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This page contains Winings from the 4th Quarter of the year 2001. To contact WinoBob, click here December
31, 2001
Happy New Year to all and to all a Good Night; I am not sorry to see 2001 go as the tech-geek market deeply effected the non-Wino Bob side of Wino Bob’s Life. The highlight of the entire year was the 15-hour slugfest the WinoStuff staff just concluded. As you are aware, at midnight, the Year-of-the-Syrah will be but a page in the annals of Wine History. The sweeping of the second-hand will usher in a New Year and a New Grape to bear resounding significance to the shaping of the world order. Five thousand years from now, the placemats at the local Greek Diner will contain the information, “If you were Born in this Year- Your Grape Sign is…” No longer will we match ourselves to the Chinese pig, or rat, or snake; NO, we will cheer as we find ourselves born in the Year-of-the-Gewürztraminer, or Pinot Noir, or Grenache. Yesterday, the end-of-year planning meeting for the Grape selection committee was held behind closed doors. It was hot and smoky; with chairs flying, vitriolic and incendiary speech, cursing, spitting, and hurling. (that was just from the Winettes). In the meeting, there was only one message that everyone wanted to make clear. The Grape for 2002 will be reflective of the feverous Jingoistic sentiment of the selection committee members. At this suggestion, Wino John spontaneously broke out into singing the National Anthem and jogging around the room with an American Flag like Carl Lewis taking a victory lap at the 1992 Olympics. Digging deep into the North American Grape History Books, I suggested we Name Concorde as the Grape of the New Year, being indigenous to the North East. I then submitted the names of Scuppernong, Alexander, Catawba, Delaware, Isabella, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Baco Noir, Cynthiana, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch, Landot Noir, Colombard, Villard Noir, Steuben, Niagara, Vidal Blanc, Labruscas and Chancellar. Wino John stood up and stated, “Wino Bob, you are thinking too locally, those grapes may make the best $7.00 wine in NJ, but we need this to be BIGGER! BIGGER and REDDER! A Big RED, Hey how about Zinfandel.” And so with a simple thought of Big Bold Reds, which is usually all that Wino John thinks about anyway, the Year 2002 will forever be know as The-Year-of-the-Zin! This is a wine that is believed to have origins in Italy, but Zinfandel is nnow considered an “American Classic”. This is a grape that pours out deep red and is a spicy, peppery wine of dark cherry and berry flavors. In honor of this New Year, I
toasted in 2002 with: 1995
Ridge Zinfandel, Geyserville, Sonoma County $$ (22.00)
December 30, 2001
The Holidays
have been much easier on those I exchange gifts with.
I used to be quite a handful, picky to say the least.
Shirts needed to be certain fabric and black (only) for those trendy
nights on the town. Other than NY
Giants sweatshirts and hats, there wasn’t much else I accepted without the
grumblings and faux smiles of a crotchety-old man.
Now I am a breeze, wine books or wine accessories.
With the construction of the new cellar, wine enthusiast peripherals were
much the rage. One of the gifts I received was a Book entitled, “Wine”
December 28, 2001 Stop me, I am walking the
tightrope of becoming a, dare I say, Wine Snob… Needing to host the neighbors,
whose wine knowledge is starting to out-distance mine, the pressure is on for me
to stay one step ahead. I spent
half a day looking for the right wine to serve with the food we selected.
What? Wino Bob, you are now trying to complement the flavors and
textures of the food with attributes of wine?
No wino does that, only wine snobs put that much thought into their wine
selection. What perplexed me were
the extreme differences between the shrimp cocktail, sushi and fried calamari.
Sushi and fried calamari, Wino Bob, are at the opposite ends of the
health and nutritional scales. Let
me see, what goes with fresh fished wrapped in rice and seaweed and greasy, deep
fried egg batter-dipped fish bait? Most
snobbish in my hosting duties is that I only served a wine selection with the
appetizers and made everyone drink a different wine with the main course.
STOP me… it was I who advocated, "to hell with the critics, drink
what you enjoy." White wine
with fish is for the stoic, starched collar wine elite; WinoStuff is based on
reality wine enjoying. Drink what
you like, find the best bargain, and celebrate the Year of the Syrah. I apologize publicly to my fellow
winos and my guest for subjecting them to my Wine Nazi attitude in designing the
wines for the night with the dinner menu and not asking what I should have
asked… “Who wants white and who wants red….”?
Drink up. 1996 Chapoutier Chateauneuf du
Pape Rouge, La Bernardine $$$
(38.00) 1998 Chateau Jean
Gervais,
Blanc, Graves $
(10.99)
December
27, 2001 As
I am never ashamed to admit when I learn something new, last evening, during a
holiday party at Chateau WinoBob, I did indeed have a conversation that sent me
to the WinoStuff research vault. Among
the guests was a Priest from our neighborhood church. Yes, he braved the
heathen’s den of Wino Bob and accepted an invitation to the party.
I noticed he wore a large cross, prominently displayed at all times, and
he carried a Bible and bottle of Holy Water as he toured the place.
As one who too often oversteps the bounds of reverence, I shall refer to
him as Wino Father Nige. (I figure the "Wino Jesus" entry has
me so firmly implanted in Hell, that the Good Father could not send me any
farther South). As
I have been intrigued in the past with the Alter Wine, I finally had someone in
my presence that could answer the questions that keep me up late at night.
Wino Father Nige, who selects the wine for mass?
What price range wines do you cellar at the rectory?
Do you buy wines from the local wine shop in town?
Does each Priest have his own wine for the mass or does the Priest that
serves the early morning mass call the wine for the day?
Do you ever serve Lafite and if so, could you tip me off so I drink from
the cup that week? Can I get a job
as the Parish Sommelier? I had a
million questions, but was stopped in my tracks when Wino Father Nige informed
me that they only use Alter Wine, or Sacramental Wine.
He also informed me that the wine was a higher alcohol percent then
retail wine. Quickly,
I ran up to the Wino Bob Library of Wine Knowledge and frantically searched
appendix after appendix in an attempt to locate information on Alter Wine and
why it is a higher alcohol percent then what I am drinking. I came up empty. So
today, I emailed the Vatican with the questions regarding Alter Wine and
received the explanation below. Not
knowing about Alter Wine, and wanting Wino Father Nige to feel comfortable, I
selected Holy Trinity and a Chateauneuf du Pape to serve with dinner.
The Holy Trinity, which I have reviewed in the past, was a wine that drew
high marks from many of the guests. If
you see this wine at your retailer, pick up a bottle and let me know what you
think as you read the blurb below. Altar
Wine Wine
is one of the two elements absolutely necessary for the sacrifice of the
Eucharist. For valid and licit consecration, vinum de vite, i.e. the pure
juice of the grape naturally and properly fermented, is to be used. Wine made
out of raisins, provided that from its color and taste it may be judged to be
pure, may be used (Collect. S. C. de Prop. Fide, n. 705). It may be white or
red, weak or strong, sweet or dry. Since the validity of the Holy Sacrifice, and
the lawfulness of its celebration, requires absolutely genuine wine, it becomes
the serious obligation of the celebrant to procure only pure wines. And since
wines are frequently so adulterated as to escape minute chemical analysis, it
may be taken for granted that the safest way of procuring pure wine is to buy it
not at second hand, but directly from a manufacturer who understands and
conscientiously respects the great responsibility involved in the celebration of
the Holy Sacrifice. If the wine is changed into vinegar, or is become putrid or
corrupted, if it was pressed from grapes that were not fully ripe, or if it is
mixed with such a quality of water that it can hardly be called wine, its use is
forbidden (Missale Rom., De Defectibus, tit. iv, 1). If the wine begins to turn
into vinegar, or to become putrid, or is the unfermented juice is pressed from
the grape, it would be a grievous offence to use it, but it is considered valid
matter (ibid., 2). To conserve weak and feeble wines, and in order to keep them
from souring or spoiling during transportation, a small quantity of spirits of
mine (grape brandy or alcohol) may be added, provided the following conditions
are observed (1) The added spirit (alcohol) must have been distilled from the
grape (ex genimime vitis); (2) the quantity of alcohol added, together
with that which the wine contained naturally after fermentation, must not exceed
eighteen per cent of the whole; (3) the addition must be made during the process
of fermentation (S. Romana et Univ. Inquis., 5 August, 1896). A.J.
SCHULTE The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I
December 26, 2001 The holidays are defined for me
by the sharing of good times with family and friends.
I have been over-indulging in both since Friday night. However, this Holiday Season has been somewhat difficult
since the cornerstone of this ritualistic celebration is being uprooted and set
down elsewhere. For the past
forty-one years, the Wino Bob family has celebrated our traditional Christmas
Eve dinner at the home of my parents. Forty-one
years of folding chairs, kid card tables and large groups of family and friends
sharing the highs and lows of our year apart.
This year was different and the beginning of a major change.
Even though the extended family has grown over the past 20 years with
marriages and children, commitments had the usual elbow-to-elbow eating
situation down to fit comfortably at one table.
We NEVER fit at one table, from my earliest recollections of Christmas
Eve Dinner. But the biggest change
is in the works, the only house the Winofolks have ever owned, the home where
Wino Bob spent untold hours as a misguided youth, the house with walls that have
stories that to this day the Winofolks would never understand, will be put up
for sale. The head game I am dealing with
is the fact that I do not consider myself steeped in tradition.
If I were, I’d still be drinking Bud and smoking Lucky Strikes.
Hell, this last week I even served wine-unworthy visitors, from my
“Special Wine Rack”. Yes, Wino Bob broke with the tradition of weighing the
audience, knowing some people would not appreciate the coveted nectar of an
expensive wine, and I turned my head as they dropped cubes of ice into their
goblets. However; the tradition of
gathering at the old homestead, which sits on a 35’ x 148’ lot in the North
End of Bloomfield, the yard that served as ball field and vegetable garden,
sleigh-riding hill and the ice-skating pond, will be closing this chapter after
forty-one years. We will be sorting
out the development of a New Tradition, but I would have to live past the ripe
old age of 82 for it to take on significance.
Knowing it was our last time to share our most significant family event
in that dinning room, made this year far different then any one I can recall.
So we drank till dawn and laughed and reminisced with those who came to
dinner and I drank wine, good wine and lots of it. 1999 Smoking Loon Syrah $
(10.99) 1998 Umberto Cesari Sangiovese
di Romagna Reserva $ (11.99) 1995 Castello Banfi Summus
$$$ (58.00) 1997 Siena $$
(36.00) 1997 Far Niente Chardonnay
$$$ (60.00) 1995
Luce $$$ (55.00)
December 19, 2001 I usually leave
the restaurant reviews to Wino Wally. As
you can see from his entries, Wino Wally has dined at some of the top eateries
in the country. I, on the other
hand, pretty much eat at Bacchus or fire up the Weber and slap on a steak. I had a non-winostuff lunch meeting today, and as host,
I wanted to broaden my horizons. Besides,
the people I was with had been to Bacchus as much as I have.
There is a great looking Italian restaurant, which just changed
ownership, not too far from the Wino Bob estate, OK, the Wino Bob duplex
cardboard box. Every time I pass
this place, the valet lot is always full, so I figure the food must be good.
The restaurant is named Luce, a wine I have enjoyed on an occasion or
two. So I call information from my
cell phone and Sprint made a reservation for me.
I never knew they offered a concierge serve. (I’m just glad when
I got to the place, Charro wasn’t sitting at the bar).
As we were
seated, the waiter offered the wine list. With
a great deal of excitement, I opened the list wondering, "would it be a
Super Tuscan or maybe a Barolo for this heavy meeting?
Are they carrying Gaja, the number one rated Italian wine, or should I
order the familiar Sassicia to impress my guests?"
Much to my surprise, Luce, the fine Italian dining experience, offers ONE
Wineries bottling. That winery, the
Famous New Jersey based KINGS ROAD VINEYARDS.
What the...? Who the… huh? NJ’s KRV? But the
sign outside even has that squiggly line over the letter in Luce making it
authentic Italian. The waiter, he
spoke in broken English, the décor, the food, the experience all pointed to
Italy, but the wine said 360 Route 579, Asbury, New Jersey.
When in Rome… drink New Jersey? So I ordered a
bottle of my first NJ winery in my wine-drinking career to go with my Ginger
Tuna. As far as the food goes, it
was outstanding, Wine, on the other hand needs to be discussed with the
ownership. 1999 KRV
Marcata $ (17.00 rest-7.95 retail)
December 17, 2001 Wino John had
smoke coming off his keyboard this weekend.
His Christmas poem is a fitting tribute to the holiday season.
Rhyming the word "Chateauneuf" has never been done
before. I tip my taste vin to you. Until
I read that, the most unusual word in a verse that I was aware of appeared in
the Turtles song Eleanor. They
rhymed the word excetra. Wino John has
called a board meeting for the 2002 Year of The Grape nominating committee.
Will all committee members submit their grape name, region of origin,
list of top ten wines the grape appeared in since the 1855 classification (if
applicable), blending characteristics (if applicable), current planting acres by
country, amount of wine produced in liters, bottles and boxes (if applicable)
and a 500 word essay defending your support of this being named the Grape of the
Year 2002. Those not on the
committee can just email me the grape and one sentence on why it should be
considered. We enjoyed a
great dinner this weekend with neighbors. You
know the holiday season is enhanced by the good company of family and friends, a
warm fire and an evening of drinking wine.
The day before the dinner, Wino Lou, my neighbor, friend, chef
extraordinaire, and frequent reader of WinoStuff, emailed me with his menu and
asked for wine suggestions. Never
shying away from a wine question, I humbly offered my opinion and we managed to
sit through dinner commenting on the interaction between his menu and the
characteristics of the wine that I brought.
Scary- I have become the Wine Geek I make fun of.
I am my own worst nightmare. We
even managed to watch the Steelers outplay the Ravens to claim a playoff berth
in the AFC. Food: - Stilton
Cheese Food - Roast Pork with
Wino Lou’s spicy apricot glaze 2000 Gerard Gelin Domaine Des
Nugues Beaujolais Village $
(12.00)
December 16, 2001 With eight
shopping days still available, I wanted to post the following two books that
might make nice stocking stuffers, or a small gift for a wino friend.
A book I house
in a glass case, great stories of sharing a bottle of wine with family and
friends told by people who could write. If
I were to be born again, I would ask for the talent of one of these writer and
wine lovers. Essays by Art Buchwald, Ernest Hemmingway, John Keats, Truman
Capote, Calvin Trillin, Spaulding Grey, and John Steinbeck just to highlight a
few. Command of the English
language and a discerning palette, who could ask for anything more in life.
The picture is 4 times the actual size of this book. Filled with memorable quotes and photographs of wine and food. The silver grape cluster bookmark is a bonus. Marvin Shanken draws on quotes from Michael Caine, Galileo, Lord Byron, Robert Mondavi, Burgess Meredith, and King Edward VII to enlighten us on their love of the grape.
December 15, 2001
Secondly, a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this book will assist the families of the coworkers of the author who passed on in the tragedy on September 11th. Our classroom was on the 106th floor of tower one, with a spectacular springtime view of the NY harbor. Thirdly, this
book presents a terrific introduction into the world of wine.
This book does not go too deep, but clearly identifies the regions,
grapes and producers you should be aware of as you begin your journey into the
enjoyment of wine, not as a beverage, but as a lifestyle. It’s not the destination, but rather the journey that dreams are made from… The only thing missing from this book is the wit and delivery-styling of the world renown author, TV host, all-around nice guy and friend of Wino Bob (OK, so I made the last one up). This book takes you through a tasting journey of the most significant wine regions of the World. A cornerstone for any Wino in their unending quest for the perfect wine, this book is a great reference and looks snappy on your coffee table.
December 11, 2001 With only 20
drinking days left in the year 2001, I will spend more time drinking and less
time thinking about things to write. In
the past two days, I have tried three syrah/shiraz-containing wines.
One of them was a clear winner, bringing a smile to my face after the
first sip. The key to my research
is finding the gem in the rough. I
have tasted a lot of dirt this past several months, but today I found a wine
that delivered big, bold tastes and change back from my $20.00.
I wish I could find a wine that delivered for under $10.00, but that
seems a difficult task. Finding
this wine at $15.00 was exciting. 1998 E.
Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone $ (11.00) 1998
Mommessin Les Epices Chateauneuf du Pape $ (18.00)
1998 Jacobs
Creek Reserve Shiraz $ (15.00) Editor's note: The Wine Enthusiast agrees with WinoBob's assessment of the Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz, rating it a 91 and naming it as one of the Top 100 Values of the Year. This just goes to show that WinoBob could be a rich and famous wine writer, you know, if he could write.
December 8, 2001 Lest we forget,
the Wino Bob calendar is quickly closing on self-proclaimed “YEAR OF THE
SYRAH”. Fittingly, I must provide
an appropriate send off for my friend, my companion, my confidant. And
what better way to do that than by posting a picture as a farewell tribute.
Winos and Winettes, I give you the Grape of 2001
California
Syrah I will drink
out the year of Syrah and dutifully declare 2002’s grape on New Year’s Day. Interestingly,
the January issue of Food and Wine Magazine has an article on page 50 regarding
Washington State's love of the Syrah varietal.
Over the past eleven years, plantings have increased from 40 acres in
1990 to 3,000 acres in 2001. I’m
no Einstein, but I think that is an increase of a quadrillion percent.
They also list their top ten selections, consisting of: 1999 Hogue
Vineyards Selection-$16.00 In
the spirit of TYoTS (The Year of The Syrah), I had to enjoy some at Bacchus with
my dinner. I tried a dish I had
never paid attention to before. Tournedos
Diane was delicious with creamy wild mushroom gravy. SIDE
NOTE - After dinner I went back to try a glass of the Sobon Estate Syrah and
did get a better glass than Tuesday evening.
Seated two chairs to my left were several NJ Devil Hockey Players.
Since Ken Daneko sold his interest in Mezzanote, he now can be seen
sitting in what used to be the "Wino Bob Stool".
I’m not going to go tell him that he’s in my chair… 1996 Zaca
Mesa Syrah $$ (33.00) 1998 Sobon
Estate Syrah
December 6, 2001 Seeing how I
have not been able to bank the boat load of money that Wino John told me would
come from a web page, I am stuck with one foot in the “real job world”.
As part of the educational process in my bill-paying jobl, I often
read "self-help, motivational, you-to-can-be-a-millionaire in 12 easy
lessons", sales training books. I
have a shelf filled with books that describe the latest and greatest method to
be a successful salesman. Recently,
I was given “the New Roadmap to Riches” book entitled, “Sales Dogs”. As I got through the second chapter, I realized this book is
the latest rehash of the last book, which was the new twist of the old book that
I once read…. The basics boil
down to the simple concept that once was called "personality selling".
Find the personality type you are, define the personality of your
customer and employ a sales style appropriately. This book
defined salesman in terms of dog breeds, which made me start thinking.
If I were a writer, I could be the next best selling author of the next
best selling sales training book. The
book would simply define salesmen and customer personalities in terms of grape
varietals. Face it, we all know the
characteristics of the grapes. I would merely associate these attributes
to people and tell the Massive Cabernets to be gentle when dealing with the
Pinot Noirs (you know, that soft, fleshy grape that needs a great deal of care
and nurturing and could be ruined by a slight amount of stormy weather).
The Chardonnay is really a well-disguised hard seller in a sheep’s
clothing. To me the Syrah would be
top dog, the wealthiest of successful salespeople… The last guy I bought a car
from was a Gewertztraminer. Then to handle
the difficult-to-explain situation, we can call the Cote-du-Rhones, soundly
mixed characteristic traits that work quite well in diverse sales situations. As Wino John will tell you, Wino Bob, you’d write a great book if you ever get to study the English language. So if there are any really smart wino’s out there that want to work with me on this concept, email me, I’ll share the publishing rights.
December 5, 2001 Has this ever happened to you? You are on a web page, clicking around and you click something and another web site opens. That one looks interesting and you click something else and another thing opens and you suddenly find yourself on a site that you never intended to be on. Well, at least that’s what Pee-Wee said in court. Yesterday, I was looking at where Winostuff.com was rated on the web site Wino John has at the top of our page. Wanting to understand the competition, I clicked my way through sites and links and links and links and found myself on a web page that I cannot get back to. This site was a link that had the picture of an attractive woman with a brief description that she reviews fine dining and wine establishments. The site was a bit cumbersome to maneuver, so I clicked on her email link and asked if she ever dined at Bacchus. Her email address was an earthlink account so I cannot get the web address off her reply to me. The page was full of stories
about wining and dining around the world, so I thought this might be interesting
to strike up a dialog via email and see if we could complement her page with the
extensive fine dining experiences of Wino Wally.
Unfortunately, the email response I received, basically was a one line
response with the tone of, “Who are you and why are you emailing me?”
I just thought that if a web site asked for input and had an email link,
they actually wanted to hear from the readership.
I love getting email from my fellow winos and winettes. Keep it
coming. The problem is that I spent
hours trying to get back to her site with no luck, and I think my “I am Wino
Bob, damn it”, reply has ended our open lines of communication. Last evening I found myself free
for several hours after my treadmill and stomach work out session.
Not wanting to annoy anyone else on the net, I hopped in the car and
headed over to Bacchus to see what was new in the wine keeper.
For some reason, the wines by the glass last night carried a prevailing
taste in the two diverse wines a tried. I
do not own a wine keeper and do not know if there are issues that come up with
them over time, but I noticed that the white wine side reads out 40 degrees,
which it should. I do not believe
any other that cooling is piped into the red wine side of the unit.
I have become more critical of temperature and it’s effects.
Though the wine was not hot, it was much closer to ambient then it should
be. Do any of you winos own a wine
keeper, 20 bottle size and could you give me feedback on what the red side
temperature gets set at. I tried a
Pinot Noir and a Syrah, both of which did not show much of their characteristic
styles. I will list the wines I
tried, but will reserve review upon further investigation. 1999 Purple Mountain Pinot
Noir 1998 Sobon Estates Syrah
December 2, 2001 2001
Rosemount Estate Traminer/Riesling $
(6.98)
1998 St.
Francis Zinfandel, Old Vines, Sonoma County $
(18.00)
December 1, 2001 Eleven down,
one to go. No, I am not talking
about Major Tournament Golf Courses Wino Wally has played; I am talking about
months left in 2001. I cannot believe that in New Jersey we are basking in
72-degree weather on the First of December.
It’s not as much fun drinking a heavy red in 72 degrees. What’s
more mind boggling is having the town make a huge deal out of the lighting of
the Town Christmas Tree. In NJ at
this time of year those of us in the North East usually begin to switch our
black linen and cotton for our black leather and wool.
Did you ever stand next to a guy in black wool in 72 degrees
temperatures? Not a pleasant
experience. Kind of reminds me of
this soup I once had to eat at this Italian Restaurant, but that’s a
completely different story. Do
people not realize that they stink? If
I can smell you from over here, can’t you smell yourself over there?
Worse yet is that these black wool-wearing business people are so intent
on catching the bus or train, they run to make sure they get aboard before the
door closes. Then, without a
thought, they are the first to crowd next to you and grab the strap right above
your head. Why can’t I just make
a living sitting in my house drinking wine? Anyway, I had
a nice little Cabernet for lunch yesterday, a wine developed by a member of a
South African Wine Family using a cutting from Paul Masson’s 1880’s Bordeaux
stock and crafted by an Italian wine maker.
If you get a chance to read the history of the Bell Winery from their web
site, it presents an intriguing story. Check
it out at www.bellwine.com 1996 Bell
Cabernet Sauvignon Baritelle Vineyards, Jackson Clone, Rutherford
$$ (35.00 discounted from 50.00) November 25, 2001 I apologize to
those Winos and Winettes who feel I am yelling at them.
As a teacher makes the entire class write an essay on why you shouldn’t
talk in class, even though it was one person, I must make an elementary entry to
point out a basic of wine enjoyment for the few out there that have yet to
understand it. Last night, I went
to a friend’s home to enjoy the leftover turkey dinner, stuffing, yams, et al,
that was not finished on Thursday. With
dinner, they served a wine I enjoy and might actually have given them on a prior
visit. Knowing the wine, I really
didn’t care much about the reheated gravy and mashed potatoes.
Then, as I lifted the glass to my lips to enjoy the fine nectar of the 1997
Qupe Syrah that is hard to find in many local restaurants, my Wino hair on
the back of my neck bristled. The
wine was hot! So to this I say,
"Room Temperature" does NOT MEAN 72 degrees Fahrenheit!!!!!!!.
Sorry for yelling, but a common mistake I have been experiencing lately is wine
that is stored in the kitchen, living room, or dinning room and served at the
temperature that is read out on the thermostat in the room.
One home had their wine racking nicely displayed right next to their
FIREPLACE. Here’s a quick
reference for serving temperatures for wine. White wines Light, acidic
43-48 degrees Red Wine Light, fruity
54-57 Do you see
anything there starting with a seven? When
my wine is hot, I no longer enjoy any fruit from it. All I pick up are the
tannins and the astringency. Even
if you must cloak the bottle in an ice pack to lower the temperature to the low
sixties, I will not bitch, but don’t serve me something that was stored on top
of your refrigerator. Sorry, I just
had to get that off my chest. I did
have a dessert wine that I never tried before, which was well chilled and
brought out the fun and flavors the wine maker intended.
I also tried a sip of a Chardonnay made in France, which I had tried a
red wine from and did not enjoy. Trying
the Chard convinced me the wine is only worth the label, because I always get a
chuckle out of seeing, “Fat Bastard” on the shelves of a store. 1999 Fat
Bastard Chardonnay $? Keep the label,
ditch the wine, enough said. 2000 Anapamu
Riesling $?
November 24, 2001 “Delirium
Tremens” – a delirious disorder of the brain produced by excessive drinking,
and often marked by trembling, hallucinations of bugs crawling under your skin
or convulsions.” Webster’s New Edition. Thank God the 12 hours of
sleep and the gallons of water stopped me short of the convulsions.
I plead the DT’s when I write so Wino John has something to do.
Just look at his last editorial note to Wino Wally’s entry.
Since Wino Wally is some wunderkind who attended the finest of schools
and is a corporate genius, Wino John’s not spending the time editing his
entries. It must be the incoherent
ramblings of the disordered brain possessed by yours truly. (by the way is it
who or whom?). For the Winos
amongst us who went to college for a career path that utilizes your learning,
I’m sure you won’t be able to sympathize with this entry today.
For those of us whom occupied seats in classrooms which have little to do
with life, I often wonder if you get the charge I do out of actually being able
to apply a college course to your current life. Majoring in a
subject that really does not have a use in Society, I learned as much as I could
and graduated with honors. I will
leave the subject somewhat undefined since I think there might actually be 12
members of society who carry business cards reflecting my major, but they are
not the captains of industry, political leaders or Scholars of this Age.
However, the deeper I get into enjoying the fruit of the grape, the more
information from my college days becomes useful. Yes, Winos and Winettes, I worked for the Center of Alcohol
Studies, at Rutgers University and have a shelf full of text books with titles
such as, “Coping With the Alcoholic”, Alcoholics in Society”, “White
Collar Crime”, “Human Sexuality” (I just keep that one for the line
drawings, there are some Saturday nights, I find myself leafing through chapter
12), “Is Alcoholism Hereditary” and “The Revised Basic Handbook on
Alcoholism”(must have been written by a drunk, because after sobering up he
had to revise what he first wrote about the Basics on Alcoholism-he did not Have
Wino John as an Editor). Never wanting
to be too far away from my dollars spend at the school of higher learning, I
guess I spent the past several days deeply involved in a Participant Observation
Project on the four stages of alcohol abuse, and I must add that I successful
remember hitting 3 of them, the question is did I get to number 4 and just
don’t remember? I spoke recently
with a Wino Friend of mine who owns a print shop.
I asked him to print up some, “I’m Sorry for my drunken behavior”
cards that I will start handing out at the beginning of the evening… Anyway, I
really just wanted to sit down this morning with a clearer head and post up two
interesting Holiday items for you Winos and Winettes to be on the look out for.
I know Wino Wally is the wizard of Gadgets for the perfect Holiday items,
but these two I have not seen on his list as of yet. Item one is a
gift Wino John may have some interest in, Wine infused Chocolates.
I have heard Wino John regal the enjoyment of Chocolate and a Big Ass
Cab. But then again Wino John loves
everything with a Big Ass Cab. This
Holiday Season, Swanson Vineyards has teamed up with Vosges Haut-Chocolat to
produce Alexis Estate Bon Bons. This
is a rich Belgian Chocolate containing a weighty Cabernet-Syrah blend that plays
well with the dark chocolate. To
completely light up your palate, they have added a light dusting of curry
powder, which brings it home. Twelve
truffles run about $30.00 and can be order at 888-301-9866 Item two I throw in for Wino Wally’s recent appreciation of the King of the Super-Tuscans. Yes Winos, Sassicia has brought out a Grappa for after dinner enjoyment. I have yet to see it in any stores in NJ but they say the uniqueness is it’s pale gold hue and delightful aromas of pear, honey, raisins and butterscotch. I am not much for drinking the distilled pressings of pulp, pits, twigs, leaves and anything else that’s found at the bottle of the vat, but this one I will give a try. Editor's note: I didn't edit Bob's November 23 or 24 submissions. I rest my case. November 23, 2001 Well, a belated
Happy Thanksgiving. As I sit here
this morning, my hands are still shaking like Mohammad Ali.
What the hell do you have as a remedy for a hang over? Did you know, the screen oscillates when you’re hung over?
Wednesday evening, we had the monthly card games since no one wanted to
get together tonight. I started drinking then and haven’t let me blood increase
in my alcohol level since then. I
was getting killed in cards, so the only thing to do was drink the wine I
brought since the food vig does not cover the beverages.
On Thursday, as
it neared time for the crowd to arrive, I had to dull the senses and take the
edginess away so I started at 1PM and finally turned my glass in at 10PM.
Today, I can manages to get only half the coffee I poured into my mug, to
stay in the mug long enough to make it to my lips. I have plastic wrap on the keyboard to prevent electrical
shocks from the amount of liquid around my power strip for the computer. I was up and
down with the wine selection this year, at the last minute I opted for the
lighter instead of the heavier Red and was not happy.
But it was totally my fault, so there is no one to blame but this shaky
hand stick figure. My pencil thin
fingers have a hard enough time to hit the keys, now that they are suffering the
ills of alcohol withdrawal; my index finger keeps getting stuck in the space
between the keys. This causes the
computer to run out a line of letter like this:
hggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg, then I need to keep
backspacing away this error. It has taken me an extra hour to punch out this quick
posting, so I will get right to the wines and then collapse in the fetal
position, on the floor, in the pile of spilled coffee, to allow my body to
recharge like the lithium batteries on my cell phone.
1998 M.
Chapotier Belleruse $
(10.99) 2001 George
Dubeof Nouveau Beaujolais $
(7.99) 1999 Hugel
Gewürztraminer $
(15.99) 2000 Bonny
Dune Vin de Glaciere $
(20.00)
November 19, 2001 What the hell
is going on with the pricing of Beaujolais Nouveau?
Two years ago, I bought my first bottle for a Thanksgiving Day warm up.
Today, I went to do some wine shopping and my heart fell through my
shorts when I saw the tag on Mr. Duboeuf’s latest release.
Forgive my wine ignorance, but don’t we stomp these out, and bottle
within minutes of the harvest so we can get a glimpse into the future of the
full release of the Gamay grape. Two
years ago, I put down my five dollar bill and received change back with my
bottle of George Duboeuf. Today, they asked me for a second fin to be able
to walk away with the bottle. I was
in three different stores, and two of them posted signs with a retail price of
$10.99 discounted to $7.99. I
thought the world economy was in a recession.
I was so
depressed from the outrageous pricing of the wine; I had to stop in at Bacchus
for a quick bite to eat. Bacchus
has revamped their wines by the glass menu with descriptions to help the
uncertain. I grabbed a glass of their new Petite Sirah that was
delightful. 1999 Kempton
Clark Petite Sirah $$
(32.00 rest)
November 18, 2001 I'm embarrassed
to admit it, but that never stopped me before, today was a Black Suit and
Black Sweater day. Wino John
has been mentioning this since his 600 wine Super Tasting in West Orange’s
world famous Manor. I
have a friend who was having a showing of her photographs at the Happy Dog
Gallery in Piermont, NY. What else
could I don for the occasion except my best black suit and sweater. Being in the “Artsy” mode, I brought along a CD I was
given by my new friend, Faith Ventrello of Parador Cellars. "Parador, Wino
Bob? I have never read your reviews on any wines from Parador
Cellars." That is only due to
the fact that Parador currently does not have distribution in NJ.
They are a small winery, which has just released their Cabernet/Sangiovese/Tempranillo
blend. I look forward to the day I will be able to review the wine
of my new friend, Faith’s efforts. (OK, so I know Faith through the exchange
of several e-mails, but we Winos quickly befriend anyone connected to wine).
For those out there that do get Parador’s wine, let me know what your
impressions are. Or for those in
states that won’t arrest you for getting wine shipped from California, you can
order up a bottle through www.paradorcellars.com. Faith has a
good friend named Marilyn Scott who just released a new CD on Prana
Entertainment called “Walking With Strangers”.
I felt the occasion and the title were befitting of my ride to the
Gallery. Though I am not an audiophile,
I enjoyed the jazz stylings of Ms. Scott and thought that her melodic voice
would be great to have on in the background during a winter’s night in front
of the fire with a small group of close friends and a Big Ass Red Wine.
I’m not big on the love song thing since I believe Barry McGuire’s
“Eve of Destruction” is a wedding song, but for those out there who enjoy
love songs, this would make a great stocking stuffer. The bummer of the day was the wine selection at the Gallery. Though I brought home a stunning photograph entitled “Reflections”, I gave JeanMarie my card to be the Sommelier at her next Gallery event. I passed up the White Zinfandel for Coca Cola, a wise choice on many fronts…
November 16, 2001 Just a quick
posting of two wines I had recently for no other reason than to drink wine.
One was at lunch with Wino John, the other was a quick after work drink
with associates in the Geek business. Also,
I do want to make mention that it’s great for the site to be active with all
the new information and the emails I have been receiving.
Thanks also to the NNJWLA for recognizing Winostuff’s web page
as "a fresh, funny look at the complex world of wine." Editor's
note: Who is the NNJWLA? 1999 Rodney
Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County $$ (32.00 rest.) 1993
Castelli del Grevepesa Gualdo al Luco $$ (28.00)
November 14, 2001 Cutting edge?
Yes, cutting edge. Not more than a week after I posted my review of
Fleur de Cap, the Star-Ledger, NJ’s paper of record has an article by Rod
Smith highlighting South African Wines. The
first winery they speak about in the article is Fleur de Cap……
The terrior of
the Cape wine region is experiencing major growth since 1994 when the sanctions
were lifted on SA. The area has
wine history dating back to 1659 and boomed after Napoleon cut the English off
from obtaining Bordeaux’s supply. Then,
politics ruined it. With trade sanctions and instability in the country, wine
products shrank. Cellars and
equipment took a hit with little revenue to upgrade and modernize.
Fortunately for us, South Africa experienced political changes that have
them participating in the global economy. Pricing
structures will be on the rise over then next few years as more Winos discover
the great wines SA has to offer. I thank Rod for
supporting my views on the offerings from SA, and I invite him to drink some SA
Reds. The Pinotage and Bordeaux-style
blends have many terrific flavored offerings that are reasonably priced.
Talk to your local retailer to see what’s on their list to be coming in
over the next several months.
November 12, 2001 Well, well,
well, Winostuff.com has had more fresh material added over this weekend than we
have since the summer white wine contest. Wino
Wally is on a tear with his Golf links and postings in the guest book.
Just a side note, Wino Wally, I found a St. Andrews blue V-Neck sweater
in the discount bin at Nevada Bob’s before they went out of business.
It doesn’t matter how great a tale I weave, once people see the way I
swing a club, they wouldn’t allow me to fly to Scotland. Wino John, your
jingoism is refreshing. What’s
more refreshing is that I actually got to use the word jingoism in a
sentence. That was one of the words
I had on a college exam that I thought I’d never use again, like the word Fop.
Yes, these two words appeared on the entrance exam to Rutgers Grad
School. Not only did I not get into
Grad school, I never used the word Jingoist, jingoistic, jingoism, fop, foppish
or foppery in a sentence, written or spoken, until today.
Wino John, I applauded you for your Jingoistic posting. Although I did not drink any wine to comment about this evening, I will make sure I have two bottles tomorrow to add to my comments. Good to see everyone is back to posting the fun and exciting times we have recently spent with the liquid that was found by the folks observing the crazy behavior of the goats eating the moldy grapes on the ground. And thank Wino Jesus that when those people tried that fermented juice, they did not die, but rather discovered a key to the universe. Keep reading, keep writing and keep drinking WINE!!!!!! November 10, 2001 As we inch closer to Thanksgiving, I am trying to finalize my wine selections for the day. The before-bird and dessert selections are not much of a problem, it’s what to serve with that damn Turkey. Last year, I posted the question and heard from only a few of you out there, so I am still open to suggestions. I am leaning right now towards the Rombauer Zinfandel, which I enjoyed at JR’s during a recent lunch with Wino John. To ensure I was not missing out on the correct selection, I intend to sample heavily between now and then. Being a quiet Saturday evening, I decided to cook up some Turkey Tacos. Yes, the great taste of greasy ground beef was replaced with ground turkey, not only fitting for the upcoming holiday, but also part of my new regiment. Yes, Winos, I have gotten back on the horse (so to speak) and found the closets that the clothes hanging on the treadmill belonged in. I tuned up the tread since it has to be two years since I last elevated my heart rate on that thing. To be complete and to adhere to the advice of the still-stunning Suzanne Sommers, it is diet and exercise that has this fifty-something woman making me watch hours of QVC as she sells everything from jewelry to cookbooks. Last night, she had on this silk pajama thing that was quite endearing. As a TV junkie, Three’s Company cannot be on enough cable channels. Chrissy Snow still is a Wino Bob fav. Not limiting myself to Reds, I picked up a South African Chardonnay to go along with my Turkey Taco and right now it’s still in the running. 2000 Fleur
du Cap Chardonnay $
(10.99)
November 4, 2001 The sweet smell of burning leaves and fireplaces greet this fine November weekend and this is a time that a young man’s fancy turns to…. fishing? Yes, I said fishing. As November brings anticipation of Noveau Beaujolais, Thanksgiving, harvest moons, and chilled mornings, my father's family tradition of heading out for a fishing trip has finally fit into everyone’s schedule. Coordinating schedules of kids and grandkid, between the movers and shakers in the industrial world and soccer, piano, horseback riding, homework and the general nonsense of being a kid caused the summer fishing to occur yesterday! Growing up as little Wino Bobby, my father had a job that mandated that he take two weeks of vacation in late July. Depending on who was going and the money situation, we spent a great deal of time at the Jersey shore. In light of the fact that my father has only one interest outside of work, the shore was ideal. Wino Bob’s father is a nut for fishing. As a kid, trying to do things with my Dad, I thought my interests lie in the world of deep sea fishing too. Finally reaching the age of maturity to go on a party boat (13) and since neither we nor anyone we knew actually owned a boat, I woke up before dawn that first day of vacation excited to finally hit the high seas and land that big prize-winning fish. You must understand that party fishing boats are for those who cannot afford to charter, so the saltiest, in language and odor, adorn the boat. I’ll never forget that first trip. It was on a boat called, the Cock Robin (insert your own joke here, there are plenty to go around for all). Why is it that people who cringe at waking up one minute before the alarm on a workday, bound out of bed three hours before sunrise to fish or golf? The ride out to fish was like the scene from the Titanic when Leonardo and Kate are on the bow of the ship with the sun in their face and the wind in their hair. I was Kate Winslet, with the spray of fresh salty water in my face, soaking in the beauty of the ocean and the joy of taking part in my first adult fishing trip. The two hour ride to the first fishing spot was eye-opening as the land faded in the distance and the realization of how insignificantly small that boat was in the water. The time arrived for us to get ready to let our rods out and in our best man-against-nature spirit, land the big one. My line plunged to the bottom and the engine belched out a last puff of diesel fumes. The sounds of water slapped against the hull and an occasional murmur from the people standing next to us broke the serenity of the deep ocean. As I watched my line to catch the slightest indication that a fish was nibbling my bait, the rocking motion of the boat triggered my puke gland and I heaved out my eggs, toast and OJ faster than I could reel in my line. I spent the remaining six hours, lying on a bench, unable to lift my head in fear that the next thing out of my mouth would be the lining of my ass. So the tradition lives on for the annual fishing trip, and it is only the grand kids that kept us from getting into a boat for my traditional sacrifice to Neptune. This year we went to the Fishing Pier in Keansburg, NJ, where the six of use crowded onto the 2200 feet pier along with two other nuts that were fishing in November. The Pier owner only collected 50% of the normal fishing price since we were a sad looking crew. On top of it all, the tide was on it’s way out and we caught dead low. I am not Captain Ahab, but I do not think there is much opportunity to catch fish when you can see your bait on the bottom of the 18 inches of water. The kids had a blast reeling up crabs that were snacking on the clam and sand worm buffet on the hooks. The smallest two just wanted to catch the crabs to challenge themselves in picking the crab up and throwing it back into the bay. Everyone came back with all fingers accounted for. After returning home, I opened a bottle of wine to ensure I would not have a flashback of that day on the Cock Robin. 1999 Amano
Primitivo $ (8.99)
October 29, 2001 On the third Friday of every month, I do my best impression of Jack Klugman and sit at a poker table with 5-6 other guys to play some make-up-as-you-go card games. The food vig is usually more than the money I bring to bet. In an attempt to keep this ever-growing budget down and because every month the host increases the pastry purchases (Yes, I said pastry purchases at a poker game. It seems sometimes that the crowd is more interested in the coffee rather than the game), I bring my own beverage. Stopping at my local Home Liquors store, I saw they had a display for Wynns Conawarra Estate Vineyard. Searching high and low, the 1997 Chard was nowhere to be found, so I settled with what they had. In addition, I grabbed a bottle of their Shiraz. I think the Chard is a gem and I held hopes for the grape that Australia greatly appreciates and grows well. As far as the card game, I won enough to cover my food vig and walked out with a few dollars, though I ate none of the growing platter of Italian pastries, nor did I bloat myself with cold cuts and cheese, nor did I drink anything other than the wine I brought so I guess I did it for the love of the game. By the way, what do you call the game when you hold your cards up to your forehead so everyone else can see your hand and why is it that only one-eyed Jacks are wild?
1997 Wynns
Conawarra Estates Shiraz $
(12.00)
October 26, 2001 Fridays are
meant for lunches that extend just beyond the 1-hour limit.
This is based on the simple fact that 3 people cannot drink 2 bottles of
wine with reverence for the liquid nectar in 1 HOUR.
For those non-wine drinking bosses out there, I’m sorry, but with the
economy still reeling, drinking wine helps drive the economy.
I was drinking for the good of the country. Looking for a new twist, it was a Zinfandel lunch.
This was a great comparison of Zins; too bad I had to go back to work 1998
Rombauer El Dorado Zinfandel $$
28.00 1997
Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve Zinfandel $$ (25.00) October 25, 2001 The information I know about Champagne could fit into a thimble, and Wino John tells me that my wine knowledge is not much better than that. But last evening I read an interesting article about what you Champagne lovers are in for. Yes the world of Cult Champagnes is on the horizon with pricing that will make Dom look like a Blue Light Special. Little did I know that Champagne’s beauty lies within the fact that grapes for the Premier Champagnes could come from a hundred different vineyards to get the right blending for consistency. Since The Champagne region is so far north, the weather could destroy a crop of a vineyard with a simple rain. But now, leaders in the Champagne region are designing cuvees and commanding 3 times the price of the Premium brands out of these single vineyard productions. The move is away from the 100,000 bottling of typical champagne houses to designer 4000-bottle pressings presented in 100% silk wraps and appealing to the collector market. The only Champagne I have enjoyed is La Grande Dame 1989 and 1990, but now my curiosity is peaked by the Screaming Eagle marketing style of the trendy Champagne houses.. October 21, 2001 My entire
interest in doing this web page involves the special times that result from the
uncorking of a bottle of wine. Wine
enhances the conversation with family and friends whether you are sitting on the
porch in the late afternoon sun of an August Saturday evening; or you’re
having a business meeting at a fine restaurant in a city you are visiting for
the first time. No matter what the
circumstance, wine has become an important part that makes the times special.
Since I started pecking out these small, mindless entries, I have always
shared a positive story regarding the situation I found myself in.
However, this past week, I had the occasion of sharing a bottle of wine
with a family friend, which turned out to be anything but happy. This person, I
met when I was 9 years old in the late 60's when my older brother set his hopes
and dreams on becoming the next hard rock band to storm the nation.
My friend was in school with my brother and played rhythm guitar to the
tunes of Black Sabbath, Mountain, Cream, Blind Faith and the Who.
As my older brother realized high school dances and local Gin Joints
would not pay for the house and car, he set out to get a real job and moved
across the country. His guitar
player and I remained friends and spent growing up together as small business
owners and recreational gun enthusiasts. This past week,
Wino Rocker and I headed up to Bacchus to talk about an invention of his he
wants me to help him market. As we
enjoyed a bottle of Red Wine, the conversation turned from business and laughter
to his recent decision to end his 27-year marriage.
In this day and age, I figured if you toughed it out past 20 years, you
just hang in for the rest out of exhaustion.
Twenty-seven years is the longer part of his life.
I guess it’s not all fun and games out there.
He just seemed to me to have the perfect marriage, always happy when we
did things as couples, yet his wife gave him the room to buy his Harley and go
on the bike rallies. Though things
will work out for the best, the bottle of wine we drank was more of a
consultation with a therapist, then a liquid enhancer.
I’m sure I will drink wine on other bad days, but this was like a punch
in the gut coming from the blind side. I’m
sure as the separation proceeds, there will be more Red Wine in Wino Rocker’s
future. 1998 Bonny
Dune Le Cigare Volant $$
(48.00 rest.) 1998 Oxford
Landing Limited Release Shiraz $
(11.00)
October 17, 2001 In the spirit
of getting back to normalcy, which has a very loose interpretation in my book, I
took my own advice, since no one else has and decided to spend time with the
Grape of the Year. For those who fell asleep in class, the grape of the year,
declared by none other than Wino Bob, is Syrah. Not wanting to break into my precious few bottles in the
cellar, I saddled up the horse and headed into town.
Hitching my stallion to the post, I took a seat at the bar in Bacchus,
yes, my long lost home away from home. It
had been several weeks since I have been there, but I am back as a fixture at
the turn of the illuminated bar. It
was like homecoming for the wayward son. They cooked the fattened calf and we drank to old times.
All is well at Bacchus and, in fact, the clientele that frequent the
restaurant is a Manhattan-style crowd. With
the difficulties of getting into the city, Bacchus has received an upturn in
their business. Though things
and personnel have changed, the core team is doing well.
Event dinners and tasting have been less frequent, but they are bringing
industry heavies in to develop their new dinners.
I missed the Rhone dinner and the Super Tuscan tasting but the NEW Super Tuscan
section on the wine menu is worth checking out. One of the
other features they are stressing is that their license allows them to sell the
wine you enjoy with dinner by the bottle or by the case.
A case of Sassicia, I will be saving my pennies… 1999 Pariaso
Springs Syrah $$
(38.00 rest.)
October 16, 2001
1997
Wynns Conawarra Estates Chardonnay $
(11.00)
October 13, 2001 Has anyone out there enjoyed the food at the Tewksbury Inn? This is a great place to enjoy a fine dinner. Their wine list is small and eclectic but I happened to be having a lamb special (I guess I eat a lot of lamb when I go out). Lamb is not a meal I would cook at home so I try different styles when I am at a nice restaurant. With lamb, my favorite wine comes in the color RED and has the spiciness to hold up well with Bo Peep’s friend. With temperatures hovering below the 60-degree mark, I grabbed a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and it was simply delicious. October
8, 2001 Bring
out your RED!!! Bring out your Red!!! Yes, Monty Python and Wino Bob proclaim
it’s time to bring out your RED. Wino
Wally told me that Reds were too heavy for the warm weather.
Saturday, I started drinking my last bottle of summer white wine, and
then the temperature plunged to the high 30’s at night.
The air in the neighborhood was filled with the pleasant smells of
fireplace smoke. You know, that
waxy, saw-dusty smell of the people using their fireplace for mood and effect,
but don’t want to have to stoke the wood, tend to the embers and dust out the
ash. I fired up the chimney using
old scrap pallets from work. Yes,
shipping pallets are great firewood, well dried oak. As
I settled into my comfy chair to the pleasant glow of the fire, I had to bring
out the RED. Wanting to be
blanketed in the warmth of a well-worn robe, I pulled out several bottles of
Southern Rhones. When I need Red,
my first stop in the weaning from those chilled summer whites is a Cote du Rhone
Village. I didn’t want to shock
my mouth, so I went to my French rack and found those Francophiles that I missed
all summer. Now that the snap of
fall is in the air and the moon looks brighter and closer than any other time of
the year, and football fills the TV from Saturday at 12 thru Monday at midnight,
red wine is flowing freely again in Wino Bob’s house. 1997
Wente Chardonnay $ (11.00) 1999
Domaine de la Deydiere Valreas Cuvee Maurice $
(13.99) 1997
Chateau La Verrerie Bastide-Luberon $
(11.99) 1996
Chateau Maris Minervois $ (11.00)
October 4,
2001 As I have spent
this past week trying to do the things I would normally do. I started by
attending the home opener for the football Giants and I proudly applauded the
NYFD and NYPD as they stood tall on the sidelines and participated as honorary
captains for the coin toss. The
opening ceremonies where so emotional, I had to lend my handkerchief to the
woman seated next to me. The songs
and images on the Jumbotron tore at the heart of the 78,000 fans that all are 2
degrees or less from this tragedy. The issue I am
having these days is with the marketeering of this tragedy.
K-Tel, Ontel and all you other late night infomercials, I don’t need to
be told I must be patriotic by purchasing YOUR special, all weather flag set
(all weather- does that mean plastic??). You
want to do something, step up like Annin flag company and donate flags to the
early morning channel surfers. Ontel
is actually located 2 blocks from Bacchus in Fairfield, NJ.
This, unfortunately, has given birth to other companies trying to raise
their sagging sales budgets by attaching a donation to their tag line.
I hope over the next several months we do not get into tragedy marketing
as some unscrupulous hucksters have tried to do by selling “I survived the WTC
disaster” T-Shirts on the streets of NY. Sorry for the
rant… Traveling to
Chicago for real work (until my resume is accepted from the ad on our front
page) the process at Newark airport is a bit bumpy.
Two hours is a minimum for making it through the security points in the airport
and observing the changed behavior of your fellow passengers is intriguing. For those business travelers in the audience, was your
experience something like this? The
lines were somber and watchful; no idle chat, no loud discussions or joking.
The metal detector was sensitive enough to have my filings set it off.
The feeling on the flight was that of attentiveness and caution. In turn, both legs arrived before schedule. The treat of
the trip was dinner at Morton’s, I was not paying.
I had a look at their outrageous wine list.
Impressive with the collection of premier French wines, but outrageous in
mark-up. I pity the fool paying
$46.00 for a bottle of Parallel 45 (7.00 RETAIL).
Does Silver Oak Alexander Valley Taste better paying $275.00 at a linen
clothed table in the Cramped and loud setting of Morton’s in Rosemount?
I think NOT. The wine we did enjoy was one I reviewed before and I enjoyed
it just as much. It is the
Australian Holy Trinity with a $61.00 price tag (29.00 retail) We enjoyed value
was well as flavor. The Black and
Blue Porterhouse was cooked to perfection but nine dollars for the side of
mashed potatoes and 14 dollars for sautéed spinach was a bit hard to swallow.
I was glad to be a guest for this dinner and the business discussion was
fulfilling, but I would not have eaten there on my dime, but that’s just me. O’Hare has
staffed themselves well to handle the extra security in a timely fashion and the
plane back was ¾ full. The
travelers I observed were not just the business population, but families going
or coming from vacations and friends heading out to see loved ones.
The additional time necessary for safer travel was met with cooperation
and the grumbling that would have been heaped on the United workers was
pleasantly missing; giving rise to tolerance for piece of mind. I
appreciate the time to ramble around the wine subject with the new issues that
are facing us since September 11th.
I promise to make my next entry totally wine related, especially since I
read the interesting description of the wine.com auction described in the NY
Times on October 3rd. Hoping
to raise close to 10 million dollars to get out of the current financial crunch,
wine.com only saw 600 of the anticipated 6000 bidders and the net result was
truckloads of wine selling at 10 cents on the dollar. Bargain hunters hauled in some winners and some over anxious
novices overpaid for a few top name wines, but all in all winostuff.com has
moved one rung higher on the ladder of web based wine sites. |
I hope by now
you have settled down a bit from over indulging for the Holiday Season.
Thanks to Wino
John, we now have an official Books for Winos section on the web site.
