but it's good to know. The one place I do use dessert wines in cooking is granita. Yum yum.

There has certainly been a trend, and it's not all about what happens in the vineyard. There are modern winemaking techniques that make it easier to produce this style of wine. It should be pointed out that this wasn't always the case in California, and certainly the "why now?" question is deserved. On the other side of the coin, though, about a century ago, wines in France were high alcohol (often over 16%) and that trended in the opposite direction. I find that the high alcohol wines don't age as well. That's not necessarily good or bad. Many people like the vibrancy of a younger wine. Many people like the complexity the development of a well-aged wine reveals. Many like both. It is up to personal preference. Where I think there is the most legitimate knock against the style of many wines coming out of California, Australia, South America, and other areas where it's all about amping up the fruit and the alcohol, is in the homogeneity of these wines. That is, they can be made anywhere in the world and it doesn't matter. That doesn't bother some people, but is a major sticking point for others. Overly ripe fruit, high alcohol, and modern winemaking that increases extraction only helps to muddy the borders. This reduces wine to pure technique and gets the public going ga ga over star winemakers because it's no longer the character of the vineyard, it's the influence of the winemaker -- even though every winemaker will continue to tell you 95% of the wine is made in the vineyard. But I digress. It is all about balance. I've had wines with 16% alcohol that have been well balanced and others at 12.5% that have tasted alcoholic. The "critics love them" argument has been around for a long time. It is sometimes thought that these wines "stand out" at large tastings because they are so concentrated and so powerful. And when your palate is shot from tasting through a lot of wines, that bodes well for these powerhouses. And yes, if the critics love them, the lemmings will follow. And that will result in more being made. Last I checked, this was still a business. The social wine v. table wine resonates with me, though. With many of these suped up wines, the question is often "but what food would you serve with it?" And spicy and high alcohol are not a good mix. Hot and spicy foods only emphasize the alcohol in wine. Personally, many of these wines are not for me. If that makes me a French wine snob, I've been called worse. Edited to add. A while ago I posted a WTN thread on some nice California Cabernet wines. The vintages were 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1995. All of us at the table asked in one form or another: "How come California doesn't make these kinds of wines anymore?" Even the same producers.

Not much of this occurs. Sometimes a recipe will call for Sauternes, but they don't mean the classified ones that can raid your wallet, they mean the under $10 version from B&G. Usually, though, when people want something sweet, they will go with a fruit-based sauce that has been reduced. It's much cheaper that dessert wine.

Actually, these are names of cities in Germany. I think Cypress Grove has some pretty interesting names, including Purple Haze, Bermuda Triangle, and Fromage a Trois. That's in additon to the one you mentioned, Lamb Chopper.

You have a number of options available to you... 1. Box wine. But make sure it is wine (some add "and other natural flavors" on the label). A box is a good option because the wine will keep longer, not being exposed to air. I don't even think you'd have to keep it in the refrigerator (where it will undoubtedly take up too much space). 2. Small bottles. These could be the Sutter Home four-pack mentioned or half bottles. The four pack is a better choice. Many half bottles will be too costly by comparison for what you are doing. But you could buy two half bottles, and keep re-using them. For example, when a recipe calls for a quantity of wine that is less than a bottle, store the remainder in a half-bottle that you have saved. It will keep longer. You can also stock up on wine bottles served on an airline. 3. Any inexpensive, serviceable wine. Charles Shaw has been mentioned above, and you can't find anything less expensive. Typically, lower acid wines are better for cooking, and these would fall into that camp. Don't get a 1.5 liter bottle. My guess is you won't go through it fast enough before what's left inside spoils.

One advantage to living in a cold climate state -- basements. But hence my comment at the end about if I ever moved...

The post on cellaring guidelines prompted me to post this question. There can be a lot of heated (no pun intended) discussion about whether or not the investment in a perfectly calibrated climate control system is worth the investment. Arguments pro are obvious. Argument con include that the wine will take forever to age/develop and may still be doing so (in a good way) by the time the owner tips out of the canoe. So what "system" do you have, and why? I have a passive cellar -- a dedicaed room in the basement that remains around 60-65 year round with long, gradual swings in temperature. It has served me well. I also try to get the wines I buy in my hands shortly upon release so I can control their resting temperature (a bottle of wine sitting for years on a retail shelf is always a risk IMO). I don't see myself ever buying a climate system or a stand alone cooling unit unless I move somewhere that requires I do so.

I'm going to add my $.02 to Mary's comments. Nowadays, I don't "cellar" zinfandel at all (unless it's Ridge Geyserville). I think Mary is overly optimistic in think some high alcohol zins will make it even 5 years. Drink them young young young. Almost always drink viognier young. Same with malbec, especially if it is from South America. Syrah is a different story. Cornas, Cote Rotie, Hermitage can all go 15-20 years in great vintages. Some Australian shiraz can also age well, but I've found these to be the exception rather than the rule (disclaimer -- we don't get much highly reviewed shiraz where I live). California syrah is better when younger in my opinion, in part because the alcohol tends to run high in these wines as well. Coop also added This is why I included the words "personal preference" in my list of things to consider. I know several people like Coop who do not care for certain mature wines. If you end up being such a person, you will have wasted a lot of money cellaring them.

The answer to your question is so open to interpretation. There is so much to consider -- vintage quality, producer, personal preference, cellar conditions, etc. Even if you have a prefectly climate controlled cellar (removing that variable), the other variables are still strong enough to make it impossible to come up with a generalization that will apply in all circumstances. For example, most wines being made today, particularly those from California, Australia, South America, and various pockets of France and Italy, are made to be drunk upon release. They may "develop" in the cellar (and you may or may not like how they develop -- notice I avoid using the word age or mature). Others may simply "keep" for a while before they begin to show signs of deteriorating age. The only sauvignon blanc I let sit in the cellar is from the Loire. The only chardonnay I let sit in the cellar is from Burgundy. I have plenty of 2001 riesling from Germany than I'll leave alone for a long, long time (this grape probably ages longer than the other whites you've listed). But I have some 1997 and 1999 that I'll be finishing off soon. I like a lot of years on Sauternes, but I don't need as many on Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (or any muiscat for that matter since I think they are sooooo very attractive when young). For reds, some Beaujolais (not Nouveau) can last 5+ years easy. Many Pinot Noir wines from Burgundy need 10 years minimum, while those from California and Oregon are meant to drink much sooner. Some 1997 California Cabernet (a much heralded vintage) are already starting to show fading fruit and it isn't even 10 years. But I had an 88 (not a great vintage) that was very nice at 16 years old. And for Bordaux, there is so much more to consider -- most of which is vintage quality. To your question about when you start "counting," it's usually from the vintage date, not the realease date.

As someome who has brought in more bottles to restaurants than I could even come close to counting, I can offer an unequivocal "it depends" answer. If it's just the missus and I, and I'm only bringing in one or two bottles, I will let the server do his/her thing -- IF I believe that they can deal with an older bottle in terms of the delicacy of the cork and the decanting (if it is an older bottle I'm bringing that needs to be decanted). If I don't have the trust, I will usually have decanted the bottle at home ahead of time, double decanted back into the bottle, and then appear at the restaurant. I suppose a skeptic could always think I poured Charles Shaw Merlot into that bottle of 85 Margaux, but I'd rather decant my own if I don't think the restaurant staff know how to do it. If I'm with a group of people where there will be a number of bottles appearing, sometimes it is not possible for the wait staff to keep on top of opening all the bottles. If we have the staff open, we may just ask them to open all at once, but we'll handle the pouring, or we will just do the opening and pouring and leave them to serving the food. I've experienced some servers really wanting to be part of the wine service. I don't know if they are thinking of getting a higher tip or not. But if I can bring my own, and not be charged corkage, I'm going to tip 33% anyway. So all it takes is once for them to know that their tip is not in jeopardy. Just last week in Davenport, Iowa, of all places. Four of us brought some older California Cabernet and let the staff serve them. When the server busted the cork on a 1988 Heitz Martha's, I quickly pulled out my corkscrew and opened the 1990 Flora Springs Reserve I had brought. The other two left things up to the server. The restaurant did have a decanting funnel, so we let them decant. As far as the corked issue goes, I can see this as a reason for opening your own. Like Carolyn, I have brought bottles that have been corked. I would prefer to quietly remove it from the table rather than get into the tired "I don't think it is corked," or "I think it might blow off" debate, which inevitable happens. For some reason unknown to me, nothing attracts more interest from wine geeks than when one person proclaims a bottle to be corked. Not even a full second goes by before someone comments "Let me smell it." I'm convince we really don't trust each other.

Antinori doesn't do much for me, but I'll leave it at that. As far as women, it could just be that Italy is starting to catch up with the rest of the world. Antinori bringing the daughters into the fold is hardly leading edge. But I hope they have more influence, and are dedictated to once again making interesting wine. Bartolo Mascarello, one of the most stauchest of traditionalists in Barolo has turned over his cantine to his daughter. And she is determined to remain a traditionalist producer. Many of the sons who are taking over are going the modern route, and not just in Piedmont. As a side note, there is a restaurant in Chicago (the name of which escapes me right now, and I'm too lazy to look it up) that features wines on the list from male and female producers. They keep a running tally in the restaurant as to which gender is leading the race in terms of number of bottles sold. Last I heard it was pretty close to 50-50.

Currently three, none store-bought 1. Orange-vanilla vinaigrette 2. "Standard" vinaigrette (herbs, garlic, dijon, etc.) from Moosewood's cookbook 3. Raspberry vinaigrette (fresh raspberries were all over the farmers' market last weekend)

Joe, glad to see you posting here. Welcome. But I'm surprised there aren't any NY wines on your list. The Finger Lakes are in Ithaca, so those are NY wines. Konstantin Frank provided some of the wines for the Outstanding in the Field farm dinner at Stone Barns last year. Yummmmmmy. My bad. I was reading too fast, and just saw Gruet and Argyle. I know Joe likes his Finger Lakes wines.

I've grown away from zinfandel as the trend has been to jack up the alcohol, jack up the oak, and jack up the extraction. If I wan't port, I'll buy port. But there are some producers who still make zinfandel in a food-friendly style. In addition to Ridge (which is slowly going the way of a behemoth style IMO), I like Nalle and Scherrer. I've really stopped buying everybody else.

I don't understand why some wineries are doing a 100% petit verdot. This is such a tannic grape. But I suppose if you can extract enough out of it with winemakiing methods that were not available when people were using ut just for blending, then it may be worth a try. But the other issue is that to try these wines, you have to shell out some serious coin. So it all depends on how much you want to pay just to experiement. Petit Sirah as a more affordable proposition. I think Concannon does a very good job, and has kept the price down. When drunk young, it carries many of the same properties for me as does zinfandel. There are stong spice and bramble fruit components. I like it with carnage off the grill. Foppiano also makes a consistently good and affordable one.

Joe, glad to see you posting here. Welcome. But I'm surprised there aren't any NY wines on your list.