Carema

There were other economic factors at play as well. The economic boom of the 1980s was in high gear when the wine press swept this vintage up in their shovels (or shall we say pooper scoopers?) At the time I was 14 and working in my father's wine shop. A trader came in (you know commodities, pig manure, corn whatever it is that they trade in that world). He was frenzied for the 82s- wanted cases of all the first growths. Down below sat happily cases and cases of these along with 1959s 1961s etc. My father asked him what he wanted them for. Apparently he was going to sit on them and sell them. My father got it out of him that he didn't have a proper cellar and that they were probably going to languish in some warm humid place so he refused to sell him any and told him to leave. oi!

yes thank you for mentioning............

I am of the opinion that OR pinot noir's heyday might have passed. 98 & 99 were very exciting vintages but in my experience you have a bunch of expensive PNs running around that are either: too soft or, over wrought. Everything I am seeing is 220 a case cost ( 18.33/btl cost) at a 30% pm that is 26 bucks on the shelf. I also had a discussion with a famous and established oregon pinot maker at length about a very bizarre marketing scheme that is going on there right now. Seems as if someone had the bright idea that if the packaging were pretty, people would pay. There are a bunch of people now buying up the rejected barrels from good producers, making a gignatic & strange cuvee and then bottling it under different brands in very sleek packaging.buyer beware. In fact IMO this is a very low moment for pinot noir in general. It is very sad. I guess it goes back to that long and winding thread- who is drinking burgundy anymore? Who is drinking pinot noir?

Toro is terrific, Zamoran winemaking at its best. This region borders Portugal and their particular expression of tempranillo is big big big and tiny prices... Bravo!!!!!

Today is my son's 8th birthday. The cottonwoods have released their children, and from the sunny sky a torrent of these little seeds, each attached to its very own cloud fairy parachute. For most it is just a joy ride. They will alight upon the hard ground and find themselves unable to germinate. But it was fun. To celebrate, I am drinking a fizzy cool delight from Emilia Romagna, a Lambrusco. The wine is a little cold, and reminds me of blueberry fizz soda with a kick. Except then, deep in the background a hard minerality that is practically unnerving; the finish is so dry it is like licking a stone. And perfect with this some thin elastic slices of prosciutto di danielle, and roasted pistachio meats. The eight year old swaggers over for prosciutto (fat ripped off) some nuts, and a dirty index finger dipped in Lambrusco. I guess I should go have him wash his hands. But this is an uninterruptable moment.

Although I haven't been back to godforsaken Seattle in almost 3 years, Mario Batali's Dad had a sausage joint there (Salumeria {sp}) -incredibly wonderful and perfect, everything house cured- just phenomenol. He did the old bottle on the table, mark what you've drunk system. I do not know if they are still doing it. It was truly wonderful. The only reason to visit that city of horribleness- that and the restuarant Le Pichet on 1st avenue. Sigh.....................

Upon first sniff a hint of unexpected 'animale' which folds into a lovely bouquet of violets and light clove. In the mouth a harmony of strength in the fore-mid and back palate, good firm finish. A hint of oxidation from the botte aging and of course the expected sour cherry leather. I know Carpazo is larger production and all over the market but man for under 20 on the shelf this is a damned good bottle of wine. the steak eaters will rejoice tonight- and later I will eat too but for now all I can do is dream of rib steak, chard and garlic and the hills of Montalcino.

The Vie de Romans stuff is incredible. I have an argument all the time with a dear friend ( I think it is just his youth coming out) about Italian Chardonnay. His take: "too much lemon" I say: "No it is not Burgundy, nor is it pineappley old American Chard- it is what it is. A little more lean and dry" Now given that has anybody tried the Mocagatta Chardonnay or the Manincor Cuvee Sophie? Sophie could be a little burgundian in some kind of loony bin. Both have been excellent in past vintages although I have not had them recently. As for politics, I prefer to talk about gastronomy when dealing with Italy or France. Both countries have deeply disturbing political history of which they should be ashamed.

is that what happens when you buy wine at cost co, drink it there paired with the dollar hot dogs and pizza, then have sex with the help ??????

Two little things here: If it a Sicilian red it is probably the Nero D'Avola grape , low in acidity, rich in black fruits and brine. Cheap wine is usually a product of high yields and high production. If you are only making pennies per unit you had better make a lot of units. Nothing wrong with a 54 box of wine. Nothing wrong with table wine. But sometimes the love is missing a little in a bottle like that. Sometimes I like tasting someone's soul... But usually only on payday or if it is free

There is just something generally distasteful about buying First growth Bordeaux, or even your nightly drinking wine, and a 500 count box of tampons, and a sixteen pound bag of frozen chicken wings, and a treadmill all under the most unflattering of flourescent lights. But then frugality is not one of my qualities. maybe if it were I would have some money. Then I could go spend it at Cost Co. I also dislike getting run over by amped up teenagers driving forklifts. Call me kooky.

If you are going to be there- get the stuff no-one can get here- Chateau Grillet- a postage stamp Nothern Rhone AOC that rarely makes it out of that country "we love to hate so" France. Cannot reccomend a producer as I have never laid eyes upon the stuff myself.

The history of white Zin is funny. early days (late 1960s early 1970s) Bob Trinchero was making Zinfandel and used a tried and true method (saignee= to bleed) of concentrating red wine by letting a little of the juice run off freely as to increase the must to liquid ratio. This is an old method by far. In order not to waste this free run juice it is often fermented to dry (producing dry roses). Bob would sell this at the winery and is was delightful and popular amongst locals and visitors. One years, fermentation arrested itself spontaneously, yielding a sweeter pink wine and the pople went gaga over it and well being a businessman Bob did the thing that he did and then suddenly giant haired 1980s people were drinking Sutter Home white zin like there was no tomorrrow. Real Rose, saigneed and fermented to full dryness is a wonderful thing. It works with a lot of those difficult to pair veggies like artichokes and the like. Tavels (southern Rhone AOC known for pink) are wonderful and pack a Punch at 15% alcohol. I drank Tavel during the Superbowl and it went great with spicy nachos. I got drunk too.

This sucks. Thin and weedy. Dead. Sips are like necrophelia. I will cook tomorrow, a tomato sauce. This wine will certainly be part of that sauce. Although I did read once never to cook with wine that is undrinkable. Quandry. Dump? Perhaps a dump is the only thingt to do.

have the Darioush too...the most exciting wine of last week was the Frick 1998 Syrah. Talk about mouth numbing blackness so rich so fantastic and about 24 bucks on the shelf. I stamped the cork onto my tasting notes and the impression actually dried black. I do not think this is red wine. it is black wine. It was Nothern Rhone with a huge crack habit.

I tried the Kamen too although it is more like 60 bucks here and it is pretty darned good... have you tried the Kelham, that's my new toy. 1999 vintage located a hair over from Opus One. Same rich black fruit about 1/3 the price of Opus. And while we are on the subject- why cannot Opus admit it is a Cabernet. I think think think the 1999 vintage was about 94% if I am not mistaken. But I guess that leaves them room to blend in not so great years. Which in retrospect is probably a smart move....

We sell a lot os Crios Cab but in our store everything is a damned handsell (if we had KJ we would probably have to hand sell that too "here is a wonderful off dry Chardonnay chock full of oaky chips..."). The Torrontes sells allright given its relative obscurity. Our new big thing is Portugual now (we are fickle) and were are selling a lot of the Jao Pirez Dry Muscat which if you like the Torrontes will cause a new crush in your white wine world I am sure. It is from the region of Terras do Sado and imported by Whitehall co (www.ewhitehall.com) bitter orange peel and lemony apricots and a hint of frizzante.

tip of the tongue, eh? I will have to focus on that next time. I always sense a gritty chalkiness that brightens fruit, and there is some dull a** fruit sometimes out of these regions. Still not my favorite wines but the BYOB customers love em so...

To Craig: Perhaps overproduction but also I think it is a climatical factor (its hot down there, n'est pas?) Also not sure about rescidification (sensing there is not a lot like in Australia).... To Steve: I stock the Torrontes, it retails for about 16 bucks and yes it is delightful although I have another one from La Rioja (another Hilly region there) called la Yunta that sees a touch of oak aging and is a bit more fat. Crios means offspring by the way. Those wines are her babies I think. The Carmenere I have not had. Do you remember its qualities? The cool thing about Torrontes is that tease of apricot in the nose and then dry dry dry once inside.

An alarming lack of acidity makes wines from S America attractive to the layconsumer and boring to the collector/buyer/corkdork. Malbec is a big hit with the kids- all fruit, beef blood and copper but no tang. An Argetinian nanny came in the shop once and told me that the only good wine from Argentina comes from the mountainous Cafayate region and not boring old Mendoza. In Chile I search out Carmenere, the lost varietal of Bordeaux. Carmenere has a nose of wet cement and freshly cut Jalapeno pepper, and can also be very floral (violets). It can be Merlotesque, save for the nose and some really nice ones have a surprising amount of structure. Alpatagua makes three levels of Carmenere starting at about 12 bucks for the entry tier. The high end one (Grial) is oaked (of course) and so monstrous it is barely drinkable until aerated thouroughly. But that's a tough sell on the shelf for about 50 bucks so I don't stock it.

I like Pinot Grigio and I like Merlot. there.... I have said it. It is like admitting you like Journey in the music world. In fact I think I will pour myself a glass of Merlot and listen to Escape and bask in unhipness of it all. La Viarte Pinot Grigio from Friuli rocks the house. And also for Merlot- Gainey CV (2000 maybe) is all about love and making out with your current flame (here I stand with open arms...) PS cat pee/ tomato vines. And are we talking fresh cat pee or something that has been clumped up in that weird clay stuff for days you really need to qualify it I think. And does all cat pee smell the same? Have you really sniffed at a cat box lately- or are we just talking about amoniac vagueries?

Chinon.... Cabernet Franc is a woeful autumnal grape with restrained power, elegance and a hint of melancholy. It is our mission to get all of Chicago (or at least our small slice) into this underappreciated gros bouchet.

Here's a beautiful story: I had an eight top a few years ago and I asked them what they drank at home, yes it was KJ. But I know that KJ is (or at least was) blended with off dry Gewurtztraminer so somehow I brought them to Baumard Clos St Catherine (from a vintage with some bot) and they loved it and wrote the name of the wine down! these were poeple who started the evening with Crown and Diet Rite, not that there is anything wrong with that.

I suppose now I can relate a story about the other side of hoodwinkiness I was once working in a fine dining establishment (hence known as FDE) and a two top was seated and the waiter indicated to me thay had a special bottle of wine they wanted opened; so I went with my corkscrew and lo and behold out from the crumpled paper bag was slipped..... : a bottle of Turning Leaf! ---Turning Leaf! It was the happiest 25 corkage fee I had ever applied but geez- for 30 bucks they could have gotten something at the least drinkable off my list. Oh well.

Sorry Mark but as a wine buyer in Chicago I can no longer take the ream of restaurant mark-up with a smile ( I am getting older) so BYOBs are brilliant and we have plenty in Chicago. If the average consumer were aware of the deals, specials blow-outs and all that crap they would be shocked at the hoodwinkiness of it all. And before you come at me with anything else I was a restaurant list consultant on the west coast for years...I know the whole story. And I was a waiter who decanted, poured, got screwed all that stuff,but... I also tasted some amazing stuff coming from people's cellars. Always offer the somm/waiter a taste. Even in Georgia.