mostly wine stuff

[skibob]

back a few pages I noted joining the WSJ wine club

have only tried two and as noted, I am no trained wine expert so can only state I liked it or I didn't, anyhow a month back we tried a Primitivo which we thought pretty decent. I wouldn't claim it amazing but really not bad and we thought pleasant ... the Pillastro image from fall.

thought I'd toss this out as with humor we got our second case delivered last week, We're midwest and most wineries ship spring/fall only due to either heat or cold .. well, I noted to my spouse to open the box prior to signing off on it. It did get delayed a few days but Fed Ex (or WSJ) didn't account that ~-30F lows or even the high of day being ~-15F (yes, that was the official high) may be detrimental to wine - opps! Ah well, new shipment coming without any hassle.

I still find it fun to get wines to try even if they're not all 90+ and given some posts and my experience, don't always trust an official rating


View attachment 64687 View attachment 64685

Oooof. I can't believe they didn't use an insulated shipper at least. Probably wouldn't have saved you in this instance. But c'mon, at least pretend to try .

On another note, if you can find Bliss Vineyard Primitivo (Mendocino County), its a bargain around $15. Best Primitivo i've ever had. For me to prefer a CA version over an old world is highly unusual.

 

[Mendieta]

On another note, if you can find Bliss Vineyard Primitivo (Mendocino County), its a bargain around $15. Best Primitivo i've ever had. For me to prefer a CA version over an old world is highly unusual.

For some reason I always think of Primitivo as Italy. I think the grapes are supposed to be almost identical? So, for me Primitivo is how red zin should taste to my palate. A little more restrained, a little more mineral. Basically, more balanced so you don't just get a fruit bomb

 

[skibob]

For some reason I always think of Primitivo as Italy. I think the grapes are supposed to be almost identical? So, for me Primitivo is how red zin should taste to my palate. A little more restrained, a little more mineral. Basically, more balanced so you don't just get a fruit bomb

Yes. THey are ALMOST identical. Both are actually descendants (clones) of a Croatian grape called Crljenak (paging @cantunamunch to the pronunciation hotline). But they are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of years separated. So, kind of the way "Old English" was actually "Old German", there's been some divergence. A more literal comparison would be Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier. Grape geneticists consider Crljenak, Zinfandel, and Primitivo to all be different "sports" or "mutations". But, since these are all clones, words like "cousins" really are not accurate. Ironically, most of the "primitivo" in the US was imported fairly recently.

EDIT: I should probably clarify that all of the pinot XXXXX are mutations of Pinot Noir. But are now distinctly different. There are really no human terms for the relationship. Unless of course you can cut off a leg and grow a new you. And then you do this millions of times until one of them spontaneously mutates into something kind of like your evil (or good) twin.

 

[cantunamunch]

Lj is like Spanish ll as in llorona; C is the ts sound of tsar. The r is not quite Spanish rr but definitely voiced - in that position it counts as a vowel.

Say Ts-rr-ll-eh-nuk and you're in the proper ballpark.

(FWIW I only know Crljenak as a watery acidic almost vinegar brewed in the konoba/boat shed by goitered shriveled oldsters, I have no idea what you could do with modern growth and civilized yeasts)

The only actual animal critters I can associate your genetics summary with are -appropriatelyI suppose- starfish. Pretty sure they can do that sort of thing.

 

[Mendieta]

Lj is like Spanish ll as in llorona;

You obviously haven't been to Buenos Aires. "No shores por mi Argentina ..."



Thanks for the education, though!

 

[cantunamunch]

You obviously haven't been to Buenos Aires. "No shores por mi Argentina ..."



Thanks for the education, though!

To be corrected, though I hope you don't mind if I bump off to a beach in Uruguay shortly thereafter

 

[Mendieta]

To be corrected, though I hope you don't mind if I bump off to a beach in Uruguay shortly thereafter

'tis the season!

 

[Uncle-A]

This was the bottle that was wrapped in chocolate that I posted in the combination thread were I said wine and chocolate.

 

[pete]

Oooof. I can't believe they didn't use an insulated shipper at least. Probably wouldn't have saved you in this instance. But c'mon, at least pretend to try .

On another note, if you can find Bliss Vineyard Primitivo (Mendocino County), its a bargain around $15. Best Primitivo i've ever had. For me to prefer a CA version over an old world is highly unusual.

sad, none I noted in my area. Seem to recall the Bliss name but alas ... none ; (


Had a Argentine Alma Andina Malbec that was pretty good. Wasn't overly sweet, which I try to say away from. One of the WSJ replacement bottles that came yesterday.

 

[skibob]

sad, none I noted in my area. Seem to recall the Bliss name but alas ... none ; (


Had a Argentine Alma Andina Malbec that was pretty good. Wasn't overly sweet, which I try to say away from. One of the WSJ replacement bottles that came yesterday.

I should insert a shout out to Deerfield Ranch Winery (Kenwood--Sonoma Valley) in this thread. Their winemaker is best friends with my wife. She is up with us at Donner Lake this weekend to ski (her first time). SHe's been up with us before, but her kids have been too small. I am taking the older ones skiing on the mountain while my wife is hooking her up with a lesson.

She is Argentinian, so i assume she'll take to it like a @Mendieta on a snowy mountain .

BTW, it was the mention of Malbec that made me think of this!

 

[pete]

I should insert a shout out to Deerfield Ranch Winery (Kenwood--Sonoma Valley) in this thread. Their winemaker is best friends with my wife. She is up with us at Donner Lake this weekend to ski (her first time). SHe's been up with us before, but her kids have been too small. I am taking the older ones skiing on the mountain while my wife is hooking her up with a lesson.

She is Argentinian, so i assume she'll take to it like a @Mendieta on a snowy mountain .

BTW, it was the mention of Malbec that made me think of this!

Hope the outing was grand and snow was kind!

envy you ... wine and skiiing, and more so knowing wines and having insiders.

ah well. Oh, posted my "Rodney Strong" back a bit. Didn't scale it correct as I got is due to being a great price for what I consider decent and is a large format for when we have a gathering of family .. big bottle fun as well as being a bit sillyl.

She's not a Chihuahua, Basenji .... Fox Terrier sized, bottle is a 3L, Glass is form set long ago ... also the large formatted ones, will hold nearly a 750ml if topped.

 

[pete]

Well, any reason is a good reason to up the game to a fancier bottle - Daugher's half birthday. Went to Treana long ago on a central valley trip, almost 20 yrss ago when one really could of considered buying land and opening their own.

Now the Paso Robles area is chalk full of vineyards ... remember Treana simple as they had a bottle of Cab based chocolate syrup, man that stuff was great. Now I read that cabs are gaining and getting decent reviews in the region. 20 yrs back not that many had Cab's, we used to buy Dover Canyon years back, I wouldn't say they were spectacular but they were interesting and many we thought fun and complex and since we visited, great recollection. They moved mostly to Zin's like the rest of the region some years back. Small little place but as stated, fun due to having stopped and tasted there. On off note, back then their wine club was a 6pk, we asked for a case (I'm cheap and shipping was only $5 more) and Mary, their office manager noted we were the second to go by the case, when needing to call, she knew my name. That's about as close to connections I got .. @skibob .

Anyhow, back to the Treana, this is definitely more complex than our regular lower end house:

 

[Swede]

Österreichischer Qualitätswein. Burgenland Pinot. Decent.

 

[pete]

Impressed one can spell it .... but the picture on label is a bit disturbing

maybe served with a good pork sandwich

 

[Swede]

Impressed one can spell it .... but the picture on label is a bit disturbing

maybe served with a good pork sandwich

The label was more promising than the content, to be honest

 

[Swede]

Drinking local stuff. Tried a few varieties and they are pretty awesome actually. Difficult to find a decent beer here (when you’re a sucker for new school).

 

[Uncle-A]

I am at a party now, we just opened this and it is a pleasant surprise. It is under $20 so it is worth a try.

 

[skibob]

Going to the home of Cava (Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, Spain) in a few weeks. Anybody have any suggestions?

The primary leg of the trip is Barcelona and Girona and then over to a small town near Montpellier to visit friends. So any suggestions centered on those areas welcome too.

 

[pete]

I'm curious on Georgian wines now ... of course figure it a bit of luck to find a likable one but would be fun trying regardless.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47363702

 

[LKLA]