Wine-savvy

[floppydrive]

Morning guys!

 

Was drinking a Hardy's Merlot 2003 the other night. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic either. It seemed it needed a bit more aging. But since the bottle was open (and about half full), I wanted to try something. I tried it with cashew nuts - it made a big diference! The two went well together.

[Guest the_eight_of_orbs]

:* sorry wala na po.

 

i'll tell the owner you'll bring a bottle. usually naman pwede basta lang consume other food stuff like sausages, blue cheese, spicy dulong, ika sumai, and milkfish pate. :thumbsupsmiley:

 

as for JWBlack, sorry but they do not serve drinks other than wine. But there are some nights when single malt whiskey's served / sold. they have two bottles on the shelf, but i dunno how much they're selling the bottles for.

 

Come, come to Cyrano Wine Selections, where amazingly everyone knows everyone by name... parang Cheers!

 

:cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:  :cry: walang sauv blanc.... pwede ako na lang magdala!!!! :boo:

 

well, i am sure there are other labels that will catch my fancy... :hypocritesmiley:  btw, what time does it open?  usually, at the end of the business hour, i am very "thirsty" and would like to "wash away"  the day's rigors.

i hope cyrano serves my favorite JW Black for those "i need a stiff one days!"

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[Guest the_eight_of_orbs]

For some reason unknown to me, yung Hardy's laging ang release mga one-year old at Cyrano, the house red is hardy's cab sauv 2004. Lipstick and some friends commented nga na kulang sa aging, para naman mag-a-age pa sya. pero it's not all that bad, but it's just that there are far better, finer bottles. but hey for 85 bucks per glass, i could not complain.

 

 

Morning guys!

 

Was drinking a Hardy's Merlot 2003 the other night.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic either.  It seemed it needed a bit more aging.  But since the bottle was open (and about half full), I wanted to try something.  I tried it with cashew nuts - it made a big diference!  The two went well together.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[masi]

:* sorry wala na po.

 

i'll tell the owner you'll bring a bottle.  usually naman pwede basta lang consume other food stuff like sausages, blue cheese, spicy dulong, ika sumai, and milkfish pate.  :thumbsupsmiley:

 

as for JWBlack, sorry but they do not serve drinks other than wine.  But there are some nights when single malt whiskey's served / sold. they have two bottles on the shelf, but i dunno how much they're selling the bottles for.

 

Come, come to Cyrano Wine Selections, where amazingly everyone knows everyone by name... parang Cheers!

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no sauv blanc :cry: , no johnny :grr:

 

saving grace, single malts!!!!! yoohoooo!!!!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

 

but of course, i'll be there for the wines, too!

 

 

 

 

btw, tell us what time it opens?

Edited January 17, 2006 by masi

[masi]

For some reason unknown to me,   yung Hardy's laging ang release mga one-year old   at Cyrano, the house red is hardy's cab sauv 2004.  Lipstick and some friends commented nga na kulang sa aging, para naman mag-a-age pa sya.  pero it's not all that bad, but it's just that there are far better, finer bottles.   but hey for 85 bucks per glass, i could not complain.

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well usually if its a big winery and they produce the full range from supermarket wines to the collector's vintage, the new release would be quite cheaper than those which have been stored for a couple of years. remember, running a vineyard is still a business more than anything.

 

red should be stored for a couple of years (this assumes of course that the wines are stored properly)to allow the tannins to mellow or integrate and for it to be able to "compose" (this is my terminology for a wine to attain it's structure). young reds, have a "juicy" character and the balance you may be looking for may not be present. of course, there are wines that will not get any better no matter how long you store them.

[storm]

I'll try muna yung iba than buy another Hardys. We went to Avellana's last night and they served Libertas Cav Sauv and Sauv Blanc. Both are easy to drink wines. I find them better than Hardy's.

 

Make sure to block February 20 on your calendar. There will be a simultaneous 3 1-man exhibit. One artist per room. Mine will be on the 2nd floor this time. Babaha ulit ng Libertas. :thumbsupsmiley:

Edited January 17, 2006 by storm

[agxo3]

Morning guys!

 

Was drinking a Hardy's Merlot 2003 the other night.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic either.  It seemed it needed a bit more aging.  But since the bottle was open (and about half full), I wanted to try something.  I tried it with cashew nuts - it made a big diference!  The two went well together.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You'll find that some foods go better with wine than others. Merlot tends to be somewhat softer, less tanninc, rounder and more fruity than cabernet sauvignon (the OTHER Bordeaux grape). Cashews and some other nuts are pretty rich in flavor and high in oil/fat. Those characteristics make them a good match to the fleshiness of merlot, but they will also complement and soften the tannins in a cabernet sauvignon. Same reason that cabs and steaks go so well together.

 

For some reason unknown to me,   yung Hardy's laging ang release mga one-year old   at Cyrano, the house red is hardy's cab sauv 2004.  Lipstick and some friends commented nga na kulang sa aging, para naman mag-a-age pa sya.  pero it's not all that bad, but it's just that there are far better, finer bottles.   but hey for 85 bucks per glass, i could not complain.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

well usually if its a big winery and they produce the full range from supermarket wines to the collector's vintage,  the new release would be quite cheaper than those which have been stored for a couple of years.  remember, running a vineyard is still a business more than anything.

 

red should be stored for a couple of years (this assumes of course that the wines are stored properly)to allow the tannins to mellow or integrate and for it to be able to "compose" (this is my terminology for a wine to attain it's structure).  young reds, have a "juicy" character and the balance you may be looking for may not be present.  of course, there are wines that will not get any better no matter how long you store them.

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Wines are generally made in one of two styles - one to DRINK NOW!!! which would leave less tannins and more fruit. The result should be a well-rounded wine with good balance. In a red, that would mean softer tannins and forward fruit. In a white you'd look for good acidity to balance the sweet-ish sensation that the fruit will give you. Sometimes the winemaker will leave a trace of residual sugar to aid in that fruitiness. Hence the typical "juicy" character of many young wines. These are not meant for aging and should be consumed within a year of purchase. These will probably be held in the barrel for no more than 6 months before bottling, many time, not more than 3 months, and in huge barrels at that.

 

The other style is one that requires aging - this is mostly done with reds. This means that a young wine will be "closed up", the fruit being submerged below a heavy layer of tannins. The wine will be bitter and will dry out your mouth. Typically NO residual sugar, hence the term "dry". These may spend upwards of 2 years in a barrel before bottling, and will usually benefit from (for cabernet sauvignon) 5-7 years of bottle aging. Some wines improve for up to 15-20 years, and I've tasted some that were 25+ years old and still delicious!

 

Some wines, of course, start out unappealing and no amount of aging will improve them.

 

Aging a red that is meant to be a DRINK NOW!!!! wine will NOT improve it. In fact, it will probably deteriorate with anything more than a couple of years of aging and will go from red/plum/brick colored to brown rather quickly.

 

Cost is one good indicator of the style of the wine. The lower cost wines will spend no more than 3-6 months inthe barrel and should be consumed quickly. It costs money to hold a wine inthe barrel. They've spent the money to grow the grapes and vinify the juice. They've spent the money to keep the wine and not sell it - it takes up space, uses barrels (at about $600 a barrel!) and their investment is just sitting there not making any more money for them. So they have to charge more - usually, a LOT more.

 

As a comparison, a Niebaum-Coppola cab at the lower tier spends 6 months in the barrel and is $15/btl. Drink that soon! A Cask Cabernet spends 12-16 months in the barrel and costs $35-40/btl. A Rubicon that spends 2+ years in the barrel is (at my discount!) $75/btl.

[Guest the_eight_of_orbs]

God i love this thread! :cool:

[masi]

God i love this thread! :cool:

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... and we're just a bunch of wine enthusiasts!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

 

Again, I tip my hat to Bods for starting this thread and the regulars, as well as lurkers for keeping it alive!!!!

[agxo3]

God i love this thread! :cool:

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Yes, yes, yes!!! I gave up on a ot of other threads on MTC but have stuck with this one for obvious reasons. We share a common passion, and I learn a LOT from this thread. keep it up, guys!!

 

Bods, you are my hero for starting this thread!

 

... and we're just a bunch of wine enthusiasts!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

 

Again, I tip my hat to Bods for starting this thread and the regulars, as well as lurkers for keeping it alive!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wha's this "wine enthusiast" stuff?! I am a wino and proud of it!!!

 

On that note -

 

I opened a 1995 Chateau de Seguin last night, and finished it off tonight. A Reserve du Chateau as they call it. Even at 10 years of age, it sells for a very affordable $18 on line. Clearly not one of Robert Parker's darlings!

 

But - it was smooth, with well-integrated tannins and lively fruit. A bit (okay, maybe a LOT) lighter than I had expected a Bordeaux to be, but it had good plums and raspberries. A bit of chocolate on the nose. Soft tannins. And a medium finish (oh, 30 seconds or so). Clearly on the downhill side of development, I would give it another 3 years before it turns brown and nasty. But I expected that, so I drank it now, rather than waiting.

 

Last night I paired it with a rib eye steak. Cooked very simpky - 4 minutes on each side on a VERY hot fire (thank goodness for 15,000 BTU!) then 7 minutes in the over at 375 deg F. The steak was a good 1 - 1/2 inches thick. Sea salt and pepper to season it. A bit of olive oil and butter in the pan to start. Fresh-grated horseradish with sour cream, a bit of Worcestershire and a bit of the pan drippings mixed in. I cooked up a bit of thinly-slcied garlic int he pan drippings while the meat rested, and sprinkled that over the steaks. Mmmmmmmmmm........ The fat and protein in the meat complemented the tannins and the slightly steely character of the wine realy well.

 

Tonight was country-style pork ribs slow-cooked in a ketchup/orange marmalade/toyo/salt/pepper concoction. With the wine being as light as it was, this went well enough together. i did make the mistake of sprinkling some hot sauce over the pork at first and that didn't go well at all, but once I got past that, it was not bad at all!!!

 

Got my regular wine shipment from Niebaum-Coppola today. It's now called Rubicon Estate! They will concentrate on estate wines (meaning the grapes come from their own estate vineyards, not other places). Rubicon remains their flagship wine. I got a 2003 Reserve Estate Cab and a 2004 Estate Merlot. AND some French chocolate wafers specifically selected to complement the wines. Great tasting notes! I got 2 of the cab - one to taste 9and drink!) now, one to hold for a few years (3-7, they said). S now i have to set up a tasting to compare what I taste against the tasting notes they sent. A full FR when that happens.......

[masi]

Yes, yes, yes!!! I gave up on a ot of other threads on MTC but have stuck with this one for obvious reasons. We share a common passion, and I learn a LOT from this thread. keep it up, guys!!

 

Bods, you are my hero for starting this thread!

Wha's this "wine enthusiast" stuff?! I am a wino and proud of it!!!

 

On that note -

 

I opened a 1995 Chateau de Seguin last night, and finished it off tonight. A Reserve du Chateau as they call it. Even at 10 years of age, it sells for a very affordable $18 on line. Clearly not one of Robert Parker's darlings!

 

But - it was smooth, with well-integrated tannins and lively fruit. A bit (okay, maybe a LOT) lighter than I had expected a Bordeaux to be, but it had good plums and raspberries. A bit of chocolate on the nose. Soft tannins. And a medium finish (oh, 30 seconds or so). Clearly on the downhill side of development, I would give it another 3 years before it turns brown and nasty. But I expected that, so I drank it now, rather than waiting.

 

Last night I paired it with a rib eye steak. Cooked very simpky - 4 minutes on each side on a VERY hot fire (thank goodness for 15,000 BTU!) then 7 minutes in the over at 375 deg F. The steak was a good 1 - 1/2 inches thick. Sea salt and pepper to season it. A bit of olive oil and butter in the pan to start. Fresh-grated horseradish with sour cream, a bit of Worcestershire and a bit of the pan drippings mixed in. I cooked up a bit of thinly-slcied garlic int he pan drippings while the meat rested, and sprinkled that over the steaks. Mmmmmmmmmm........ The fat and protein in the meat complemented the tannins and the slightly steely character of the wine realy well.

 

Tonight was country-style pork ribs slow-cooked in a ketchup/orange marmalade/toyo/salt/pepper concoction. With the wine being as light as it was, this went well enough together. i did make the mistake of sprinkling some hot sauce over the pork at first and that didn't go well at all, but once I got past that, it was not bad at all!!!

 

Got my regular wine shipment from Niebaum-Coppola today. It's now called Rubicon Estate! They will concentrate on estate wines (meaning the grapes come from their own estate vineyards, not other places). Rubicon remains their flagship wine. I got a 2003 Reserve Estate Cab and a 2004 Estate Merlot. AND some French chocolate wafers specifically selected to complement the wines. Great tasting notes! I got 2 of the cab - one to taste 9and drink!) now, one to hold for a few years (3-7, they said). S now i have to set up a tasting to compare what I taste against the tasting notes they sent. A full FR when that happens.......

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ok guys, this is for the long haul!!! we'll have to wait for 7-years to get the full FR on those Rubicon Estates!!!! in the meantime, we're off to CYRANO!!!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

[agxo3]

ok guys, this is for the long haul!!! we'll have to wait for 7-years to get the full FR on those Rubicon Estates!!!!  in the meantime, we're off to CYRANO!!!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

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Nah - I'll pop one open in the near future and report on that. The SECOND one, however will have to wait until 2012 before I can report on it!

 

I also picked up my last quarterly Mitchell Katz wine club releaes. I quit the wine club this month, so I can go join ANOTHER wine club. Now all I have to do is find another small, unheralded, but great winery. Fortuitously, I just saw an article in a local rag about a place called Leal Winery, in, of all places, Hollister!!! Got good ratings. Roadtrip!!!! Eagleyes, N2DB - you guys up for a little drive down south a bit?

[Headroom]

Hi All - just noticed a few people here mentioning Watershed from Margaret River in Australia - I am an Aussie and my family are actually investors in the vineyard.

 

Got home to spend Christmas with my folks this year and my Dad had 30 cases from Watershed lined up - spent some very enjoyable evenings with him trying to plough through as much of it as we could.

 

Glad to see there are so many wine drinkers here - it is the nectar of the Gods.

[igol ays]

Nah - I'll pop one open in the near future and report on that. The SECOND one, however will have to wait until 2012 before I can report on it! 

 

I also picked up my last quarterly Mitchell Katz wine club  releaes. I quit the wine club this month, so I can go join ANOTHER wine club. Now all I have to do is find another small, unheralded, but great winery. Fortuitously, I just saw an article in a local rag about a place called Leal Winery, in, of all places, Hollister!!! Got good ratings. Roadtrip!!!! Eagleyes, N2DB - you guys up for a little drive down south a bit?

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i'm good to go; just say when :thumbsupsmiley:

[floppydrive]

ok guys, this is for the long haul!!! we'll have to wait for 7-years to get the full FR on those Rubicon Estates!!!!  in the meantime, we're off to CYRANO!!!!! :thumbsupsmiley:

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SO when's the Cyrano EB?

 

Whew!!!! Agxo, your horseradish-sour cream sauce explanation got me salivating! Have to try it!