john@thebar

I've been out of touch for a while and am just catching up on some eG topics, hence the timing of this post. Unless someone knows something I'm not aware of, New Glarus pulled all their brews from the Illinois market in 2003. I could be wrong and I hope so, but I haven't seen any in Chicagoland since then. And it's a shame!

Well, since you asked... Krug Clos du Mesnil 1988 with the albatross carpaccio ( champers is so versatile, don't you know) and a prewar Quinto do Noval Nacional whilst howling at the moon.

Katie, I agree with you on both counts, thanks for the clarification. I had a bottle of the Esperto last year and it worked well with a bowl of linguine with white clam sauce As for the other, I'd rather drink lemonade.

Having tried 4 or 5 of the pumpkin ales mentioned, my impression is that they are ok for a novelty item, a couple of them are pretty tasty, and they are something to drink between Octoberfests and Winter/Holiday/Christmas brews... with one notable exception: Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale. I wish I could buy Dennis Miller a 6 pack of this weasel piss and make him drink one. He is the only one who comes to mind capable of going on the kind of rant that it deserves. Coors, hang your corporate heads in shame!

For the most part the wines I've recognised in this thread can be had in the Chicago market without pushing the $10 price point too hard, at least when they are on sale. Two notable exceptions are, however Trimbach Gewurtz.- $17 to $19 and L. Felluga Pinot Grigio, which, at $21.99 is higher than Santa Margarita- $21.79 at the same store. By the way, is it true that Santa Margarita P.G. is line priced with their Cab and Chard in Italy? What's up with that Back to the subject of under $10 pleasant wines: Whites: Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc ( S. Africa), Hugel Gentil ( Alsace ), Chat. Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris ( Washington ), Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling (Ask Randall Graham, not me!) and Les Salices Viognier ( Southern France ). Reds: Windy Ridge Pinot Noir ( California ), Columbia Crest 2 Vines Shiraz (Washington), Parallel 45 CDR ( Rhone Valley ), Norton Malbec ( Argentina ), Wishing Tree Shiraz (Australia) and Murrietta's Neonato ( Spain ). None of this wines require polishing the Reidel Crystal to enjoy, nor are they designed to. Drinking any of them, as well as a great number of the other wines mentioned in this thread, is a visceral experience rather than an intellectual exercise. They come from all over the world and can be enjoyed with cuisine from all over the world as well. And they can also be enjoyed during a round of YAHTZEE (sp). They may not be ambassadors of their respective terroirs but so what. Great thread. Please keep posting on it!

"Grape flavors and alcohol in general should just be banned." You might want to reconsider your proposed ban, Viva, or else a lot of folks who make their living in the wine and brandy industries will be SOL.

I guess that there's a statute of limitations on editing posts. At the end of my post in this thread on Pearl Vodka, I wrote about how much I liked Belvedere. Not that it's going to affect the spot market on Polish rye or anything, but I obviously meant to say Pearl is all that and then some. oops!

Today I tried a bottle of the PHI series rocket fuel from New Holland. A pleasant nose, a rich mouth feel and then blast off: I think I liked it- I think! It's quite dark but not a porter or stout, more like a Paulaner Salvador on steroids with a soupcon of crank thrown in for good measure. It's only about 10% ABV. I think I'm too old for this shit. I think I'll run out and get some more before they're all out at the store (very limited production). WOW

I was looking through the brandy lock box at the wine and liquor shop today ( in Chicagoland) and spied a bottle of Carlos I Imperial retailing for a hefty $99.99. If anyone is interested, I'll be glad to do a little researching and see if there is anymore available.

Hi Clifford, wish I were tagging along. There is a very inexpensive Umbrian blend made by the Falesco winery called Vitiano. I believe it is a sangiovese with some cab and merlot blended in. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last vintages of this wine and would very much like to try a couple of their more expensive offerings, particularly their merlot which I understand is great. There is one caveat however: be very careful of the 2002 vintage! I haven't tasted any 2002's yet, nor have I heard anything good or bad about how Umbria fared in this vintage. However, from what I've read so far, it appears that Bacchus took a major doo-doo all over Tuscany and the Piedmont in '02 so proceed with caution! Have a geat trip and please let us know about any "finds"!

Thank you, theakston, I thought it was just me! I'm an ale fan, not at all a drinker of wheat beers; but I was coerced into trying this brew and I find it delicious. As a matter of fact, it's even worth close to the $5.00 per bottle they charge for it at the liquor store!

yes, it is only the price of jw black that stops me from using it--i like it very much in its own right with a spot of water. jw red i've had bad experiences with. thanks to everyone for the suggestions. especially cutty sark--which my father used to drink way back when (he drank a lot of cheaper scotch too: vat 69, white horse etc.) i'm using this site as a pricing guide (aware that prices fluctuate across states): http://www.abc.state.va.us/Pricelist/SCOTCH_WHISKEY.html they only list a 1 liter famous grouse, which at $30 seems outside my range. if they make a 750 ml, i'm guessing it'll be in the low 20s area (the high end of doable). i'll check into it. teacher's seems more affordable. ballantine's gets high points too for having been mentioned in a tom waits song, but i haven't actually ever had it. i hope i haven't given the impression from any of the abovegoing that i am highly experienced with scotch. i've only had very few brands but i do know what i like (jw black) and what i don't (jw red, j&b, lucky's brand scotch...) My blended Scotch of choice has been Dewar's White Label for years now , on the rocks with a splash of soda. However, I've never turned down White Horse when Dewars wasn't available, I think it's an excellant "well scotch". BTW when I was doing some websearching trying to find out why the price of Lagavullin has gone up about 40% while its availability has gone down to about zilch, I discovered that White Horse, along with JW Black, has always been a large purchaser of newly distilled Lagavullin as a blending base. No wonder why I like it!

John, So many people agree with you; it makes me wonder what I am missing. Delighted to hear you are enjoying them Best, Jim Hey Jim, great to get a chance to say hello and to thank you for sharing your insightful and beautifully expressed wine commentaries. Speaking for myself as an old plonk swizzler but a neophite eGulleteer and, if I may presume to, for the rest of the eGullet community, your generosity is much appreciated. As to Marquis Phillips wines, let me say that they are NOT to be compared with Hommage a Jacques Perrin, nor are they reminiscent of any of Guigal's LaLa's. These are definately new world wines! However, Mr. Marquis's genius lies in his ability to produce very reasonably priced wines that (to use a couple of terribly over used cliches) are both "fruit bombs" and "beautifully integrated". I'd love to hear what you think about these wines if the opportunity should present itself. In any event, once again, thanks for the knowledge!

Hi Dean, the cab, merlot, shiraz, and Sara' Blend are line priced at $16.99 and the #9 is $37.99, less a 10% mix & match 12 bottle discount. Last year they were $13.99 for the regular bottlings and I never saw the #9. Slainte!