Wine-savvy

[agxo3]

Maybe agxo or masi or the also long-lost floppydrive can better answer your query.

 

Sorry, bro. Sa reds, yan - dyan mo ko tanungin. Locally-available reds ha.

Thanks for dropping by!

 

The most common Chianti label you see is Ruffino and it's available in many different grades. But you need to note that Chianti refers to the Chianti region in Italy, not a type of grape. Most Chiantis are made from the sangiovese grape, so look for a good Aussie sangiovese and you should be well pleased by that.

 

Chiantis is a specific area in Tuscany and there are also now what are called Super Tuscans that don't conform to the traditional (and regulated) Chianti or Tuscan blends. They use cabernet sauvignon among other grapes to make big, bold wines. Unfortunately they also tend to be pretty expensive......

[agxo3]

I must tell you that I'm a vegetable fancier so I drooled over your listing of those greens and those onions hehe. And I'm such a sucker for cheese. Another confession. I don't have a sweet tooth haha. Meat's okay with me as long as there's wine to wash it down with. But viewed in it's entirety, that dinner of

yours plus the Retzlaff is a total winner!

 

Roasted broccoli is REALLY easy to do - just take the florets, removing the stalks (the stalks get tough and woody, not pleasant at all), and drizzle with olive oil. The good stuff, not the cooking grade oil. Sprinkle some sea salt and fresh cracked black [pepper. A few red pepper flakes if you like it lively. Into the oven set to roast at 375F for a half hour or until you see some caramelization forming. That's it!

 

While this works with a mid-bodied red, it goes best with a gruner veltliner (an Austrian white that is great with asparagus as well) or a minerally chenin blanc (from the Loire Valley - Sancerre or Vouvray).

 

I've discovered that making good gazpacho is very, very easy and paired with a light red (tempranillo, of course!) it is a wonderful warm weather meal!

[bods1000]

Roasted broccoli is REALLY easy to do - just take the florets, removing the stalks (the stalks get tough and woody, not pleasant at all), and drizzle with olive oil. The good stuff, not the cooking grade oil. Sprinkle some sea salt and fresh cracked black [pepper. A few red pepper flakes if you like it lively. Into the oven set to roast at 375F for a half hour or until you see some caramelization forming. That's it!

 

While this works with a mid-bodied red, it goes best with a gruner veltliner (an Austrian white that is great with asparagus as well) or a minerally chenin blanc (from the Loire Valley - Sancerre or Vouvray).

 

I've discovered that making good gazpacho is very, very easy and paired with a light red (tempranillo, of course!) it is a wonderful warm weather meal!

 

Sayang yung stalks. Maybe I remove them and saute them in garlic.

That reminds me to look for a gruner veltliner. It's available here. I was able to buy one ages ago. I just forgot the brand but Austrian it is. Good for veggies, especially asparagus.

 

Thanks for that mini-refresher on Chianti. I sure could use that information too.

 

We're again drinking wine tonight, Aussie shiraz but we have roast beef to go with it, though

I think it is quite awkward with the seafood in coconut sauce that we're also having hehe.

[agxo3]

Sayang yung stalks. Maybe I remove them and saute them in garlic.

That reminds me to look for a gruner veltliner. It's available here. I was able to buy one ages ago. I just forgot the brand but Austrian it is. Good for veggies, especially asparagus.

 

Thanks for that mini-refresher on Chianti. I sure could use that information too.

 

We're again drinking wine tonight, Aussie shiraz but we have roast beef to go with it, though

I think it is quite awkward with the seafood in coconut sauce that we're also having hehe.

So why not have TWO wines for dinner? A chenin blanc or pinot grigio with the seafood in coconut sauce (or maybe a suvignon blanc if you're doing the seafood Thai-style with a bit of het), then the shiraz with the roast beast.

 

Just stopped by wine.com in Berkeley and picked up a Txacoli and what I hope is a true petillant Vouvray. Then we stopped by the little grocery on 4th and found (to our surprise) some REAL Spanish boquerones and jamon Iberico. I think it might be tapas night for dinner! A fresh loaf of rustic sweet bguette, some good olive oil and tomato to rub on the toast, jamon, boquerones, some soft cheese (brie, but it will do instead of idiazabal), olives.....I should have bought some fino sherry or dry vermouth to go with it! No worries, a copa of bianco will do nicely!

Edited October 23, 2011 by agxo3

[agxo3]

So why not have TWO wines for dinner? A chenin blanc or pinot grigio with the seafood in coconut sauce (or maybe a suvignon blanc if you're doing the seafood Thai-style with a bit of het), then the shiraz with the roast beast.

 

Just stopped by wine.com in Berkeley and picked up a Txacoli and what I hope is a true petillant Vouvray. Then we stopped by the little grocery on 4th and found (to our surprise) some REAL Spanish boquerones and jamon Iberico. I think it might be tapas night for dinner! A fresh loaf of rustic sweet bguette, some good olive oil and tomato to rub on the toast, jamon, boquerones, some soft cheese (brie, but it will do instead of idiazabal), olives.....I should have bought some fino sherry or dry vermouth to go with it! No worries, a copa of bianco will do nicely!

 

So - just finished dinner. Jamon Iberico on pan con tomate. Boquerones on pan con tomate. And to finish - truffle mousse and brie on a slice of really, really good rustic baguette. To drink, ad wonderful, albeit young, Txacoli.

 

An amazing combination of simple flavors - the jamon and boquerones took me right back to Madrid - jamon Iberico is ubiquitous. We had boquerones from a couple of places in Madrid (and in Barcelona) and not once were we disappointed. These were fresh, with great olive oil and just the right hit of lemon. At $46/lb they better be good! And the jamon Iberico would have fit right in at any of the tapas bars we visited.

 

The Txacoli is a young, fresh, wine with a great hit of acidity, citrus-y flavors in the background with a distinct white grape (are you surprised?) base. A bit of fresh pear, a hint of herb (basil????).

 

I am a happy diner.........

[silvercross0816]

thanks for the info guys, I'll be lurkin around this thread coz I'm sure to learn more from the connoisseurs

[masi]

Can anybody please recommend an affordable Chianti brand?

 

Leonardo da Vinci Chianti Reserva at Santis. I think it's P800 a bottle. Don't get the non Reserva which is cheaper, it's not good.

 

Wine Depot carries the Ruffino label. Try to look to this "Ruffino Modus 2005 Toscana"

Edited October 28, 2011 by masi

[bods1000]

agxo:

That's a real mouthwatering tapas dining adventure you had there! Cheers!

Which reminds me to go check out that Spanish resto in GB5, I forgot the name, but it fronts GB2, which has an ongoing

food festival for October, featuring the cuisine of different Spanish regions. I think they're now featuring Galician and Basque food.

 

The American lady golfer, Cristie Kerr was here for the weekend. The paper described her as a wine connoisseur. Quite surprising. What was more surprising was when it was mentioned that she also owns Curvature Wines, but I'm not familiar with it.

[agxo3]

agxo:

That's a real mouthwatering tapas dining adventure you had there! Cheers!

Which reminds me to go check out that Spanish resto in GB5, I forgot the name, but it fronts GB2, which has an ongoing

food festival for October, featuring the cuisine of different Spanish regions. I think they're now featuring Galician and Basque food.

 

The American lady golfer, Cristie Kerr was here for the weekend. The paper described her as a wine connoisseur. Quite surprising. What was more surprising was when it was mentioned that she also owns Curvature Wines, but I'm not familiar with it.

 

She seems to be quite the self-promoter......certainly not shy!

 

Haven't heard of Curvature before and will look it up. Owning a winery seems to be the latest fad among the newly-moneyed sports and entertainment celebrities. Seems like EVERYONE is buying vineyards. Mario Andretti and Fess Parker, the Smothers Brothers, BR Cohn......you've heard the old joke - how do you make a small fortune? Start with a big one and buy a winery!

 

On that note, Deer Ridge in Livermore is no more. He was a great marketer and reasonably decent winemaker, but he couldn't make a go of it, so he sold the facilities. The new owner seems to be a bit snotty. Let's see how long she lasts.

[bods1000]

She seems to be quite the self-promoter......certainly not shy!

 

Haven't heard of Curvature before and will look it up. Owning a winery seems to be the latest fad among the newly-moneyed sports and entertainment celebrities. Seems like EVERYONE is buying vineyards. Mario Andretti and Fess Parker, the Smothers Brothers, BR Cohn......you've heard the old joke - how do you make a small fortune? Start with a big one and buy a winery!

 

On that note, Deer Ridge in Livermore is no more. He was a great marketer and reasonably decent winemaker, but he couldn't make a go of it, so he sold the facilities. The new owner seems to be a bit snotty. Let's see how long she lasts.

 

What leaves a tannic taste in th mouth is when these moneyed guys have no wine sensibility, but just buys a winery for the sheer fad of it. I guess the guys you mentioned do love the stuff, because there's really no big money in wine.

 

Haha I love that joke!

 

It was also mentioned that Curvature is the house wine of the Trump establishments. Not sure if that's good or bad haha.

 

Sad to know about what happened to

Deer Ridge.

[bods1000]

I will really have second thoughts about wine if and when Manny Pacquiao suddenly gets the urge to buy a vineyard or winery there hmmm...

[agxo3]

What leaves a tannic taste in th mouth is when these moneyed guys have no wine sensibility, but just buys a winery for the sheer fad of it. I guess the guys you mentioned do love the stuff, because there's really no big money in wine.

 

Haha I love that joke!

 

It was also mentioned that Curvature is the house wine of the Trump establishments. Not sure if that's good or bad haha.

 

Sad to know about what happened to

Deer Ridge.

The guys I mentioned were the pioneer celebrity winery owners along with Francis Ford Coppola - Fess Parker was in the business for many years before he died, Mario Andretti has owned his winery for over 15 years, BR Cohn for longer than that. But then you have all the new money guys...and the dot-com millionaires who have turned to wine as the new investment vehicle. Well, there's a wine glut. Too many grapes, too much wine being made (some of questionable quality) - two buck Chuck will have some good wines again this year and next. It's turned into a marketer's game, and wine quality seems to be secondary these days. Too bad.

 

But, signs of hope - Rubicon (Francis Ford Coppola's top end winery - he's owned that since the 80's, I think) has reclaimed the Inglenook name. Inglenook was the original name of the winery and up until the 70's was a well-respected name inthe wine industry. Then the owners sold to a large wine and spirits group (was it Constellation??) and the quality tanked rapidly after that, going from the top of the heap to jug wines in a few years.

 

FFC bought the property and renamed it Rubicon and started producing the namesake wines, which are now some of the best in the valley (though quite expensive, and getting more so). Now he's bought the name back, and if I heard correctly, is using Inglenook once again. The Captain's Reserve line of wines is going away - will it be replaced by an Inglenook line? We'll see! In the mean time, Thanksgiving is coming up and it will be time to open another Rubicon - perhaps a '97?

[rapturousone]

Chianti Riserva 2005 by Castellare de Castellina. It is available at the Straits Wine Company along Pasong Tamo. P1,925.

 

Can anybody please recommend an affordable Chianti brand?

[nikki999]

For your Wine Mobile Party Needs you can check this website www.granvinex.com hinire ng boss nmin last week.. good selections of wines...

[bods1000]

The guys I mentioned were the pioneer celebrity winery owners along with Francis Ford Coppola - Fess Parker was in the business for many years before he died, Mario Andretti has owned his winery for over 15 years, BR Cohn for longer than that. But then you have all the new money guys...and the dot-com millionaires who have turned to wine as the new investment vehicle. Well, there's a wine glut. Too many grapes, too much wine being made (some of questionable quality) - two buck Chuck will have some good wines again this year and next. It's turned into a marketer's game, and wine quality seems to be secondary these days. Too bad.

 

But, signs of hope - Rubicon (Francis Ford Coppola's top end winery - he's owned that since the 80's, I think) has reclaimed the Inglenook name. Inglenook was the original name of the winery and up until the 70's was a well-respected name inthe wine industry. Then the owners sold to a large wine and spirits group (was it Constellation??) and the quality tanked rapidly after that, going from the top of the heap to jug wines in a few years.

 

FFC bought the property and renamed it Rubicon and started producing the namesake wines, which are now some of the best in the valley (though quite expensive, and getting more so). Now he's bought the name back, and if I heard correctly, is using Inglenook once again. The Captain's Reserve line of wines is going away - will it be replaced by an Inglenook line? We'll see! In the mean time, Thanksgiving is coming up and it will be time to open another Rubicon - perhaps a '97?

 

Funny this wine business. It's turned the other way around. Winemakers have turned into celebrities themselves, from being complete unknowns before. Like those super chefs today. Glamorous. But I do think that somehow fame has superseded their talents. Bourdain is a good example. He now looks so smug and bored and world-weary in his travel shows, not that he had much talent to begin with. He was just too media-savvy. Hehe.

[agxo3]

Funny this wine business. It's turned the other way around. Winemakers have turned into celebrities themselves, from being complete unknowns before. Like those super chefs today. Glamorous. But I do think that somehow fame has superseded their talents. Bourdain is a good example. He now looks so smug and bored and world-weary in his travel shows, not that he had much talent to begin with. He was just too media-savvy. Hehe.

 

So now I'm starting to turn back to European wines. Haven't given up on the all the CA wines. Still taking the Rubicon shipments, and Michel-Schlumberger. And Vincent Arroyo. Still waiting for my Retzlaff wines for this year. But I will cut it back next year. Maybe drop Michel-Schlumberger and Retzlaff for a while. All so I can expand my Spanish and Portuguese wine selections. I don't generally do the celebrity winemaker thing except for FFC, and I am happy that with the wines, at least, he's kept the focus on quality. I wish he were';t getting so expensive, though. Don't know how long I can keep it up!

 

I tried to eat healthy last night - just a salad and a croissant - but I popped open a rioja to go with it. Tempranillo-based, so relatively light and fresh. Lots of red fruit (strawberries, mostly), mild tannins, a bit of smoke (where'd THAT come from?). On tap for tonight, French onion soup, maybe bit of a good rustic bread grilled and rubbed with garlic, tomato and some good sharp cheese grated over it, and finish off the rioja. Holidays coming up and with that, the food frenzy, so I need to lighten up a bit in preparation.....the Spanish wines are great for eating light - they don't need the boldness and density of red meats to balance the acids and tannins that the cabs and syrahs bring to the palate.

[bods1000]

So now I'm starting to turn back to European wines. Haven't given up on the all the CA wines. Still taking the Rubicon shipments, and Michel-Schlumberger. And Vincent Arroyo. Still waiting for my Retzlaff wines for this year. But I will cut it back next year. Maybe drop Michel-Schlumberger and Retzlaff for a while. All so I can expand my Spanish and Portuguese wine selections. I don't generally do the celebrity winemaker thing except for FFC, and I am happy that with the wines, at least, he's kept the focus on quality. I wish he were';t getting so expensive, though. Don't know how long I can keep it up!

 

I tried to eat healthy last night - just a salad and a croissant - but I popped open a rioja to go with it. Tempranillo-based, so relatively light and fresh. Lots of red fruit (strawberries, mostly), mild tannins, a bit of smoke (where'd THAT come from?). On tap for tonight, French onion soup, maybe bit of a good rustic bread grilled and rubbed with garlic, tomato and some good sharp cheese grated over it, and finish off the rioja. Holidays coming up and with that, the food frenzy, so I need to lighten up a bit in preparation.....the Spanish wines are great for eating light - they don't need the boldness and density of red meats to balance the acids and tannins that the cabs and syrahs bring to the palate.

 

That's a great thought - Spanish wines for eating light. Really can't afford to eat heavy now, what with that darned cholesterol always creeping up despite all the veggies I eat and scorning red meat. The doctor says it could be the cheese and pasta, but it's not as if I eat those stuff everyday!

Ok maybe I'll visit Barcino's more often now to get those tempranillos. Adieu for now with all those shiraz.

 

Good luck with your diet-prep for the holidays. Will go on another bender next week somewhere in the Middle East. Sure hope I can have some drop of those Israeli wines.

[agxo3]

That's a great thought - Spanish wines for eating light. Really can't afford to eat heavy now, what with that darned cholesterol always creeping up despite all the veggies I eat and scorning red meat. The doctor says it could be the cheese and pasta, but it's not as if I eat those stuff everyday!

Ok maybe I'll visit Barcino's more often now to get those tempranillos. Adieu for now with all those shiraz.

 

Good luck with your diet-prep for the holidays. Will go on another bender next week somewhere in the Middle East. Sure hope I can have some drop of those Israeli wines.

I had some Israeli and some Lebanese wine - thanks, but I'd pass.......

 

Has a Zichichi 2005 zin tonight. Finished off the bottle.

 

Last night was duck confit, French onion soup and the zin. Tonight was Spanish chorizo, onion and chanterelle mushroom saute, salad and the zin. With a brioche from the Berkeley cheese board.

 

And what's for dinner tomorrow? I don't know yet but I have a Spanish garnacha lined up....and I have another duck leg confit that I still need to roast.

[bods1000]

I had some Israeli and some Lebanese wine - thanks, but I'd pass.......

 

Has a Zichichi 2005 zin tonight. Finished off the bottle.

 

Last night was duck confit, French onion soup and the zin. Tonight was Spanish chorizo, onion and chanterelle mushroom saute, salad and the zin. With a brioche from the Berkeley cheese board.

 

And what's for dinner tomorrow? I don't know yet but I have a Spanish garnacha lined up....and I have another duck leg confit that I still need to roast.

 

 

I was at a college buddies reunion two nights ago and there was this wine which we failed to uncork because they stored it in a cooler, plus the wine opener was inadequate. Good thing. When I looked at the label it was an Israeli wine 2004 vintage at that. No varietal. Just a plain red. Spared us some puckering faces hehe.

 

Your mention of a granacha steers my memory to a lovable Aussie grenache which I used to import when I was still in the wine business. Such a good-valued great light wine. Too bad there's no grenache here anymore.

[agxo3]

I was at a college buddies reunion two nights ago and there was this wine which we failed to uncork because they stored it in a cooler, plus the wine opener was inadequate. Good thing. When I looked at the label it was an Israeli wine 2004 vintage at that. No varietal. Just a plain red. Spared us some puckering faces hehe.

 

Your mention of a granacha steers my memory to a lovable Aussie grenache which I used to import when I was still in the wine business. Such a good-valued great light wine. Too bad there's no grenache here anymore.

 

No garnacha tonight! We had salmon and artichokes, so the garnacha would not have been a good match. I popped open a vinho verde from Portugal instead. Nice, clean, citrus notes and a hint of green apple in the back. A light fizz just to keep everything lively. Went great with the fish and artichokes.

 

So what do I have tomorrow to go with the rest of the vinho verde?? Maybe some potato puffs left over from Saturday's lunch at Gregoire in the Gourmet Gulch in Berkeley. A bun and some cheese from the Cheese Board......that will make a nice light dinner after a VERY long day. I have to get up at 430 am and drive to Folsom for a meeting, getting back here at around 9 pm at which point I get on the phone for a2 hour call to India. Ugh.

Edited November 15, 2011 by agxo3

[agxo3]

Would like to report the existence of a white merlot from New Kent vinyards of Virginia.

 

If it's a typically sickly-sweet white made from red grapes, I'll pass. But if it's a true white (or light rose, dry and with a hint of the red flavors - some bright red berries, for example), then I'd give it a try.

 

Sutter Creek and Beringer white zins and white merlots have given whites/light roses made from red grapes a really bad reputation - and for those wines, deservedly so!

[RED2018]

thanks for the info guys, I'll be lurkin around this thread coz I'm sure to learn more from the connoisseurs

 

+ 1 Here....expressly this season of merrymaking/thanksgiving

 

thanks for the info guys, I'll be lurkin around this thread coz I'm sure to learn more from the connoisseurs

 

+ 1 Here....expressly this season of merrymaking/thanksgiving

[agxo3]

Opened at 2008 Wood Family Zinfandel tonight for dinner.

 

One word - OMG!!

 

Loads of ripe red fruit - succulent cherries, bright raspberries, juicy strawberries. A hint of smoke. At touch of white pepper. And a finish that lasted for minutes. Smooth tannins for great structure.

 

I KNEW there was a reason I picked up a half case.........

[agxo3]

My last chance to post before Christmas - daughter arrives this afternoon from LA. Wife on holiday until the New Year. Xmas in a few days, wife's bday right behind that, then it's the New Year! Haven't done any shopping yet. House is still a mess, and work is (as usual) in turmoil. But, what the heck, I woke up this morning so it's a good day, eh?

 

XMas dinner will center around my usual prime rib but we'll be doing the Spanish theme this year. Tapas to start, maybe some gazpacho shots, a bit of jamon iberico (a TINY bit! At $160/lb a little bit better go a LONG way!), pan e tomate, dates stuffed with almonds and wrapped in bacon....

 

And to start, maybe a bubbly of some sort, then a 1997 Rubicon (second best of the decade - I still think the '95 was the best). I'll follow with either a 2004 Pennino zin (also from Rubicon - now Inglenook) or maybe the '98 Fenestra syrah I've been saving. It'll be downhill from there. For New Years? Who knows??? I'll decide when I get there.

 

In the mean time, Merry Christmas to all! I hope you all have a good 2012. Maybe I will get to visit next year AFTER my product ships in April!

 

Bods, Masi, Storm, the missing Miss Lips, I will be thinking of you all when I sip that Rubicon!

[bods1000]

My last chance to post before Christmas - daughter arrives this afternoon from LA. Wife on holiday until the New Year. Xmas in a few days, wife's bday right behind that, then it's the New Year! Haven't done any shopping yet. House is still a mess, and work is (as usual) in turmoil. But, what the heck, I woke up this morning so it's a good day, eh?

 

XMas dinner will center around my usual prime rib but we'll be doing the Spanish theme this year. Tapas to start, maybe some gazpacho shots, a bit of jamon iberico (a TINY bit! At $160/lb a little bit better go a LONG way!), pan e tomate, dates stuffed with almonds and wrapped in bacon....

 

And to start, maybe a bubbly of some sort, then a 1997 Rubicon (second best of the decade - I still think the '95 was the best). I'll follow with either a 2004 Pennino zin (also from Rubicon - now Inglenook) or maybe the '98 Fenestra syrah I've been saving. It'll be downhill from there. For New Years? Who knows??? I'll decide when I get there.

 

In the mean time, Merry Christmas to all! I hope you all have a good 2012. Maybe I will get to visit next year AFTER my product ships in April!

 

Bods, Masi, Storm, the missing Miss Lips, I will be thinking of you all when I sip that Rubicon!

 

In behalf of all the winos here, missing or not, we also greet you a Happy Christmas and a meaningful and more God-blessed New Year.

 

Cheers!