tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57274102024-03-08T05:05:48.330-05:00Stoner Cellars Tasting NotesThoughts about wines I've tasted.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1137892331069575782006-01-21T20:11:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:32.025-05:00Legislation to permit self-distribution in Virginia.There has been legislation introduced into this year's General Assembly, designed to address the distribution of wine by in-state wineries; a subject thrown into some turmoil by last year's Supreme Court decision requiring that states not discriminate between in-state and out-of-state wineries. This bill addresses the ability to small wineries to self-distribute their wines, directly to Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1116460085389481582005-05-18T19:46:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.959-05:00Raise a glass to the Supremes.Monday's Supreme Court ruling in the wine shipment cases was good news, at least in the limited context that the Court didn't uphold the status quo of different treatment for in-state and out-of-state wineries. But it wasn't great news.Contrary to some of the reports I heard immediately after the ruling, it does not create an unfettered right to order wine on the internet or for wineries to ship Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1098748919997444402004-10-25T19:57:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.902-05:00Wine tasting.This weekend I conducted a 12-person winetasting for some friends, as a belated wedding present. They asked for “Virginia wines” with some additional limitations (not many Central Virginia wineries, as they’d done a lot of weekend wine touring this summer and wanted to try wines from other parts of the state).
The lineup I chose was:
Whites
Breaux Vineyards 2002 Madeleine Chardonnay
Chrysalis Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1085683020656679222004-05-27T14:36:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.782-05:00The NY Times reviews India Pale Ales.And does a fair job of it, although no better than fair. They give some history of India Pale Ales - accurate, to my knowledge - and then review some. Well, they claim to taste 21, but give reviews on only 10 (and the video review has even fewer). The top-rated ones were the Smuttynose Big A IPA, Stone IPA, and Dogfish Head's 90-minute Imperial IPA. Can't really disagree too much with those Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1082770074479069262004-04-23T21:27:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.722-05:00Instant winery.Interesting in-depth article about "instant winemakers" - negociants - out on the West Coast. (One of the negociants they look at does Castle Rock wines, previously highlighted here.) People who buy excess wine, perhaps age it a bit more, and bottle it under their own label. And one thing I learned from the article is that the wine they buy often isn't just "excess" that the original winery Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1082350144805338282004-04-19T00:49:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:31.666-05:002002 Cline California Ancient Vine Zinfandel.I seem to be on a bit of a Cline kick, of late. This zinfandel is described as coming from a couple of vineyards, one planted in 1911 and one where the vines are 80 to 100 years old, in Lodi and Oakley respectively.
Young-looking medium strawberry/cherry red color. Aromas of ripe strawberry and blueberry; very intense, with a sweetness in the nose. Crisp yet intense fruit flavors, with a Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1079156640352339742004-03-13T00:44:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.609-05:002001 Allan Scott Marlborough Pinot Noir.Refreshing little pinot noir, from New Zealand. I've long loved NZ sauvignon blancs, so I'm delighted to see some of their reds making to the East Coast. And there are some similarities: fresh, vibrant flavors explode in your mouth with with crisp (or even sharp) acidity. It's not as serious or portent-filled as an Oregon pinot noir, but it doesn't intend to be.
Light to medium shade of red - Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1078726774874899222004-03-08T01:19:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.553-05:002002 Red Truck, California red table wine, Cline Cellars.This is a delightful blend of mourvedre and syrah, and doubtless some other odds and ends. Very full, accessible fruit, with the ripeness of the fruit accentuated by the .26% residual sugar.
Ruby-purple in color, cherry-fruit acidity in the nose. Flavors of red cherry and blueberries, a little harshness still in the tannins. Nice long cherry notes in the finish. Good workhorse red, goes well Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1078353376862111512004-03-03T17:36:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.497-05:00Hearts on the Vine wine festival.Interesting wine festival here in Richmond last weekend. Described as 150 wineries and 325 wines, from all over the world. A lot of California wineries - many were small Napa and Sonoma producers - but the Pacific northwest was represented, as were international producers: from France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand. It was a fund raiser for the American Heart Association, so it was a bit on the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1076363463177379192004-02-09T16:51:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.436-05:00Midnight Sun Brewing Company: Sockeye Red IPA and Cohoho Imperial IPA.My Super Bowl beers. A couple of Alaska-brewed beers that have made their way out to Virginia, and survived the trip.
The Midnight Sun Sockeye Red IPA was wonderful. Deep mahogany red color, lots and lots of citrusy hop goodness, great balance between malt and hops - not always achieved with 70+ IBUs. It was so smooth and drinkable that I'd pour it from the bottle into my glass, and could Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1075178912153050692004-01-26T23:48:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.379-05:00Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers Quadrupel Belgian-style Ale.A bit of a change tonight: beer, instead of wine. And a pretty good beer it is. This is a wonderful, interesting beer, a mixture of a rich, dark quadrupel ale from Ommegang Brewery and a kriek (cherry) lambic from Lindemans brewery in Belgium. Rich, caramel flavors, balanced with the subtle dark, sour cherry flavor from the lambic. Probably good with a hearty stew; I enjoyed it on this cold Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1074057929796636642004-01-14T00:25:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.316-05:002002 Matariki Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc.Nice, crisp sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Not quite as citrusy as I've come to expect from a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but still delicious.
Pale straw in color, absolutely clear. Green pepper and feline aromas. Vibrant, sharp acidity. Intense grassy, green pepper, melon flavors.
Good by itself, with salads, seafood. I had it with a a shrimp pasta with a white sauce; great choice.
$Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1073270696768403282004-01-04T21:44:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.259-05:00Under the weather.Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've suffered through a cold since before Christmas, and haven't wanted to drink anything - and couldn't taste much of anything, anyway. I expect I'll be back online with some wine reviews soon.
New Year's Eve? I opened a bottle of Zardetto prosecco. Robert Parker gives it 88 points; I find it to be light, interesting, lemony, and fun. And I drink it oftenJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1071616945586788342003-12-16T18:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.200-05:00So you want to own a vineyard.From time to time, I muse as to what I'd do if I won the lottery. I've got one friend who says he'd buy a vineyard. This article is for him, then. It talks about some of the difficulties of starting up a winery as a retirement venture/hobby: working all day in the vineyard, capital demands, marketing problems.
Would I buy a vineyard? Maybe. If the lottery win were big enough that I could also Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1070598829858943872003-12-04T23:33:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.143-05:00Looking for a peculiar list of presents to give your wine-loving friends?Then Forbes.com is where you want to go. They've got a right bizarre list of gifts for wine lovers. Some of the suggestions are reasonable, like Riedel glasses or Michael Broadbent's latest book, and some are expensive but appropriate, like a $250 double magnum of Veuve Clicquot or a $600 case of burgundy. But sterling silver labels for your bourbon and gin bottles or a silver martini shaker Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069666971239613472003-11-24T04:42:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.087-05:002001 Castle Rock Winery, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.This cabernet is produced by a California negociant, and is a mighty good $12 cabernet. As evidence of its quality, this cabernet and the Castle Rock Chardonnay have been chosen as Ruth's Chris Steak House's "House wine by the glass," which is a pretty impressive accomplishment. (Sure, there's a marketing component thrown in to that deal, too, but a restaurant of the calibre of Ruth's Chris Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069460690724885192003-11-21T19:24:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:31.033-05:00Wine gimmick of the week.Here's a new way to separate you from that pesky $49.95 you've got jingling in your pocket: The Wine Clip. It's a magnet (Oooo! A rare earth magnet!) that you clip onto the neck of a wine bottle, and as you pour the wine out, the magnetic field sets up an electrical charge (wine being an electrical conductor, and all, passing through the field) which breaks large molecules into smaller ones. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1069307958263710422003-11-20T01:04:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.965-05:002002 House of Nobilo Icon, Marlborough Pinot Noir.I was a bit disappointed with this New Zealand pinot noir, and I'm not really sure why. It seemed to be missing something, probably some combination of body, complexity, and earthiness.
Bright cherry color, with strawberry and red cherry in the aroma. Strong fruit flavors of red cherry and strawberry, with crisp, almost lemony, acidity. Tannins are present, but a bit overpowered by the fruit Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068869228903221102003-11-14T23:07:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.912-05:001999 Rosenblum Cellars Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Alegria Vineyard.Had a nice, rich, fruit-forward zinfandel out at dinner tonight.
Dark red, plummy aroma, rich and intense red-fruit flavors - black cherry, plum jam, touch of smokiness. Decent tannins, enough to stand up to the fruit. Long finish. Very nice. Went well with our steaks.
Buckhead's, Richmond. $52. (Okay, the 2000 vintage is $18 at the winery. What are you going to do? Well, that answer is Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068740314427552282003-11-13T11:18:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.854-05:00Favorite wine shops.It's a sign of something, I suppose, that I have "favorite" wine shops all over the place. Two or three here in Richmond where I currently live, one or two in Raleigh, NC (discovered when I lived in Durham for a couple of years), one in Charlottesville (where I lived for many, many years, and I even worked part-time at that wine shop), and a couple in Arlington (where I haven't lived since the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068701722274929082003-11-13T00:35:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.801-05:00And speaking of champagne.Nice long article in Wednesday's NY Times on champagne, especially the small grower-producers, whose wine rarely makes it to the U.S. The article talks about these champagnes as being very food-friendly, unlike those made by the big producers, and gives some food matches, from scallops to rabbit to fried chicken. It also talks about the art of blending the constituent wines from different Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068621021417923262003-11-12T02:10:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.748-05:00Chandon NV California Blanc de Noirs.One of the things I admire about Australians and their wine-drinking is that they understand that you don't need to wait for a special occasion to have champagne: Any day that ends with a Y is special enough.
This sparkling wine, made in the methode traditionnelle, is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay, grown in Napa and made by Domaine Chandon. The color was a very light toastJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1068075226780276492003-11-05T18:33:00.000-05:002006-11-04T11:57:30.688-05:00Tempest in a wineglass.Michael Franz has an interesting wine column in the Washington Post today, encouraging people to stop their boycott of French wines. He suggests, reasonably, that the only real effect that the boycott has on the French is on the French farmer who grows the grapes, and that farmer is a poor choice to be hurt by this broad response to actions by the French government. And he notes that an awful Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1066848587133157912003-10-22T14:49:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.631-05:00Identifying wines by location or by varietal.Interesting article in the NY Times talking about the labelling of wine by location or by varietal: the history of each, and the strengths and drawbacks. As an oversimplification, with Old World wines, the vineyards have been around long enough that decades or centuries of experimentation have shown that pinot noir and chardonnay are the best wines grown in the region of Burgundy, so labelling aJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5727410.post-1066449217804789002003-10-17T23:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T11:57:30.573-05:001995 Willamette Valley Vineyards Oregon Pinot Noir (Whole Berry Fermented).Another one of the wines I bought in Oregon seven years ago, and have only now gotten around to opening. The last of the wines from that trip, I believe. The Willamette Valley Vineyards is in, well, the Willamette Valley, near Salem. And not that I'm giving stock advice, but they're listed on NASDAQ.
And, as with the wine I mentioned on Sept. 7, this was a bottle I should have had a couple of Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809590620145144843noreply@blogger.com