Archives for January, 2008
Edmunds St. John Syrah Wylie-Fenaughty 2001
Since this costs around $30 I like it. (joke — see previous post)
Very classy wine with depth and complexity — almost perfectly balanced. Rich but not cloyingly so. Tobacco and spice and everything nice.
This Must Be Why I Hate all Those Trader Joe’s Wines
Twenty subjects tasted five wine samples which were distinguished solely by their retail price, with bottles ranging from $5 to $90. Although the subjects were told that all five wines were different, the scientists had actually only given them three different wines. This meant that the first two wines were used twice, but given two different price labels. For example, Wine 1 was labeled as a $35 dollar wine and a $5 wine. The subjects sipped the wines inside an fMRI machine.
Not surprisingly, the subjects consistently reported that the expensive wine tasted better. They preferred the taste of the $90 bottle to the $10 bottle, and thought the $45 bottle was more delicious than than the $5 wine.
I still haven’t had a good wine from Trader Joe’s (excluding a few of the major California brands they carry which are often decent but can be had at any grocery store for almost the same price). I’d like someone to try and trick me with one to see if I fall for it.
Trentadue Old Patch Red 2005
Repeat, if possible.
Each year’s blend will vary so pay attention to vintage. The 2005 is 70% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, 5.5% Carignane, 4.5% Syrah.
Soft and creamy Cranberry Root Beer in a wine glass.
$10 at Green’s.
Domaine De Dournier Grenache Noir 2005
Vinegar. I don’t mean it’s turned into vinegar. I mean it tastes like vinegar. I don’t mean it’s gone bad. I mean it is bad.
No nose, no body, no flavor. If I scrunch my eyes up real tight and imagine intensely I come up with some mild berry, straw and musty leather but I don’t want to have to work that hard to drink wine.
$10 at Green’s.
An Aside
Don’t ask me why I watch Faux News but I also can’t stop myself from looking at beheadings when they happen in my vicinity. Right now they’re interviewing New Hampshire people who are skewering Billary and praising B-Hussein-O so I can only imagine that they want to promote the black guy from a belief that a black guy will never get elected in Amerikkka.
And now Dennis Hopper is promoting a financial investment company. Time to bring out the Hennessey.
Back From the Dead
Moved after 20 years in the same house. Almost killed me. Then Ex-mass. Then a nasty goddamned chest hacking thing. Painful to be alive. What the fuck do I want a wine blog for?
Live Blogging Tasting Note: Domaine Alfred DA Red, 2005
Live from Cabbagetown, U.S.A. Hold on to your hats.
2005 Domaine Alfred DA Red, Edna Valley, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, unknown percentages, weird blend
8:21 pm - opened
8:21 pm - The first sip was too cold. I’ll give it a few minutes. By the color if it were 70’s rock band it’d go by the moniker, Deep Fuschia.
With a name like Erwin Dink you might think I’d support a wack job like Ron Pall but I don’t — that guy is an isolationist advocate for screw you amerikka.
8:31 pm (what’d you expect from the Dink? I can’t wait forever) - P.N. doesn’t want to play nice and is beating the crap out of Grenache, which aint surprising giving it’s wallflower reputation, but it’s also clobbering Syrah which is surprising given it’s reputation as a champion weightlifter.
I’ll never vote for corporate cocksucker Billary. If I thought Dodd or Kookinich had a chance I’d help ‘em out which basically leaves me wondering if it should be Hair Cut Boy or Non-Muslim B-Hussein-O (rhymes with Bingo).
8:50 pm - Am I full of shit or do I detect cherry on wood (P.N.), sweat on tobacco (Grenache), pepper on earth (Syrah) and arugula on tomato (my dinner)? I’m usually full of shit but in spite of that I do declare that they somehow managed to create a wine that tastes equally of all three components. Now I’m going to ponder why.
Why do I even vote? They stole it in 2000 and then again in 2004. And with the voter ID laws soon to be confirmed by the Supreme Coots they’ll steal it again in ought-eight.
9:17 pm - With a little air and a couple degrees more of Farenheit this wine is
Breaking news: Faux News is reporting that Brad Pitt, B-Hussein-O, Dick Cheney, Shrub and John Kerry are all related. Fuck yes, that’s the raw data I’ve been waiting for! I’m voting for Pitt.
9:32 pm - Well, the bottle is almost empty so I guess I didn’t hate it. Would I buy it again at $20 (Tower on Piedmont)? I would if I wanted to bring a P.N. to a dinner with someone who doesn’t like P.N. I would if I wanted to expose my tongue to a wine conundrum for contemplation. This is an odd duck wine that works so I heartily recommend it to odd duck aficionados.
I think this country is ready for a chick vice-president. Vote Pitt/Thelma for President.