Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir......

[berettafan]

does not require food

[imcarthur]

Hahaha. That's good to know.

My 2003 Vińa Herminia Rioja (Spain) is either/or also.

Take a serious look at some Riojas. I find them among the best values in mid-low priced wines.

Ian

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by berettafan

does not require food

Best Pinot Noir on the planet? Check out Oregon's Willamette Valley...I poop you not. I'm looking forward to a visit from a French friend...it should be fun to take him on a "whinery" tour here...

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Best Pinot Noir on the planet?

Gevrey-Chambertin - Villages - Patriarche Pčre & Fils. 1997 vintage. The best I've ever had. But my supply is gone.

Ian

[berettafan]

ian it appears there is more than one vm rioja; which am i looking for?

[imcarthur]

Rioja is a region in central-north Spain with many producers. The tempranillo grape is king with several others - granache etc. See Wiki Rioja Wine.

Ian

[imcarthur]

C.U.N.E., Margués de Cáceres, Marqués de Murrieta, Marqués de Riscal, Marqués de Villamagna, Roda !!, Bodegas Lan are all good growers but there are many more.

Ian

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Gevrey-Chambertin - Villages - Patriarche Pčre & Fils. 1997 vintage. The best I've ever had. But my supply is gone.

Ian

Haven't been to Oregon's Willamette Valley, have you, Ian? Suggestion...ask another "bellywash connoisseur" here..Lendaddy...

Me? I think the finest wine in the world is still just booze...so I prefer corn squeezings stuff like I prefer espresso over coffee.

To tantalize you?

http://www.willamettevalleyvineyards.com/

[imcarthur]

When it comes to wine, I'm always willing to taste. I collect French but drink more Italian & Spanish than anything else. The Cali Cabs I've tried - a lot of them too - are very good but they're just cabs. A Bordeaux wine is somehow more. The blend, the soil. Meritages are closer but Cali versions are just too big. I've tried some PNW Pinots but I have yet to be surprised. But I'm always willing to taste . . .

Ian

[trekkor]

One of my good friends is part owner of C & B.

He was also the crew chief for the '78 Dick Barbour LeMans 935 and later a co-driver with Bob Aiken.

The wine is spectacular.


KT

[berettafan]

Ian, was asking which Vina Herminia Rioja you would suggest for starters.

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by trekkor

One of my good friends is part owner of C & B.

He was also the crew chief for the '78 Dick Barbour LeMans 935 and later a co-criver with Bob Aiken.

The wine is spectacular.


KT

All the better!

Trekkor please do pass on my compliments. The C&B PN is the ONLY wine i've had a 2nd time so far (of about 20 i've tried since getting into wine).

I will try their other wines as well.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Ian, was asking which Vina Herminia Rioja you would suggest for starters.

Gotcha now. It's not important that you find that exact wine. It is just a common ~ $15 'day' wine. Certainly not special.

But try various Riojas in your wine exploration. There are 3 types in general terms. Riojas, Rioja Reservas & Rioja Gran Reservas. Aging is the difference (and price of course). The Grans are only produced in good years although Rioja tends not to have large good year/bad year swings like France.

Here's a suggested list of red wines to try during your 'education' phase:

Italy:
Chianti (which you have already found)
Brunello di Montalcino(Tuscan) expensive
Tuscan IGT: Misc Sangiovese, Cabernets & blends (leaning on expensive)
Barbera d'Asti or d'Alba (northern Italy)
Barbaresco (northern Italy) expensive
Barolo (northern Italy) expensive

Spain:
Rioja
Ribera del Duero

Australia:
Shiraz (and various blends)
Cabernets

New Zealand:
Pinots

Chile & Argentina:
Cabernets

France:
Bordeaux (cheap Bordeauxs are available but not that good)
Burgundy (cheap Burgundies are available but not that good)
Rhone (Crozes Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Cote Rotie, Chateauneuf)

US:
Cali Cabs
Cali Meritage
PNW Pinots

South Africa:
Mixed varietals

And remember: A cheap wine is a cheap wine is a cheap wine. Regardless of WHERE it is produced. And people tend to drink wines that are too young, before they develop real finesse. For a really conservative vintage list, see Decanter.

Ian

[berettafan]

Paul i'll try a Willamette as well.

[berettafan]

That vintage list is really something. Wonder how consistent vintage lists are from person to person (ie how much impact does one mans palate have on the list).

[imcarthur]

Most are an ammalgamation of different reviewers for more eveness. Decanters'. Wine Spectator's. And those two use some of the same reviewers.

Robert Parker is another. See RP Chart. He is a controversial reviewer that has had a large impact during the 90s. Many accuse him (and to some extent Wine Spectator) of actually changing the character of some wines as vineyards alter their wine making to suit his tastes for good reviews. He likes big & bold wines & tends to go for earlier drinking.

For example:

2004 St Emilion & Pomerol

Decanter says 4 Star & Keep. Keep means leave it in your cellar & don't drink.
RP says 88E which (is 3 Star essentially) & means Early, so you can drink now.

Different tastes. There is no right or wrong but what your taste buds tell you.

Ian

[Don Plumley]

Paul - if you are going to show of Oregon's finest, consider Domaine Drouhin and Lange. There are some wonderful Oregon Pinots, however the climatic variations up there makes year on year vintages very difficult to track.

Ian - D.R.C. In Spain, I like stuff from the Ribera del Duero; also the Priorato is very interesting with a water like finish. Back to the homeship, we are finding amazing stuff in the Rhone: Anything you can find imported by Kermit Lynch, drink it.

There are so many great wines - especially here in Sonoma County: Littorai, Kosta Browne, Peay, Davis Bynum (pre buyout), Williams Selyem (pre 99)...

I enjoyed a couple of pre-release 06 bottles last night. Not as amazing as 05, but wonderful.

Life is good.

[pwd72s]

I don't stop when I'm driving Oregon's hwy. 99...but I swear, Oregon may now have more wineries than France.

http://www.oregonwine.org/Home/

http://www.winesnw.com/oregonAVAMap_WineCenter.htm

I don't know if they can ship out of country, but under Oregon law, wineries can ship to out of state buyers...
Happy shopping to all the winos here...

[tabs]

This is for all U Winos out there. Back in the day I was invited to a cigar smoker held in a Winery by the Vintner. Galliano of Rancho Cucamonga, his claim to fame are the award winning Ports and Sherry's that he makes as a sideline. However his main biz is wholesaling grapes to other wine makers.

Basically the wine biz in CA is a small fraternity of people who all know each other. You would think that a guy like Galliano could drink anything He wants. However his choice is one of his JUG WINES that has a screw cap on it. In other words the wine biz is mostly HYPE....pure and simple.

I do have to say it was fun going through the winery with a flashlight testing the different Ports and Sherry right out of the cask. Galliano would say, "Try this one, it still needs another year."

[Don Plumley]

Originally Posted by tabs

Basically the wine biz in CA is a small fraternity of people who all know each other. You would think that a guy like Galliano could drink anything He wants. However his choice is one of his JUG WINES that has a screw cap on it. In other words the wine biz is mostly HYPE....pure and simple.

It is true that many in the wine business know each other. And I definitely support that the individual should drink the wine they prefer and enjoy. However, to indicate that the only difference between a $5/gallon central valley mechanically produced chemically adjusted jug wine and a $60 single vineyard designate, french oak barrel aged, limited production Pinot Noir is just "Hype" strains your credibility.

Yes, there is a marketing component to the multiples of price increase. But you are essentially saying that the only difference between a Ford Focus and a GT3 RS is HYPE. I call you on that. It's quality of ingredients (grapes) and attention to processing (detail) that makes an obvious difference in the quality of the product (wine).

What Franzia has done to elevate public interest in 750ml bottles with corks is wonderful for the industry. And there is a wine for every price point and palette. To equate his plonk with hand crafted wines as differentiated only by marketing is insulting to those that sweat over the production of quality wines.

Don