Craig Camp

I spent several days with the people at Oremus. They may have a modern winery, but the aging takes place in the deep old mouldy caves in well used barrels. I think their wines are excellent. Far better than the Royal Tokay wines you see around so much.

What you refer to as 'rustic' I call personality and character. It is what I like about this wine when the bottles are good. These 'rustic' or unpolished flavors are what is interesting about well made local wines in Italy. Wines like this are not only pizza wines but are great with grilled meats and sausages. By the way good first effort. Look at the good thread you started!

How do you get 6 puttonyos then? No base wine, only botrytised grapes? I had a 1972 5 puttonyos Royal Tokaji several years ago. Lovely wine. No - not until Essensia. Six still leaves some room for base wine. As jackal10 points out it is a little more high tech and arbitrary these days but there are still guidelines the producers have to follow to qualify for the various levels of puttonyos. I visited there a couple of years ago and the new wineries going up are state of the art with special winemaking equipment that you see nowhere else because of the special way they make the wines.

The puttonyos is the name of the basket they traditionally use. When you add 5 baskets of botrytis-affected semi-dry super sweet grapes to the base wine it is a 5 puttonyos and so on...

My only complaint against this wine is an unusual amount of bottle variation. When it is good it is a great buy - when not...

they are fun. if you guys could change his "TN" to "WTN", it would be *super* easy to search on these. edit: although this contains a bunch, if not all, of them. (searched on "199 OR 200" and user "tjaehnigen"...yeah, i need to find a hobby or something) Already working on it.

We have not forgotten the online wine tasting and are still working out the details. Thanks to those who have made suggestions. This concept has caused a general review of the wine board and we are working on some ideas to bring you a better, more informative and lively wine forum. The online tasting will be part of our overhaul. Stay tuned.

Take a minute to read the fine wine tasting notes that tjaehnigen has graciously taken the time to share with us. They go back to page 3. Thanks tjaehnigen

Brunello has to be 100% sangiovese grosso (brunello). It is actually labeled with with a varietal by its own name Brunello di Montalcino - brunello from Montalcino. All Italian wines that are varietal labeled are 'supposed' to be 100% of that varietal. In practice small percentages of other grapes find their way into the wine for practical not mischievous reasons. The current DOCG for Vino Nobile reads as follows: “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” DOCG wine must be made from the winery’s vineyards, with the following ampelographic composition: - Sangiovese (called Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano): minimum 70%. - Canaiolo nero may be included for a maximum of 20%, and other varieties recommended and/or authorized in the province of Siena may also be used for a maximum of 20%, provided that the percentage of white grapes does not exceed 10%. - Aromatic varieties may not be used, except Malvasia del Chianti. The "other" varieties referred to would include all the important French varieties now commonly used in Toscana. The old law used to require a MINUMUM of white grapes to be included while this new law list a MAXIMUM of white grapes. A major difference. Most of the top producers use little or no white wine in their Vino Nobile - except where it is needed to improve the wine because of the quality of the vintage.

Aglianco!!

For the second time in the past month, ferocious storms struck Bordeaux, hammering vineyards with hail and hurricane-force winds. Although the most esteemed areas of Bordeaux were relatively unscathed from the Tuesday evening storm, producers in Blaye, a source of modestly priced red and white wines, report serious damage to 5,500 acres of vines.

What do Orthodox Jews, home winemakers and a New York City commuter have in common? They are among six New Jersey residents who are suing the state in an effort to get out-of-state wines delivered to their homes. At the same time, five Ohio wine lovers are also going to federal court to challenge their state's ban on direct-to-consumer shipments of wine.

An Internet survey of 4,300 wine lovers so far for WineVision has found that 65% of the female respondents dilute their coffee with cream and sugar and like salty snacks, indicators of a dislike of bitter tastes, WineQuest's Tim Hanni told the group.

...wait I forgot Monte Antico - there is some nice wine from Toscana for under $10 that actually tastes like sangiovese.

For $10 the rosso is not bad. I just don't like the style. For great house wine forget Toscana. Try Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Negroamaro from Puglia and Nero d'Avola from Sicilia.

Without labeling? How can this be possible? Someone with a nut allergy could unwittingly use such an oil, go into anaphylactic shock and possibly die. Or worse yet get lousy EVOO This just does not make any sense to me. This is the type of information the California Olive Oil council is spreading? Olive oil is major part of the economy of Italy, Spain and Greece and is tightly controlled. Olive Oil from California at this point in time is an expensive novelty at best.

The 30% of merlot should bury the acids of the sangiovese just fine. Sad isn't it. The Avignonesi Rosso 2000 is a typical example of a super-modern style that destroys the personality of the region that produces it. Drink their Vino Nobile it is a more interesting wine.

Yes that is what T was referring to. Remember all - there is no Montepulciano (the vine) in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (the wine), which as T and Carema have noted is primarily Prugnolo Gentile (sangiovese). Montepulciano (the vine) reaches its peak of quality in Abruzzo and Le Marche and is not grown or have any part in the production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (the wine) which is produced in Toscana.

Deep frying in olive oil is one of the reasons that deep fried foods taste so good in Italy. In southern Italy it is a critical element in their extensive range of deep fried dishes. It is common to use EVOO for your best dishes. It Italy that means all the time. A good basic commercial EVOO will do the trick. Obviously you don't want to abuse the really good stuff this way. By the way the cheap olive pomace oil they sell has leaves gives the food a really nasty taste.

This is a sad truth. Can it be they are concentrated on creating a style and ambiance that will impress Michelin and the Gambero Rosso reviewers at the expense of local cuisine and tastes?

How does Il Desco remain so highly rated? I have never heard one vote in support of the restaurant from anyone on this board or any other by someone who has eaten there.

I thought these were from Australia - or was that Napa - or was that Sicilia?

Haut-Brion, La Mission-Haut-Brion, Petrus, Ausone, Le Pin, Angelus, L'Evangile, Lafleur, Clos L'Eglise, L'Eglise-Clinet, Clinet, Cheval Blanc, Figeac, La Fleur-Petrus, Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Trotanoy, La Gomerie, La Mondotte, Valandraud Quite a list I'd say... ... quite a list indeed. But a list filled with names that the casual big bucks label drinker never heard of. The fame (and legend) of Bordeaux was built on Lafite, Mouton, Margaux, Latour and Haut Brion. Petrus is a newcomer compared to these. The legend of cabernet sauvignon and the reason it spread throughout the world was from these wines and a handful of other top Medoc producers.

It is extremely cut and dry (dry being the appropriate word here). Your winery is either 'creatively' using the three tier system to ship to prohibited states or you are potentially facing felony charges in some states. "For extremely indepth reasons" says it all. "For indepth reasons" REALLY means that none of us in the tasting room have been privy to know the exact answer. We speculate two different theories: One - It is the oldest family-owned winery in California and there may be some grandfather laws we are unfamiliar with. Two - The winery is partnering with a second winery that is owned and operated by a "Foundation" (State-owned? we are unsure). This second winery is non-profit and produces less than 2,000 cases a year. Some believe IT has shipping rights that the first, larger winery has tapped into. Do either of those theories seem plausible? We have been assured that we are breaking no laws and I doubt a large winery would jeopardize its business in flagrantly promoting its shipping ability ("felonies"?). There are no 'grandfather laws' when it comes to interstate shipment of wine. Everyone is supposed to play under the same rules. I also know of no allowances for non-profit. They obviously have some kind of an arrangement with somebody. Who knows what? Yes in some states it is a felony to ship wine directly to consumers.

The excellent wines of Villa Russiz are imported by Empson USA which is based in Alexandria. Write to Naomi Barber at: nbarber@empsonusa.com for imformation about where you can buy this wine.