docsconz

Here's another one wishing i could be there. if it is anything like the Bobolink pig-roast it is a world of fun. Enjoy!

Pahlmeyer wines are expensive, but no more so than other wines in their class (I would say less than many at least for the reds). As far as QPR, that is probably true for most wines in the upper echelons of price. While most of these are better than their lower priced brethren, many are not that much better. The question becomes how much more is one willing to spend for additional quality (at least partially subjective)? If finances are tight "value" becomes a much more important consideration. Expensive wines of perceived better quality sell because finances must not be that tight for at least a certain number of people to support that market. I like Pahlmeyer a lot and can get it at what I perceive to be a reasonable price for its level of quality so I buy enough that I can have it from time to time. The same is true for Kistler. Unfortunately, I do not have similar access to Marcassin. I also like and am happy to buy less expensive wines especially in restaurants

Tommy, Haven't you left yet for your trip?

I tried my wineclip for the first time last night at a wine tasting event.While the situation was not conducive to the full blown randomized double blind trial, we had several people (including myself) taste two wines. Each wine was served blindly with and without the wineclip to each person who then made comments and tried to determine if there was a difference between the wines and whether one was preferable. Both wines were from the 1999 vintage from Stag's Leap. The first was the cabernet and the second was Fay's. With a small sample size of four people for this trial, I must report no significant difference between the pourings. Noone felt either pouring was significantly better than the other. When pressed to pick a favorite 50% of the selections were for the wineclip pouring and 50% for the one without. Most of the tasters had not previous bias or interest in the product. Two were experienced tasters and two were less so. The split was true for the experienced tasters as well as the novices. While this was certainly not the best scientific method, it was not a particularly awesome display by the product. I will try to follow-up with a more rigorous methodology. By the way the magnets are strong. I was attached to my car when I had the device in my jacket pocket. It is also an impressive product visually.

Thanks for the feedback. TJ, Did you get to compare the balsamico with others? How was it? How long did the tour take? Did you also visit a casefeicio through Gaidello? Did you "help" them make pasta? What time of day did they do that? Hope those aren't too many questions. I appreciate your input.

This is true, but it is good, despite that.

I would suggest starting with a different appetizer - perhaps quail and leave the cheese course between the lamb and dessert. I second the motion for epoisse.

I'm going out on a limb here, but would guess that you're a "wine lover" and "a purest"... Therefore, I'm not sure you're mentally prepared to accept The Wine Clip as a respectable accessory. But I dare you to do this... Invite some friends over, friends that aren't as wine savy as you. Ask them to try a glass of wine treated with the clip vs. one untreated. Watch their faces and watch the bottle(s) empty. Then, when the holiday season comes, log on to www.thewineclip.com and buy it for them. Maybe you won't buy it for yourself, but why not give someone else the joy of bitterless wine. Plus, I'll send you a commission. I'm not sure I understand the gist of your thread or perhaps you didn't fully understand mine. While I have my doubts about the claims for your product, I am absolutely willing to give it a fair shake and accept the results whatever they may be. I hope the results are favorable, because it is always good to have something that will enhance. That being said, I don't have a particular bias for or against the product. If it works great and my hat is off to you. If it doesn't then there is simply nothing gained. Why you are not sure if I am "mentally prepared to accept The Wine Clip as a respectable accessory" doesn't follow from anything I've ever written on this thread. If it works I am "mentally prepared" to accept it. If it doesn't so be it. I appreciate the opportunity to try it at esentially no risk. I am sceptical enough, however, that if there were significant financial risk to me I wouldn't try it. While I appreciate the offer of a commission, that could be construed as an inducement to an evaluator and therefore I must decline I will evaluate the product fairly and report back the results of my tests, which will be done as scientifically sa I can in at least a single blind fashion.

Pinot noir is the perfect red wine to build a menu around. It is perhaps the most food friendly varietal and goes with almost anything that you might think to pair a red wine with and many things you wouldn't necessarily think of. While it is fantastic with salmon (especially roasted ) it also goes great with other meatier fish such as mahi-mahi, tuna, swordfish, halibut, etc.. One thing I probably wouldn't pair it with, however, is pasta with a tomato sauce. While it probably wouldn't be terrible, it would be a waste of good PN.

I'm trying to plan my limited time around Modena. I would very much like to visit an aceitaia di balsamico for a tour, tasting and purchase. I'll be staying at the Villa Gaidello east of Modena. They suggest an aceitaia nearby called Catani, but I cannot find any additional info on them. Other suggestions have been Malpighi, for which I have the information with which to set up an appointment and Pedroni at Osteria di Rubbiara. I'm interested in 12y/o balsamicos for gifts as well as more aged vinegars and reserves. The balsamic candies and chocolates are also items on my list. Any other thoughts or suggestions?

My personal philosophy is to try to keep an open mind to all things. I think this works very well in the world of food and wine. I have tried and liked some things that either I previously disliked (e.g. eggplant) or been surprised by others that either I expected to dislike and liked or expected to like and didn't. Do I think it likely that the wineclip will significantly enhance wine as claimed? No, I do not, however, I have yet to try it and stranger things have happened . Would I have spent money to buy it and try it? No way, however, when presented to me without cost, why not try it in a scientific fashion? What do any of us have to lose by trying it? One might say the quantity of wine in the glass poured through the wine clip, but I do not think it is any more likely to be ruined by the wine clip than enhanced by it. I'm looking forward to this. If nothing else, it will be fun to try it and at best we will have discovered a useful product. For anyone who feels that this is a waste of time (and it ultimately may be, albeit a small one), no one has forced anyone to try it or buy it or even participate in this thread.

I concur. Itend to serve the Kistlers or Pahlmeyers as openers to dinner parties rather than accompniments to courses, although it is not impossible to match them.

We've seen an interesting array of favorite Calcabs, but how about calchards? They have been much disparaged and often rightfully so, but while many are wood in a glass, some are remarkably delicious. For me the two most consistently enjoyable chard producers in California (that I can get a hold of anyway) are Kistler and Pahlmeyer. I've had a number of bottlings of these producers over many occasions and they have never failed me as deep, complex and delightful wines. While they are not necessarily the most food friendly wines they do pair well with chicken and robust seafood. The Kistler Cuvee Cathleen is a particular favorite of mine Other bottles that stand out in memory are Marcassin (the 1994 Gauer Ranch might be the single most amazing calchard I've ever tasted) and Peter Michael, however, I've not had enough of either to have a definite opinion over time. Any others?

Sounds like an awesome night

Received mine today. I'm looking forward to testing it.

The plot thickens...

Max London has left Eartha's to start a restaurant with members of his family in Saratoga called "Max at Mrs. London's" I'm not entirely sure when it will open.

I just bought some local NJ peaches at Whole Foods in Ridgewood and even they are mushy despite the fact they looked great. Unfortunately, as far as I am concerned peach season is over Does anyone know what makes these otherwise beautiful peaches mushy and how they can be avoided?

Half or even three quarters of the fun of a great wine is sharing it with others who will appreciate it, just so long as there aren't so many that you don't get any for yourself .

Maybe you paid your friend's corkage plus a little extra since they had to cart it to another table

I would actually like it to work simply because anything that makes wine better is a good thing, even if it does come from a Yankee fan

Unless the sommelier personally knew you to be an oenophile without regards to price (at least at that level) he never should have sold you that wine without mentioning its price. That is simply appaling.

Am I sceptical of the product- absolutely! That is why I started this thread. A lot of claims are made about all sorts of things, most of which pan out to be nonsense. Most likely, this fits into that category as well. Nevertheless, every once in a while claims are born out. Whether the claims for this device are remain to be seen. I plan on having someone else pour for me and perhaps some friends and having the tasters taste the wines "blind". In my opinion a "blind" tasting over several bottles and perhaps over several days is the only way to evaluate this product. The product "wins" only if the tastings consistently score it better than without. I'm looking forward to this, if for no other reason than it is a good excuse to drink some wine...not that I need one .

The most fun dessert I've ever had was the "club sandwich" at Chez L'Epicier in Montreal. The "sandwich was a delicious layer cake that actually resembled a sandwich. Served on the plate were pineapple "french fries" and shaved melon "cole slaw" in a vanilla "mayonnaise. It looked as if it was a luncheon main course at a diner and tasted heavenly. It hit all the right notes. The first time I ever had molten chocolate cake (at Jean-Georges) there were a lot of oohs and aahs.

I have emailed Mr. Lynch and look forward to participating in the trial. I pledge to be objective and report back positively, neutrally or negatively based upon my experience with the product. I will also report on the testing parameters used as well as the wines tasted. One way or another this will be fun. If it works, it will be a nice addition to our oenophilic armamentarium. If not....