Brad Ballinger

I'll answer what I can, and then you'll need others to respond and fill in the blanks. You are right, Brunello is made from sangiovese grosso grown in a very specific geographical area. Typically, these wines are best after a decade of bottle age. Some in ripe vintages (like 1997) may be enjoyed upon release, but most of those are taking a nap now. As far as Super-Tuscans go, those are just any wine from Tuscany that is made outside the bounds of DOC or DOCG laws. Some 100% sangiovese wines are Super-Tuscans. Some 100% merlot wines are Super-Tuscans. And many times the label doesn't contain information as to what combination of grapes are in the assemblage. For the consumer, that means doing some research, or asking the merchant (if he or she knows). Your best bet is to taste as many as you can as cheaply as you can or find a critic (or other source) to whom your palate calibrates fairly well. Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva wines can age well. I have some 1995 CCR still in the cellar and some 97 CC. Other people I know still have some 1990 CCR. Also, if you didn't know. some Brunello di Montalcino wines are also bottled as Riserva, with a huge hike in price. Edited to add that I posted this fairly simultaneously with Carema's response, and some of my comments overlap.

What's that? (Or where?) Jungle Jim's is a HUUUUUGE market north of Cincinnati, Ohio. I have truly never been in anyplace remotely like it. It may be the warehouse atmosphere that turned some off into consider whether or not it's a market as defined by the article, but if Zingerman's is a market so is Jungle Jim's.

Echoing the sentiments above -- great story. How wonderful for you and your family -- and for the person who gave you the Beaucastel. Little could than person have known at the time on what occasion the bottle would be opened.

1998 Josef Niedermayr Lagrein aus Gries Blacedelle. There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle, and the wine had to be decanted. The wine had a very complex nose of allspice, black fruits, an earthy funk, and tomato paste. The flavors closely mirrored the aromas – a nice amount of forward blackberry fruit with a balsamic vinegar flavor minus the acid, although the wine had a slightly astringent texture. The tannins were ripe, yet soft, providing a nice structure to the powerful fruit without getting in the way. The finish had nice length and brought back hints of tomato paste. This is a wine that is meant to be served with a dinner that unapologetically showcases meat. I had it with seared venison steaks in a pan sauce using some of the wine, and it was very complementary food and wine combination.

Sticky is a wine geek slang term for dessert wine.

First, the Dindarello. Now there's a wine you don't see a note on very often. I'm a big fan of Maculan's stickies. Sadly, the last one I had of this wine was fizzy -- see the secondary fermentation discussion in the Carbonation thread. Next, Bellavista. I must confess to not being a big fan of their wines. Similar somewhat to your experience, it's not that there's necessarily anything wrong with them. It's more that they are serviceable, but unremarkable. And I have trouble with that fat-bottomed bottle in my racking.

For Italian wine specifically, there is a place across the street from i Trulli. I don't recall the name of it, but I do recall the prices being fairly steep. For "quirky" wines, I'd suggest Chambers Street wines. Good Champagne and Loire selections. For the bubbles, a lot of small producer wines.

Yes, it's a bad thing. Of course, unless it's controlled and intentional, but that's not what we're talking about here. I've seen instances where the secondary fermentation started in someone's home cellar. It blew the cork through the capsule and spilled the wine all over the place. There are so many diverse descriptors for brett, but band-aid is indeed one of them. It should be noted, though, that some people don't mind and may even prefer a little bit of bretty character -- particularly if it manifest itself in a barnyard type funk. Where it gets to be too much for me is on the palate. I find the wines taste and finish with a strong metallic quality that has me making a face as if I've just eaten a tomato-based sauce that reacted with an aluminum pan.

Well, there is Portugal's Vinho Verde, which translates literally as Green Wine. But I'm not sure I'd pair it with corned beef and cabbage.

I think we're in agreement. You and I, and probably many people reading the posts on this forum, strive to understand more about what we're buying. But we may want to understand a great deal more than most of the wine-buying public. It's not that they don't want to understand, they do. But their need to understand may not go beyond a certain point, which is perfectly all right. Someimtes I wish mine didn't. Edited for one grammatical error (I left the other ones alone )

A couple of reactions about Alsace. You make a valid point, of course, primarily because different grape varieties can be used and the wines can all be legally labeled "Alsace." But I don't hear as many people discussing the crus of Hengst, Goldert, Rangen de Thann, etc., as much as they discuss the producers or the grapes. Compared to Burgundy or Bordeaux, I still hear more discussion about village and vineyard than producer. But it could just be me and the people I hang out with. Another Alsace phenomenon (and we'll have to see how it plays out) is trying to get under way with Marcel Deiss, labeling wines by vineyard and including all varieties grown in the vineyard in the finished product. Hence, no grape variety listed at all. As far as I know, he's the only one doing it right now. I don't disagree that some new world wines may have elements of terroir, even consistent from vintage to vintage, in their makeup. I'm just not sure it's the chief marketing strategy or selling point for those wines. Or that many seriously choose between McLaren Vale and Hunter Valley, for example. Even so, I probably overreached in using the word dramatic. This is going to be a transition (if it ever happens) that will take years, maybe decades.

Interesting proposition. I agree with the point about the dramatic impact a modernist Barolo or Barbaresco wine may make at a large tasting. And most of the time when I've had these wines young, it has been in small doses causing me to think "hmmm, maybe I need to rethink my stance on traditionalist v. modernist." But the point you make about drinking a whole bottle (or half) in a setting brings me back to reality. This is an issue (as Boris alludes) with all wines made in this style, and not just nebbiolo. People I know buy these style of wines for the impression they make based on perhaps a glass or only a taste. Even when they pull the cork from a bottle, they are showing these wines off to a larger group, and still aren't forced to drink a significant amount of it. And the Baroli that have had the most appeal to me in their youth have been produced by the traditionalists.

I may have to re-think my whole sales strategy. You might at that. After all, as the article claims, Arbor Mist is "the number one-selling wine with fruit brand in the United States." You may not realize huge margins, but the revenue, the revenue.

At first one might read this story and think no big deal, the truly great French wine producers will never cave in. This is for the vin de pays and vin de table wines that are sold at price points to attract John and Jane Q. Public. But this is indeed significant for a couple of reasons. 1. Even those French producers which label wines by varietal use the French root names for the grapes. Granted, nearly everyone else does, too, with the exception of some German, Italian, and Spanish producers. But for France to change Syrah to Shiraz is really saying something, and is an acknowledgement to Australia's huge success with its shiraz wines. First some California producers changed from syrah to shiraz, and now France. 2. Depending on how successful this move is, it could open the door to more varietal labeling in general, and possibly at the AC level. If that happens, and it will still be slow in happening, you can start to kiss the concept of terroir goodbye. The wines may still show terroir, but people will be buying on producer and grape variety first. 3. The point about declining world market share for French wines is a valid one. The wine industry at large may have contributed to this. As the world on the whole becomes more interested in wine and buys more wine, most of that new wealth/new share is coming from New World countries, not Old World ones. So producers around the world, if they wish to gain more share in the New World markets, will need to package wines that will sell there -- especially as the conglomerations start to grow). We see this already with the style of the wines and the artwork of some of the labels. The actual words on the labels will also begin to play a more significant role. Most of my cellar is European, and wines that don't have the grape variety named on the label. When I pour one for friends, invariably the first question is "What grape is this?" They may like the wine, but they may also be hard-wired to goto the store and ask for a syrah (maybe soon shiraz) wine than for a Hermitage.

How did Jungle Jim's not make this list?

I totally forgot about cascabels. Thats a great chile. I'm with the two of you. Cascabels are my favorites of the dried chile world. They have a nutty quality that I don't find in other dried chiles. I like them ground to flavor chili, and pureed with liquids for sauces in particular.

You make a good point about France that I would extend to damn near every European restaurant I've been to. And even many of the higher end ones in the U.S. have enough lighting. But for a large number of places -- You're a RESTAURANT, not a BAR!

That's a big "wow!" on #1. After the taxes and duty, one is left with the actual wine being .40 pounds. Okay, I take back my criticism. And you have a point on #19. Old vines can contribute to a different style, particularly among producers who have wines labeled VV and JV (and some that are labeled "old vines" in the U.S.). I suppose the author's point is that VV holds about as much means as "reserve" does for California wines.

I don't know if this is a recent problem (now that I'm in my 40s and the eyes are starting to go), but it seems many of the restaurants I've been to lately have abysmally poor lighting. I understand creating ambience or whatever, but when I can't read the menu or wine list, then it becomes an issue. Taking the candle from the table and holding it up to the menu is getting tiresome. On one recent occasion, I took the menu into the rest room so I could have enough light to read it. At another place I walked into the kitchen with just to make a point. If the lighting is going to be dim, at least use a paper and ink color combination that will fare well in that light. Okay, it's a Monday and I'm cranky.

1992 Stonestreet "Legacy," Anderson Valley. This is a blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, and 3% petit verdot. I decanted this wine to separate out the sediment. As the liquid was going into the decanter, my olfactory nerves were teased by the lush berry and cassis aromas arising out of the decanter. Swirling the wine in the glass revealed more of the same, along with a slight minty element. The fruit wasn't quite as showy in the mouth. There was more restraint there, but not typical of a fading wine. There were some spicy and molasses-like secondary elements adding complexity. The tannins were sweet, yet still gripping. There was also a separate wooden component. The finish was initially more woodsy than fruity. After about an hour in the decanter, this wine took on another dimension, the fruit becoming more prominent on the palate and finish, rounding out this wine quite nicely. Over the course of three hours, it did not fall apart for fade appreciably.

Actually, I agree with only one part of #5 -- that viognier is overrated, mostly the stuff from the U.S. For some Condrieu, it's impossible to call it overrated. #1 - try some wine in Italy that costs only $1.50 (U.S.), and you'll have your exception to the rule. #7 - only if they have a knife attachment. #11 - get serious (and drink more riesling, ognoring what is written in #5). #19 - taste a VV and a JV side by side, then we can talk. But I can go along with the rest.

1995 Jean-Marc Bouley Volnay. I picked up this wine for only about $15 on a closeout not too terribly long ago. It could've been sitting on the retail shelf for a few years depending on when it was put into the racking. But I'll spend $15 in the interest of science. The wine showed some bricking about an inch into the bowl of the stem. My wife asked, "Does this wine look brown to you?" I tried to tell her that many times that's okay, but she just gave me a sideways look (no mature nebbiolo for her!). The wine had some earthy and tart berry aromas with a trace of spice. On the palate the fruit was very attractive, if a bit lean and diluted. Acidity was good. Tannins were dusty. The sum of the parts made for an austere, yet balanced package. It did a serviceable job accompanying grilled venison sausage, and left me with a more favorable impression then I initially thought it would. Toward the end of the bottle, the fruit came on a bit more, but the structure dropped off. It's worth seeing if I can find more at the price -- next time I'm in the store (I'm not going to go out of my way).

You brought plant life back into the U.S.? You?

I'm not surprised. I was a chapter leader for four years in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Our leadership team often felt frustration with the national organization because they wanted to control what we did but didn't do much to offer support. Even with the nationally-sponsored mega events, we still had to work with local distributors because neither the national organization nor the national sponsors were all that responsive or organized. That the national Brats are taking more control with such a small staff would be disconcerting to me if I was still involved as a chapter leader. We found that our most successful events were ones that had no national involvement whatsoever. We would either sponsor a BYO theme or work with local distributors and venues to have creative events featuring more unique wines. Which leads to the following... I hope the effort to feature more and different wines will pay off. The organization serves a good purpose -- to demystify wine and make it more accessible. To make it more top of mind when friends get together at a watering hole. Instead of reflexively ordering beer or a martini, getting them to order a glass of wine. The chapters would host events (either nationally-sponsored or locally-grown) that would make wine fun and take the pressure off. But it eventually fell to local chapters to continue keeping events fresh to keep people coming back. Time will tell if a nationally-centralized group can do the same thing.

And I have a stash of those, particularly from G. Rinaldi.