WINE - Red, White, or Other - Discussed Here!

Started by SonicMan46, April 07, 2007, 06:14:18 PM

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Bogey

#500
Got it.  Thanks. This echoes what the wine dealer I get most of my wine from said last time I was in.  In fact, he jots down notes about different wines and how they taste after a few hours and a day or two.  Sometimes they drink better the next day.  In that case, when he opens the next bottle, he really gives it some time and usually uses a decanter.  However, he did say after about three days rarely is a wine nearly as good.  Has that been your experience?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Bogey

Quote from: SonicMan on April 03, 2010, 04:19:18 AM
In addition, letting whites (esp. more complex ones) warm up a little closer to room temperature can be a revelation.

Another great point and totally agree.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Peregrine

Just poured a bottle of Pfaffenheim Riesling down the sink. Corked, absolutely rancid smelling and tasting



Now drinking a delicious meaty, animal like Pinot from Otago - Domain Road (2006)





Yes, we have no bananas

Bogey

Yup.  Grabbing a Pinot to go with the Easter ham tomorrow.  Sorry about the corked wine.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Peregrine

Yes, we have no bananas

SonicMan46

Quote from: Bogey on April 03, 2010, 06:12:40 AM
Got it.  Thanks. This echoes what the wine dealer I get most of my wine from said last time I was in.  In fact, he jots down notes about different wines and how they taste after a few hours and a day or two.  Sometimes they drink better the next day.  In that case, when he opens the next bottle, he really gives it some time and usually uses a decanter.  However, he did say after about three days rarely is a wine nearly as good.  Has that been your experience?

Agree w/ the reds that have some 'youngness' or some age, decanting aerates the wine which often tastes more flavorful and less tannic after an hour or so.  Some even like to decant whites, esp. is there might be a little too much 'sulfur' on the nose or some volatile acidity (i.e. a little acetic acid) - often aeration and waiting will help dissipate these objectionable flavors.

Now, as to 'how long' a wine will last, I usually like to consume mine by the next day (exception for me would be ports - 20% alcohol, which can be kept around a little longer).  If I'm planning to keep some wine for much longer than a couple of days (or even overnight), I'll put the remainder in 'half' bottles - best to fill to the top - to avoid excess exposure to air; these smaller bottles can be then put in the refrigerator, even the reds - just let them warm up some - these will usually last and taste similar for 3-4 days or so; never have done any experimentation but not sure if I'd want to keep them around much longer than that amount of time.

Years ago, I used to use those cans of nitrogen gas and re-corked the bottles, but a rather crude concept that was a pain to use and doubt that it preserve wine any better than my 'smaller' bottle method in the frig!  The Cruvinet wine bar systems seen in restaurants and/or at bars certainly works, but a rather expensive choice for the home.  Of course, another solution is the 'wine in a bag' option which does not permit contact w/ air - great solution, but the wines are often pretty mediocre (but improving!).

Dave -  :D

Saul

#506
I have two favorite wines, both are red and Merlot.

First the Georgian Kindzmarauli about 13.5 Alcohol, fruity and rich with a pleasant aroma and character, goes well with Steak and Salad, or with cheese, breads and pastries...

The Kosher Version of the wine is sold for $17.50 a bottle.





My second favorite is the Israeli Yarden, Merlot. Very intense character, strong flavor and rich, winner of the Gold Medal in France. Goes well, with a fish/salad dinner, or roast chicken, and steak.  Goes from 13.5 to 15 percent alcohol.


Price : $31.50 for a bottle


Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Saul on April 04, 2010, 06:17:56 AM
I have two favorite wines, both are red and Merlot.
First the Georgian Kindzmarauli... My second favorite is the Israeli Yarden, Merlot.

Interesting. I'd like to try those. The farthest east I've ever been was a Bulgarian Merlot, purchased a few years after the Wall came down. It was ridiculously cheap (DM 3.50) but tasted great: well structured, vanilla scented from the barrique aging. Of course those post-Commie bargains didn't last long  :D

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Peregrine on April 03, 2010, 09:53:07 AM
Just poured a bottle of Pfaffenheim Riesling down the sink. Corked, absolutely rancid smelling and tasting

That's the primary reason more and more German vintners are turning to other types of closures.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: SonicMan on April 03, 2010, 01:53:28 PM
Now, as to 'how long' a wine will last...

In our house, less than an hour after the bottle is opened  ;D

Seriously, the most impressive, long-lived white wine I've tasted was a 1990 Brudersberg Riesling Spätlese trocken (dry) from Heyl zu Herrnsheim in Nierstein (Rheinhessen). It was our first time at this famous winery. We showed up after 5 p.m. (after business hours) but the owner invited us into the house and served several wines, including the last dregs from a bottle of that 1990--which he said had been open for 7 days! It tasted so good we bought two cases.

This winery has one of Germany's most famous labels:



Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Bogey

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 04, 2010, 07:01:28 AM
In our house, less than an hour after the bottle is opened  ;D

Seriously, the most impressive, long-lived white wine I've tasted was a 1990 Brudersberg Riesling Spätlese trocken (dry) from Heyl zu Herrnsheim in Nierstein (Rheinhessen). It was our first time at this famous winery. We showed up after 5 p.m. (after business hours) but the owner invited us into the house and served several wines, including the last dregs from a bottle of that 1990--which he said had been open for 7 days! It tasted so good we bought two cases.

This winery has one of Germany's most famous labels:



Sarge

Hope you are able to enjoy more wine again, Sarge.  :)
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Bogey on April 04, 2010, 07:07:41 AM
Hope you are able to enjoy more wine again, Sarge.  :)

I helped Mrs. Rock down a really good Super Tuscan the other day. Felt good afterwards. I'm still avoiding my favorite German whites for the moment (too much acid for my present condition).

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

SonicMan46

Quote from: Saul on April 04, 2010, 06:17:56 AM
I have two favorite wines, both are red and Merlot.

First the Georgian Kindzmarauli about 13.5 Alcohol, fruity and rich with a pleasant aroma and character, goes well with Steak and Salad, or with cheese, breads and pastries...

The Kosher Version of the wine is sold for $17.50 a bottle.


Saul - agree w/ Sarge - those wines indeed look interesting (and delicious!) - I used to collect a 'vertical' of the reds of Ch. Musar from Lebanon (in the Bekka Vly) - used to be written up in the Wine Spectator a lot; have not had the wine in years and not even sure if it ships into my area any more?  But cannot remember the grape proportions used - seemed to be a Bordeaux-type blend and quite tasty after a few years in the cellar.

For years, I've owned this old 4-volume VHS set by Hugh Johnson on the History of Wine (he had a book come out about the same time) - I can't even play it anymore (no longer have a VHS player in the house, and could not 'burn' it to DVD, was copy protected!)  The the first episode starts out w/ him in Georgia & the Caucasus Mountains, where he felt wine making started (at least historically - I'm sure that the process was 'stumbled upon' by man years/centuries before!  ;D) -  :)



 

Saul

Quote from: SonicMan on April 04, 2010, 08:31:00 AM
Saul - agree w/ Sarge - those wines indeed look interesting (and delicious!) - I used to collect a 'vertical' of the reds of Ch. Musar from Lebanon (in the Bekka Vly) - used to be written up in the Wine Spectator a lot; have not had the wine in years and not even sure if it ships into my area any more?  But cannot remember the grape proportions used - seemed to be a Bordeaux-type blend and quite tasty after a few years in the cellar.

For years, I've owned this old 4-volume VHS set by Hugh Johnson on the History of Wine (he had a book come out about the same time) - I can't even play it anymore (no longer have a VHS player in the house, and could not 'burn' it to DVD, was copy protected!)  The the first episode starts out w/ him in Georgia & the Caucasus Mountains, where he felt wine making started (at least historically - I'm sure that the process was 'stumbled upon' by man years/centuries before!  ;D) -  :)



 
Sonic and Sarge,

I was wowed by the Georgian Kindzmarauli, I was thinking can wine taste so good...?

This wine is so wonderful that you want to fill your glass time after time, thinking that it wont effect you, but then the alcohol kicks in, 13.5 and you can get drunk, so I suggest to have a good meal when you drink this and no more then 2 glasses, and let few hours pass if you still want to drive afterwards.

In the non Kosher wine stores here in NY there are over 20 different Georgian wines, so it seems its popular. The Kosher stores carry a number of Kosher Georgian wines, of course my favorite is Kindzmarauli, then comes the Alazanis, and they also have the Saperavi.

The Alasaniz is a very good wine but stronger then the Kindzmarauli, and its also red. The interesting thing about the Saperavi wine was that when I first drank it, I thought that I was transported back in time , like 2000 years back, it felt ancient, natural, and totally amazing. Very dry red wine, and the flavor stays on in your mouth for a while. Though Kindzmarauili won the day for me, highly recommended to any wine lover out there.

This past Passover Seder I wanted to try a new Israeli wine, so I got the Tidhar. It's a semi dry red Merlot. 13 percent alcohol, it was worth every penny.
Bottle : $15.95

Next Israeli wine I want to try is the Yogav, its fairly new, also red and the price is $35 dollars a bottle, it should be good.


Saul

#514
Another wine that I enjoyed was the Israeli Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.

This wine is one word DELICIOUS.

Price : $20.76 a bottle

Our aim in Cabernet Reserve is to create the harmonious whole, where neither the barrel nor the fruit is overpowering- but rather balanced, complex and supple. The grapes come from our vineyards in the Golan and Northern Galil. Our emphasis is on harvested at exactly the right point � to create big firm wines that maintain their fruit character without being overly alcoholic. Fermentation is traditional- where prolonged skin contact and management are custom "tailored" to each lot and its own needs. Barrel aging of 20 months, mostly French oak, brings the wine to the balanced character we seek. After barrels have been selected, they are blended and the "assemblage" is carefully prepared for bottling. The result is elegant, rich, dark and which will improve in the bottle for many years.

Then there is the Barkan Superieur Cabernet Sauvignon

The superieur version of the above mentioned (like how can they make it even better hehe)

Bottle : $58.97

This wine is Barkan's flagship Cabernet Sauvignon. It is only made in vintages of the highest quality, when our winemakers feel the wine, while in barrels, warrants producing Superieur. To date, Cabernet Sauvignon Superieur has only been released in 1995, 2000 and 2003.
The grapes originate from selected portions of our best vineyards in the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. Typically fermented in small batches with prolonged maceration on the skins, the wines are then aged for 16 to 18 months; mostly in new, French oak. The winemakers then select individual outstanding barrels and compose the final blend, creating a complex harmonious whole. The wine is then returned to new barrels, for a further six months. Following this aging, the wines is very gently fined and filtered before bottling. The bottles are laid down to rest for an additional six months before being released.
Typical tasting notes:
Dark, almost impenetrable royal purple, firm, concentrated. Full-bodied, with soft, gently mouth coating spicy tannins, showing intense aromas and flavors of black currants, blackberries and black cherries, with hints of dates, sage and near-sweet cedar wood. The wine finishes long with a burst of minerals and black fruit. This is a wine with finesse and harmony, yet rich and concentrated: a truly hedonistic delight

Then there is the Merlot version of this Barkan called : Barkan Merlot Superieur

Bottle :$52.50


This wine is sourced from our best plots in the Upper Galilee, with its core coming from a mountainous vineyard, 700m high, right on the Lebanese border.
Several elements have joined together to create this unique wine: a great terroir, in a great vintage, materialized through the know-how and passion of Barkan's winemaking team.
Just as with the Cabernet Sauvignon Superieur, the Merlot Superieur isn't made every year; until now 1998, 2000, 2002 and now 2004, gave us wines of the quality and statement we look for in our Merlot Superieur.
The different lots composing this wine were picked at the height of maturity and fermented in small batches, with 3 weeks of maceration allowing a full extraction of the grapes' riches into the wine. After malolactic fermentation, the wines were put in barrels, mostly of new, French oak. At the final blending, executed after 16 months of aging, 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon wine from the Dishon Vineyard was included.
The wine was bottles after light fining and filtration.
Typical tasting notes:
The robe is deep crimson with a fresh, purple hue.
The nose boasts deep, focused, sweet black berries: smoky blackberry, black cherry and cassis fruit, ripe plums with some sweet, oriental spices and elegant oaky notes.
It is a complex bouquet, with the oak receding to leave the centre of the stage to beautiful, lush fruit.
The palate is massive, endowed with concentrated, powerful fruit enveloping a firm tannic structure. Redolent of black berries and cherries, those on a light background of red peppers and vanilla, as well as an earthy-mineral note, all leading to a long smooth, mouth-filling finish.




Peregrine

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on April 04, 2010, 06:45:03 AM
That's the primary reason more and more German vintners are turning to other types of closures.

Sarge

I can honestly say that the day all wine is sealed by stelvin type closures, then I will be a happy man...
Yes, we have no bananas

MishaK

Quote from: Saul on April 04, 2010, 06:17:56 AM
...

Saul, you might be interested to know that the first and foremost grower in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, Dr. Konstantin Frank, grows a magnificent Rkatsiteli up there - another very interesting Caucasian varietal comparable perhaps to a very aromatic Gewürztraminer. It's a superb and very unique wine.


Bogey



2007 for this Australian bottle (Coldstream Hills).  This is the pinot I brought to dinner last night to go with the ham.  No other takers so brought half a bottle back and having a glass as I type.  Not fruity at all, IMO.  The grapes alone(?) come through with a hint of smokiness (as advertised).  About $20-25 for this one, so want to enjoy it without wasting and today it drinks better than yesterday and is smoother.  Seems to have a fuller flavor, if that makes sense.  Could also be that I am enjoying it without food, but either way, I am enjoying it.  Note stelvin type closure on this bottle, Peregrine. ;)
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Peregrine

Yes, we have no bananas

Saul

Quote from: Mensch on April 05, 2010, 05:49:40 PM
Saul, you might be interested to know that the first and foremost grower in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, Dr. Konstantin Frank, grows a magnificent Rkatsiteli up there - another very interesting Caucasian varietal comparable perhaps to a very aromatic Gewürztraminer. It's a superb and very unique wine.



Very interesting.

Thank you.