tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72150579554894040322024-03-05T15:08:17.846-08:00Coffee Like WineCarefully cultivated coffee beans can produce results in the cup as astounding as some of the world's best wine grapes. This blog is a modest attempt to discuss and review some interesting coffees and wines.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-5246546428997884322012-12-30T22:14:00.001-08:002012-12-30T22:14:31.576-08:00Holiday drinkingI've been off from work the past week hanging out at home with my family and enjoying the break by trying some beers, wines and punches that I've been waiting for special occasions to open/make. Some of these have been duds, unfortunately, others have been amazing -- top 10 drinks of all time. I'm not going to go through detailed tasting notes for all of these (mostly because I didn't take them for some of these -- was enjoying food & drink & company).
Let's get started --
For Christmas, I got a bottle of <a href="http://www.stgeorgespirits.com/st-george-absinthe-verte/">St. George Absinthe Verte</a>, one of my favorite booze bottles. It's intensely fennel flavored -- like Greek ouzo -- and has lots of herbal notes that make themselves apparent as you let this spirit open up with a bit of ice and water. I could drink a little of this every night and be very happy.
For Christmas, I made a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ham-with-Bourbon-Molasses-and-Pecan-Glaze-233395">bourbon pecan molasses glazed ham</a>, and popped a <a href="http://www.bluxomewinery.com">Bluxome St. Winery</a> Russian River Pinot Noire that I bought from the SF-based winery. This is one I didn't take notes on -- too busy cooking and entertaining -- but essentially I liked it because it didn't taste like a typical RRV PN. Those, in my mind, are dense, dark-fruit driven wines, lots of cola notes, that aren't as ethereal as what a Burgundy can be. This bottle was a perfect complement to the ham -- it stood up to the sticky sweet glaze without overwhelming it. I really enjoyed this bottle -- I'm remembering cranberry and cherry notes, a very light wine but totally enjoyable.
Before I popped that bottle, I did create a <a href="http://12bottlebar.com/2010/12/charles-dickenss-punch/">punch</a> from a recipe from Charles Dickens, via David Wondrich. This was the first warm punch I've made -- the others have been iced and drunk in the summer time. The punch is a combination of rum from the west indies, brandy (I was cheap and went with Korbel VSOP instead of Cognac, which costs tons more), sugar, water and lemons. Overall, everyone liked this, it felt warming and poured from the crock pot hot, but my impression was that the lemon and alcohol were the biggest components coming through. Like any warm alcoholic beverage, you're going to taste the alcohol instead of the other flavors it might have (on the other end, ice diminishes its taste). As this punch cooled, my affection for it grew. Next time, I think I'll make it the same way (I liked how lighting the whole bowl on fire for a few minutes drew out the oil from the lemon peels) and just let it naturally cool down and serve it that way with a big block of ice.
Finally, on the beer side of things I went to Beer Revolution with my brother in Oakland and tried a bunch of odd and exciting things. My favorite by far was the <a href="http://www.crookedlinebeers.com/Labyrinth.html">Labyrinth Black Ale</a> by Uinta Brewing Company. Weighing it at 13.2 percent ABV, this is a massive imperial stout, but it's so sweet and intense, it definitely stood out from the 6 glasses we shared. Lots of coffee notes, black licorice, molasses and dark chocolate. I've seen this beer for sale for about $13 at Whole Foods, and plan on picking up a few bottles to save. Would be perfect on a really cold day, or with BBQ (maybe super bowl party pairing?) or even just with desert.
Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday drinks as much as I did!
rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-88660651214923532892012-12-12T21:04:00.000-08:002012-12-12T21:04:23.916-08:00Sight Glass Ethiopia Shakiso, Mora Mora River Valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEcq5Y3g3XYL_uHhUqLB69X4xwJncQzYNnrRbxvdo-HYQKbMTyQXtLQXE3h3sWo47KOdtTDXChgRxZpxJ8FbMF-qOwSH-Eqv_1TV4eM9F1QnDhSgY1R9jbrnqXup5cGlRtrcAqyYAx83K/s1600/IMG_3580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEcq5Y3g3XYL_uHhUqLB69X4xwJncQzYNnrRbxvdo-HYQKbMTyQXtLQXE3h3sWo47KOdtTDXChgRxZpxJ8FbMF-qOwSH-Eqv_1TV4eM9F1QnDhSgY1R9jbrnqXup5cGlRtrcAqyYAx83K/s400/IMG_3580.jpg" /></a></div>
Picked <a href="http://sightglasscoffee.com/africa-1/ethiopia-shakiso-mora-mora-river-valley.html">this</a> up at Whole Foods in Oakland -- new brand for me. Was a bit pricey, $16.99 I think. But oh, what a coffee. First cup I made was a pour over and it sang so beautifully -- very light, clean. Came off like earl grey tea, in flavor and mouthfeel. I hadn't had a coffee this wonderful in years -- and I've had lots of great coffees.
Slight Glass describes it like this on their website: "An exceptionally clean cup that shows flavors of ginger, guava and tangerine, with an underlying tone of sweet caramel throughout."
Sadly, subsequent cups I've mad haven't been as orgasmic. I've made it in a french press, as an espresso and as a pour over again. All very delicious, but nothing as wonderful as that first cup.
I'll definitely try other coffees by this brand though. Check them out if you have a chance.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-62612201506763364432012-12-01T22:00:00.001-08:002012-12-01T22:00:38.234-08:00$7 cup of coffee at Starbucks?And not some foo-foo drink either -- legit coffee. It's the Geisha varietal, originally from Ethiopia and lost for decades until it reappeared in Panama early last decade (or, more accurately, re-classified) and became world renowned a few years ago when it sold for an astounding $100+ at a specialty coffee auction. I <a href="http://coffeelikewine.blogspot.com/2008/07/famed-esmeralda.html">detailed</a> a cool experience I had drinking this in 2008 with George Howell at Terroir Coffee outside of Boston.
My tasting notes at the time read: "Very light in color, and looked tea-like in its transparency. That comparison was apt because the smell and taste reminded me of Darjeeling tea. That was followed by a striking citrus flavor that mellowed out to a buttery richness in the finish. Beautiful."
Starbucks is not going to be selling this coffee. What they are selling is a geisha from the farm of <a href="http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-11-29/finance/35430256_1_kenneth-davids-alisa-martinez-coffee-business">Costa Rica Finca Palmilera</a>. They're also going to be brewing it in their Clover coffee machine, a high precision box that allows the user to control the temperature down to the tenth of a degree and seep time down to seconds. It was the darling of the third wave roasters until Starbucks bought the business and then people started pissing on them for it. But it's still a great innovation for coffee brewing.
I tried to get a cup of this special coffee last week in San Francisco but the Starbucks near my office didn't have it yet; they said try next week. While I'm excited to see what this tastes like, my concern is that like most of their coffees, including their specialty brews for the clover, it will be over roasted and charred. In lieu of the geisha coffee, I got a sun dried Ethiopian, one of my favorite types of coffees. It was just ok -- acidity was lacking, and the flavors were a shadow of sun dried (ie - "natural" processed beans) that I've had at small roasters who take a much lighter touch. But still very curious to see how this Costa Rican turns out. rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-47325167524135869122012-11-24T07:32:00.001-08:002012-11-24T07:32:20.206-08:00T-day recapEnded up bringing a Torrontes, a rose from the Loire, and an Anderson Valley pinot noir. The Torrontes didn't get opened, as the hosts had already popped a Kendal Jackson Chardonnay, which was quite lovely, and a super bargain at around $10. Food & Wine came to the same conclusion in their recent issue. Generally speaking, I avoid wines made this widely, since they usually overdo the oak (or oak chips, put in bags that are soaked in the wine, instead of more expensive oak barrels) and end up tasting like popcorn butter straight from the spigot. This wine was very lovely though, aged in French Oak (imparts more subtle hints of vanilla and other spices than American oak), with a good balance of tropical fruit, vanilla and baking spices. I'd like to buy a case of this as a house white.
The rose was forgettable -- as they usually are.
The red was a non-vintage <a href="https://shop.lazycreekvineyards.com/">pinot noir</a> from Lazy Creek Vineyards. Didn't expect too much from this wine either but it was a pleasant surprise -- light, great acidity, perfect match for the smogasborg of food without being flashy or getting in the way.
rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-83476373670624238982012-11-20T23:25:00.001-08:002012-11-20T23:25:09.688-08:00ThanksgivingOK, this is going to be a lame post. Lame because every wine columnist publishes a Thanksgiving column about what to drink during this holiday, and they either ALWAYS recommend Riesling and Pinot Noir, or try to find some obscure varietal that wine hipsters are currently hot on. This year, I bet it's <a href="http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2012/06/08/a-revival-for-white-zinfandel/">white zin</a> -- and not the crappy kind, the new hipster bottle being made by Christina Turley. It's something wine geeks like me are excited about because it's so contrarian -- high end white zine! You can only get it at the winery, or at restaurants like A16. A friend of mine visited the winery and got me a bottle -- they're not too expensive, about $20 each. I've been holding on to mine to try with another hipster favorite, a foodie version of mac & cheese or grilled cheese. What better combo than two typically low brow items done upscale?
Sorry for the tangent -- back to T-day. We're going to a relative's house, and my task is to bring a light app and wine. I'm also on a tight budget with three kids, so I need to find good values that can also impress. Ideally, I'd like to bring three bottles -- a sparkling wine, a rich white or rose, and then a red. Preferably a J Vineyards sparkler, maybe a Jordan Chard, and then a Beaujolais But I have to rely on what I already have on hand. So that probably means a Torrontes, a Barolo and perhaps a sweet Bordeaux dessert wine (white).
Still figuring it all out though. rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-66432805641741452392012-11-14T21:27:00.001-08:002012-11-14T21:27:58.541-08:00Some missesTwo bottles in a row! Not fun. I'm talking about opening wine that totally....sucks. Just bad. And not bad, but foul, very off.
Both bottles are ones I got at a discount store. One has been pretty good in the past, but this particular bottle, a grenache from Australia, tasted sour, and very bubbly. I've drunk a lot of wine, and plenty of bad wine, but this was just awful. Spit it out, dumped it. Because the wine tasted a little like fermenting wine, I'm assuming that the fermentation got stuck and never finished off.
The second was a cab, also from Australia (trend?) It didn't start off bad, but the finish just fell apart -- had a figgy, flat flavor that seemed like it was ruined somehow.
My powers of description are failing me tonight, but trust me, none of these were worth trying again. Hate wasting wine though.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-21457280084634594992012-11-12T17:02:00.001-08:002012-11-12T17:02:48.685-08:00Should you decant?Yes! I should just end this post here, but to expand briefly -- decanting can add elements to a wine that aren't present initially when you pop the cork. Sometimes there's a foul odor or off flavors that disapate, other times the exposure to oxygen can bring more life to the wine.
I wanted to post this as an add-on to what The Reverse Wine Snob said on his site yesterday -- see <a href="http://www.reversewinesnob.com/2012/11/does-decanting-make-difference-wine-gifts-Thanksgiving.html">here</a>.
The key thing I wanted to point out in his post was that he doesn't review wines until they've been decanted for a day. I tend to drink wines for a few days as well and update my notes as I go along. While this process probably wouldn't work if I was reviewing wines full time for a pub like Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast, given the amount of wines they need to taste a year, what you loose in that process is the changing nature of wine over the course of a few hours or days. When you taste, it's a snapshot in that wine's brief exposed life. It's a picture in time that's constantly changing.
I've had <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-07/bordeaux-fights-price-fear-with-buff-tastings-labels-under-50.html">numerous wines </a>that tasted bad for a few hours or even a day, not revealing themselves until enough air had been able to work it's magic. And I've had wines that I liked better four days later (although rare). Without waiting, or with a quick sip and spit, as critics often do at big tastings (myself included) you can sometimes miss the gems.
Just something to keep in mind. rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-20453803302127440782012-11-08T08:59:00.000-08:002012-11-08T08:59:00.871-08:00Amazon WineLooks like Amazon is finally selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_366107282_3?ie=UTF8&node=2983386011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=top-1&pf_rd_r=A3939280B08A4FE89BA1&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_p=1413046962&pf_rd_i=wine">wine</a>. The company announced a few years ago it was going to make a big push in this area, but after looking at the logistics -- needing to have warehouses in many states, dealing with prohibition-era laws and regulations in a state-by-state basis, they decided to pull out. So apparently they think they have figured it out. Just checking out the site, you see that they are starting to deliver to some states right now, and will likely expand to more later. I also see they have a broad selection of variatels -- 25 tannats! and some big names as well, like Hall, Flora and Coppola.
The key is, will they be able to compete with Wine.com -- which just made its first <a href="http://pr.wine.com/2011/06/wine-com-announces-25-percent-growth-first-ever-profits-and-seventh-straight-year-as-top-internet-wine-retailer/">profit </a>after a decade in the business last year.
And are online wine buyers (like me) too used to flash sale sites like Wines Til Sold Out, Invino, Lot18, etc that offer steep discounts to pay for anything that seems to be full price?
We'll have to wait and see. Still, more competition can't hurt, so this should be a good thing. rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-52680197324434959582012-11-06T10:14:00.001-08:002012-11-06T10:14:50.153-08:00StemwareBeen suffering from a bit of a cold this week, so my ability to accurately gauge scents and flavors of wine has been somewhat diminished. Doesn't mean I haven't been trying though!
But wanted to talk about another important aspect of tasting wine -- what you drink it out of. Now some, such as Robert Parker, proclaim Reidel glasses can help a wine express more nuance than, say, a coffe mug. Studies have been done to prove this and they haven't backed up those claims. Still, when you're doing a comparison in person, it's hard not to smell and taste a difference from a proper wine glass versus a plastic cup or some other vessel. Is this simply the mind playing tricks on us?
Whether the effect is real or not, I do like drinking from a wine glass with a big bowl, in order to do a vigorous swirl, and a short stem so it doesn't feel so tall and awkward in my hand. After going through several brands, I have found one that is my personal favorite: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Schott-Zwiesel-Stemware-Collection-27-9-Ounce/dp/B00284AKCY">Schott Zwiesel Tritan Cru Classic</a>. Not only are they big but delicate, they're also cheap -- roughly $10-$12 a glass. They're also dishwasher safe, unlike some of the higher end Riedel glasses -- one of their $100 stems actually broke while I was carefully hand washing it! Quite the dissapointment. rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-81303590268896305552012-11-04T15:08:00.000-08:002012-11-04T15:08:32.900-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Had a chance to stop by a relatively new brew pub, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elevation-66-Brewing-Company/161621110523403">Elevation 66</a> in El Cerrito today. They were out of their mild stout, but lucky for me they had a more intense one on tap, "Old 66," an imperial stout, with a 9.5 percent ABV. That's more my speed. While I typically prefer rich, dry and oily stouts in the colder months, today's high 60s complimented this beverage's lighter texture despite the high ABV. It didn't feel heavy on the tongue at all. I was actually surprised at how refreshing this beer was. Had notes of coffee and dark chocolate, as to be expected, but also some interesting fruit notes as well. The owner told me they're aging some of this in barrel as well and should release it in 8 weeks or so -- would love to come back and try that. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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They also had on the board a blood orange apple cider from Two Rivers. I had to try it. Came out looking like strawberry soda. This very light and dry, unexpected for a cider, and the apple notes weren't that dominant. Instead the blood orange and other citrus notes really shown through. The carbonation reminded me of soda, very effervescent, big bubbles, unlike the craft beer I usually drink. Not sure I could drink a whole glass of this, but it was interesting approach to cider. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally, I got a sample of their Rye Barrel Red. I don't typically go for this style of beer, but wanted to see how it turned out with some age on it. I really liked it -- there was some slight bing cherry notes in the glass, and the hops came through clean and bright. I'd definitely give this a second shot.
Oh, and the food was excellent as well - had some smoky pork tacos: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-43536345507916451072012-11-03T17:42:00.000-07:002012-11-03T17:42:39.841-07:00Well, it certainly has been a while since I've last posted on this blog -- nearly three years. What's kept me away? Mostly family -- I'm now up to three little children, 5 years old and younger, and getting sleep, staying coherent at work and of course, spending time with my family have erased most of my free time. But I really do miss writing about coffee and wine, so I'm gearing up to post again on a regular basis. I've had some amazing wine adventures during my blogging blackout, so I'll be sharing some of those (including tasting a 1947 Bealieu Napa Pinot Noir, a Domaine de la Romanee Conti Vosne-Romanee and countless verticals). On the coffee side of things, I've been exploring some new brands, like Roast Co. and Handsome Coffee Roasters. And My interest in other beverages has grown as well. I'm still a big fan of intense beers like IPAs and imperial stouts; and have fallen in love with the artisinal cocktail scene thriving in the SF Bay area. And while I'm not mixing and shaking and stirring my own creations at home, I have begun recreating historic punches for parties from David Wondrich's "Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl."
So expect to see more from me soon. OK, off to enforce potty time. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-4205266672460627802010-01-02T17:27:00.000-08:002010-01-02T18:01:37.546-08:00A New Year, a New Beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnZcfCl_LH4lo8zbaOXxjj-IfKVBkXQbNJ8JQmHZE248lAQxHJ5n4VoxNbN8iLv_i57iPsg5Mi_Se3ODA6-aZ_09PRAfRpNVO4o4GY-I1XE6hlpSIb74AK4AQ8SjeZwnh1B1coE5MY6Eu/s1600-h/nakedpint.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnZcfCl_LH4lo8zbaOXxjj-IfKVBkXQbNJ8JQmHZE248lAQxHJ5n4VoxNbN8iLv_i57iPsg5Mi_Se3ODA6-aZ_09PRAfRpNVO4o4GY-I1XE6hlpSIb74AK4AQ8SjeZwnh1B1coE5MY6Eu/s400/nakedpint.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422327875554869122" /></a><br /><br />Happy 2010! Last year was a good one for me. My second child was born, a son, Rowan, and professionally, I was able to publish several wine reviews. But I've also slowly gotten more into craft beer, especially after getting, and quickly finishing, a book called "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Pint-Unadulterated-Guide-Craft/dp/0399535349/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262482688&sr=8-1">The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer</a>" by two <a href="http://www.foodgps.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/christina-perozzi-and-hallie-beaune.jpg">beautiful</a> beer sommeliers, Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune (check out their photos in the book jacket - I showed it to some guys at work who were like - "that's not what we imagined a female beer sommelier would look like.")<br /><br /> The book offers a great entry into the world of different beer styles, and offers suggestions and food pairings along the way. I really enjoyed the book, especially the history behind how certain styles emerged over the past few hundred years, and think it is a great primer for people interested in learning more about the field of craft beer, even if, like me, you've been drinking the stuff occasionally for a few years already. <br /><br />It really inspired me to seek out some beers I wouldn't normally try, such as Belgian ales and funky, sour beers. Luckily I did, because I enjoyed them tremendously - in particular, a Reutberger export Dunkel that brought some serious ripe banana and fruit scents on the nose, and a barnyard funk in the glass. I also had my first saison, a farmhouse ale that nearly went extinct but is being revived. I can't remember the name of the brewer (I got it at <a href="http://www.lucky13alameda.com/">Lucky 13</a> in Alameda), but the beer had a striking orange rind taste with other citrus accents.<br /><br />I always hated beer growing up because what I had access to before reaching the legal drinking age was horrible watered down beer-flavored water. I'm thinking about you, Natty Light. It wasn't until I tried an oatmeal stout years ago that my eyes were open to what beer could be. Since I love chocolate, any beer called mocha porter attracted my attention. Since moving to the Bay Area four years ago, I have been able to deepen my appreciation for craft beer by visiting all of the wonderful brew pubs in the area. Plus, the Whole Foods in Oakland has an amazing selection. I can go there and just read all the labels and shelf talkers for hours. My latest finds there have been Ten Fifty, a black as night, thick as tar beer that tastes chocolately and malty. Their selection has also allowed me to delve deeper into the world of extreme hopped-beers, which I also love. <br /><br />I've been finding myself reaching for craft beer lately to pair with certain meals instead of bottles of wine. Still trying to determine appropriate matches, and tonight, I'm going to see how chicken chili matches with a Green Flash Barleywine. I'll let you know how it goes. <br /><br />But again, happy new year, and good drinking in 2010!rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-42466072601174112572009-12-30T15:31:00.000-08:002009-12-30T16:09:46.698-08:00Les Clos 2006 Perdus "Prioundo" Corbières<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbEQUu-v8xabhHtff1i52BDgiJpqNsazaNmbwbfK7cg56VnPdDYI46rF3kldrvm6td4f2eiRLaZAtaxMa5-393ld1ZW3BsoKrv0eE08vRko7_lI96vr2bDIjgTIX4y8KG0wb7POJQSL_q/s1600-h/Prioundo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbEQUu-v8xabhHtff1i52BDgiJpqNsazaNmbwbfK7cg56VnPdDYI46rF3kldrvm6td4f2eiRLaZAtaxMa5-393ld1ZW3BsoKrv0eE08vRko7_lI96vr2bDIjgTIX4y8KG0wb7POJQSL_q/s400/Prioundo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421182017794531154" /></a><br />Absolutely beautiful <a href="http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1048072">wine</a>. Picked this up from K&L Wines in San Francisco after browsing the shelf talkers. A few facts sold me on this wine, including the fact that it is biodynamic, was the nice description about where the grapes come from: <br /><br />"Les Clos Perdus is a small winery based in the village of Peyriac de Mer in the Languedoc region of the South of France. Founded by Paul Old and Hugo Stewart, Les Clos Perdus (Lost Vineyards) mission is to discover and nurture select parcels of old vines, scattered throughout the hillsides. Many of these small vineyards had been disregarded by larger producers because of their isolation, their low cropping potential and their inability to be machine worked. Their ultimate goal is to produce distinctive well balanced wines of the very highest quality. Prioundo contains 70% Grenache, 30% Cinsault from select vineyards in the Corbières hills, near the village of Villesèque."<br /><br />I found a funky, earthy nose, with virant red berry flavors focused on sweet red cherries balanced by smoky tobacco and spice notes on the finish. Wonderful acidity. <br /><br />While the debate about whether biodynamics has an effect on wine is fierce, I for one certainly think there is. Now, I'm not saying I can spot a wine made biodynamically if tasting blind, but what I do find when I try "BD" wines is that they don't taste too perfect, and this is a good thing. <br /><br />The more wines I drink, the more I appreciate uniqueness, while earlier I might have settled for sameness in experience. There are some wines that I've drunk recently that I perhaps didn't think tasted so great, but found them fun to drink because they were so different from anything I've ever tried before (a slightly oxidized white wine from Hungary comes to mind, from <a href="http://acoterestaurant.com/menus/wines.shtml">A Cote</a>).<br /><br />BD wines, at least the ones I've tried, typically have an earthy note some where in the aroma and beautiful vibrant fruit flavors. I don't get tired fruit notes like other wines. They all seem to have soul, if you will, which can be missing from mass produced wines. I know I'm probably not making much sense here as I'm grasping at the appropriate way to describe what I mean, but try a biodynamic wine and see if you get the same thing. There are many beautifully made wines that seem competent, but they lack the extra "oomph" that pushes them beyond just tasty. The BD wines I've had all seem to have that quality.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-46255903744407373622009-12-20T08:57:00.000-08:002009-12-20T09:08:12.585-08:00Ethiopia Mordecofe Natural ProcessIt seems like Four Barrel is really hitting its stride when it comes to roasting fresh coffee beans. I am currently enjoying their <a href="http://store.fourbarrelcoffee.com/product/ethiopia-mordecofe-natural-process">Ethiopia Mordecofe Natural Proces</a>s and it's showing wonderful blueberry and apricot notes and a striking citrus-like acidity. In the past, their coffees seemed tired and roasted at levels that didn't fully show their best flavors. <br /><br />Natural process means the coffee cherry fruit was left attached to the bean (as opposed to being removed as is more typical in the washed process) and as a result, the coffee has more funky fruit flavors that might have been gone otherwise. Though interestingly enough, the acidity remains, which tends to be muted when made in this manor. <br /><br />So far I've prepared this coffee in an inverted aeropress, french press, and in espresso form. My only attempt at pulling this coffee was a failure, I choked my poor Gaggia, requiring 56 seconds to get maybe half the amount of a single shot. So I'll retry that soon and figure out how to properly dial this thing in (still, the espresso I got tasted great with steamed milk - the blueberry flavor shown through like a spotlight in fog). I liked this as a french press, but overall the flavors seemed muted a bit. The inverted aeropress version I'm drinking this morning is the best preparation so far - bright acidity, wonderfully sharp flavors, and a nice clean cup. <br /><br />Priced at $13, Four Barrel describes this coffee's taste as "Intense strawberry throughout, blueberry and apricot jam, passion fruit, apricot, and vanilla cookie."rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-56014583131543795752009-12-15T20:52:00.000-08:002009-12-18T15:36:48.683-08:00Robert Stemmler 2006 Estate Pinot Noir Carnaros<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSacfcP9sNZoj7nMz_4oo7ZSHVOGBsJYN-KkhqOBsawJwP4m0P3dinswb9lbIWGRTlVrWjJ-jD30Normx_iDMBjnakYu6LDB1BGiBRGmvMWHtHWO18RdS2f2NXO-o2RfpHEx-jr1tN0iM/s1600-h/stemmler+pn.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 155px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSacfcP9sNZoj7nMz_4oo7ZSHVOGBsJYN-KkhqOBsawJwP4m0P3dinswb9lbIWGRTlVrWjJ-jD30Normx_iDMBjnakYu6LDB1BGiBRGmvMWHtHWO18RdS2f2NXO-o2RfpHEx-jr1tN0iM/s400/stemmler+pn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416724265729668850" /></a><br />Picked up this wine from <a href="http://www.wine.com">Wine.com</a>'s shop in Berkeley for $19.99, down from it's original $36. Wasn't entirely certain this would be a good offering given my poor track record with sub-$20 pinots, but the label was<br />beautiful, the producer was one I thought I'd heard of being good, and the<br />in-store write up didn't mention "a touch of wood" in the tasting notes like the <br />other wine I was considering (whenever I see that I shudder because it usually<br />means the wine is over oaked).<br /><br />When I got home and looked up what the producer had to say about the <a href="http://www.robertstemmlerwinery.com/trade_media/PDFs/06pinotTD.pdf">2006 growing season</a>, it bothered the crap out of me. The problems with the season seemed biblical in nature - flooding, "brutal" hot weather, and an overabundant crop that was picked late in the season caused me to think the wine would be thin and taste like raisin-flavored vodka. <br /><br />Lucky for me, the wine was excellent, displaying an earthy nose with petrol and<br />cherry notes, which echoed in the glass. There was hints of black liquorish <br />on the finish. The winery did a good job of "aggressive" green pruning, so that the remaining berries were able to display great flavor and not the watered down taste I expected. <br /><br />I really liked this wine and think it's a great deal for under $20.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-70233125798612306872009-11-28T08:46:00.000-08:002009-11-28T09:03:07.935-08:00Four Barrel Ethiopia Sidamo MordecofeMy appreciation for <a href="http://www.fourbarrelcoffee.com/">Four Barrel Coffee</a> continues to climb the more I visit their shop on Valencia and 16th St. in San Francisco. Initially wowed by the atmosphere, machinery and great minds behind the shop's concept during my first <a href="http://coffeelikewine.blogspot.com/2008/08/four-barrel.html">visit</a> in August 2008, subsequent trips have left me disappointed with the quality of the beans that I bought to brew at home. While the desserts are fantastic (chocolate and salt donut=yum) and in cafe espresso-based drinks are nice, some of the beans just seemed <a href="http://coffeelikewine.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-barrel-duncan-estate-micro-lot-2.html">tired</a>, over-roasted or plain boring. <br /><br />But I'm an optimist. So I went back and picked up a bag of the <a href="http://store.fourbarrelcoffee.com/product/ethiopia-sidamo-mordecofe">Ethiopia Sidamo Mordecofe</a>, which was roasted on Nov. 9. The coffee, priced at $12.50, is organic and direct trade. Four Barrel's tasting notes described it as: "A clean tea-like body, with bergamot aroma, notes of raspberry lemonade, and a peachy acidity."<br /><br />I was really impressed with this bag. Showing best in a pour over, I definitely found it to have a tea-like flavor, followed by blueberries, some floral and earthy components, and a finish that hinted of oranges and a bit of lavender. Wonderful coffee and great price, definitely worth picking up.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-36612119718230754092009-11-27T14:57:00.000-08:002009-11-27T15:31:04.569-08:00Il Barbaresco 1997This is a weird one. I walked into a small, sort of dingy shop in Oakland where I had heard there were many good microbrews. I was looking to stock up on some odd and unique beers for a pizza and brew night with another couple when I came across a shelf near the register of a wine with a simple red label with white lettering that said "Il Barbaresco." <br /><br />Didn't see anything else except the DOCG ring on the top of the bottle. On the back is the producer's name, "Tenuta San Mauro," and the year 1997. The price? just $3.99. Yes, that's not $39.99 or $399.99, but a measily four bucks. <br /><br />"What the deal with this wine?" I asked, incredulously, to the shop keeper. <br />"Oh yes it's very good," he said. But how did he get it? Was a distributor dumping unsold older wines? Was it a fire sale? Were they actually in a fire? I had tons of questions and no one to really ask, since the clerk didn't seem aware of the wine's history. The shop's wine selection itself was much less impressive than it's amazing beer offerings. Most of the wine bottles were under $10-mass produced picks that you'll find at any corner liquor store. So suddenly out of no where they're pulling out a 1997 Barbaresco? The bottle looked brand new too, and in fact I assumed it was either a non-vintage (which I'm not even sure they make for Barbarescos) or some misprint with the label. Why would the vintage be on the back? And again, how did this little shop get the wine? WTF?<br /><br />Barbaresco is made from the Nebbiolo grape, the same grape used to make Italy's famed Barolos. Known for it's spiciness and rich cherry flavors, Barbarescos are considered more feminine than Barolos, though they can get expensive, and can age for decades. Just looking at wine searcher, I see about two dozen 1997 Barbarescos priced from $30 to $112.<br /><br />The Nebbiolo grape can make extremely tannic wines, with high acidity and sour flavors, so if you drink them too young, they can be unappealing. DOCG status means this wine had to see at least two years of aging (at least one year in oak) before being released, and the grapes must come from Italy's northwestern Piedmont region.<br /><br />Anyway, I jumped at the chance to try a 12-year old Barbaresco for $3.99. If it was horrible, oxidized, or somethinge else, then I'm not losing out that much. <br /><br />What I got was a mixed bag. When I poured this wine, I saw a pretty brick color, indicating the wine has seen some age. After letting it get some air, I found massive earthy aromatics, with tobacco leaf dominating other aromas of nutmeg and menthol. <br /><br />"Wonderful nose - could sniff for hours," I wrote in my journal. Got me all hot and bothered for some awesome aged Barbaresco for four freakin' dollars!!!!!!<br /><br />Yet this where the disappointment set in. The wine itself tasted a lot like the aromas I found in the nose -- tobacco leaf, mixed spices, mentol, but after a strong attack, the wine fell apart on the mid palate, and ended in a mess of sour sour cherry and dry, busted tannins. The end result didn't even taste like it was wine - there was no fruitiness, no freshness or life at all. <br /><br />Sigh. <br /><br />Well, I'm not sad I took a chance on this, and I might even buy another bottle to see if the result is any different. The reason why I wrote this as a posting is because despite the bad vino, I love the sense of discovery that you can have with bottles like these. While I can't find any info on the producer at all online, or vintage reports from the most recent books, it's still sort of like opening a time capsule and seeing what has been stored in the bottle for all those years.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-47822330293008983782009-11-19T13:15:00.000-08:002009-11-19T13:29:43.554-08:00Cool Way to get Coffee/Wine Gifts.....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CSPN_6GMRJYxbCN0oP3LkXlEHZKsRvDXnGil3tcispwBmALPNR-v1rlTfvP5BP-cszBoOwNith8dEUp93ofpMHyNNLSmdhiyxzWTox3Ms4KdnY1W6x2AP6_OyQyB7gq1hfev-X8SiFR-/s1600/bottle.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CSPN_6GMRJYxbCN0oP3LkXlEHZKsRvDXnGil3tcispwBmALPNR-v1rlTfvP5BP-cszBoOwNith8dEUp93ofpMHyNNLSmdhiyxzWTox3Ms4KdnY1W6x2AP6_OyQyB7gq1hfev-X8SiFR-/s400/bottle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405929972689010274" /></a><br /><br />I just found the coolest thing today for helping helpless relatives buy me gifts I actually want for Christmas (yes I am that self-centered). Normally I just add stuff to my <a href="http://www.amazon.com">Amazon.com</a> wish list, and tell all the relatives who want to know what to get me to check out the list. This year it's full of books about wine. Unfortunately my time for actually reading these things has diminished since having my second child in August. <br /><br />But then I saw a little notice on the site today saying I could have a "add to wish list" button to my browser...oh....my....god.... instead of being limited to only products sold through Amazon, I can now go to any web page, and "add" a product to my wish list. <br /><br />I've spent the morning using this tool to add bottles of wine from <a href="www.klwines.com">K&L Wines</a> to my wish list, such as the<br /><a href="http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1044028">2007 Mönchhof Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese</a> for $29.99 (normally $45) off of K&L's clearance list. I'm all about sweet German rieslings ever since I wrote about them a month ago. <br /><br />I have a bevy of coffee sites to check out later today as well for special gifts I want. Wouldn't that be cool? To get a pound of a really sweet coffee or a rare or interesting (yet still affordable) bottle of wine for Christmas? I'm way to excited about this....and probably won't get either. But still! Just the idea of it!rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-90454946689399075292009-11-15T20:03:00.000-08:002009-11-15T21:02:22.446-08:00A Tale of Two WinesSo I know it's been like a long long long time since my last post, and I'm sorry. I have three excuses that I hope you'll buy. <br /><br />1) New baby<br />My son, Rowan, was born three months ago and basically any free time I had before after work to write blog posts has gone out the window. As soon as I walk in the door, I quickly change into shorts and a T-shirt (god I love the weather out here in Oakland) and then am handed a warm, squirmy, drooling infant while Rhonda takes a break. Then I make dinner, give my daughter a bath, put her down, do whatever chores I'm assigned that night, and take the baby back until he needs to feed. And then I burp him. So you see, less free time.<br /><br />2) Writing about wine for work<br />For the past few months I've been writing about wine for work, and have been receiving review samples and drinking a lot on the corporate dime, so I can't discuss those things here, unfortunately.<br /><br />3) I'm lazy/procrastinate <br /><br />Moving along swiftly to wine reviews....<br /><br />I headed over to Wine.com's shop in Berkeley a few weeks ago because they had a $50 Cote Rotie for sale, half off. Cote Rotie, which means "roasted slope," (named because of the hills the sun bakes) is located in the northern most portion of France's Rhone region. Wines are primarily made from syrah and can include some viognier, but are known for some of the Rhone's best wines, having a spicy, full berry flavor and can age incredibly well. <br /><br />The wine in question was the 2004 Domaine Duclaux. Now, I figured it was on sale for a reason - the distributor needed to move bottles being the most common reason today why things go on sale like this. So I took a chance, hoping for a winning lottery ticket. Well like all lottery tickets I buy, I lost. This wine was a poor example of what the syrah grape can produce. On the nose I got currants, steel, and musty cellar. In the glass, I got a cocktail of red berries with a varying degree of ripeness, with an overall sensation of too ripe fruit, bordering on raisiny. The wine was thin on the mid-palate, and finished with a tart acidity. <br /><br />Checking out what Robert Parker had to say about the vintage explained what went wrong. Apparently 2004 was a very productive year with mixed weather, so chateaux that didn't prune a lot before harvest ended up with too many grapes. This is a problem because the vines spread out it's growing efforts and produce thin tasting fruit. If a grower cuts back the amount of fruit on a vine during the growing season, the vine will concentrate its efforts on the remaining grapes, producing more flavorful fruit. Of course, if you're livelihood depends on selling fruit by the ton, or selling more bottles, cutting back a lot of your fruit can hurt the wallet. So I totally feel for the farmers...<br /><br />Even at $25, this was overpriced.<br /><br />But my trip to Wine.com wasn't a total waste. One of the workers there (red hair and beard, very talkative, very knowledgeable about French wines) suggested a <a href="http://www.wine.com/V6/Marcel-Lapierre-Morgon-2007/wine/99894/detail.aspx">2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon</a> (gamay) for $25. The producer is biodynamic, and the wine was made with little intervention. Overall I loved this wine - it had an intreguing nose of christmas spice, varnish and black peppercorn. In the mouth I got rose petals, dust, dried cherries and a racy acidity with stealthy tannins that appear at the end without you really noticing at first. This is a nervy wine that would be great for a Thanksgiving meal. <br /><br />I'm hoping to write more from now on, but as I'm typing this, the baby is crying hysterically and Rhonda is giving me evil eyes...so until next time....rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-36363886039857242862009-09-27T09:32:00.000-07:002009-09-27T09:52:26.810-07:00Some coffee notes.....Been longer than I would have liked between posts, just haven't been able to give this as much time as I've wanted recently. For one, I've been busy at work with some coffee and wine reviews, so I can't really write about the exciting things I've been drinking here until I finish my articles and get them out. Second, I have an infant that doesn't want to be put down at all, ever, so typing with one had and holding a squirmly little boy takes more skill than I currently possess. <br /><br />Nonetheless, I wanted to put out some coffee tasting notes.<br /><br />The first is Ritual Roasters' Ndumberi Peaberry (coffee bean variety SL-28). Ritual's notes said this coffee had strawberry shortcake, raspberry and lemon curd in the cup. I got more dried red berry fruits, like raspberries. This coffee had a huge acidity component to it, which I liked. <br /><br />The second coffee I had was Barefoot Roasters' Guatemalan FVH Edlyna. Purchased at Whole Foods for $11.99, this coffee had a lovely silk body, with subtle berry flavors and some wood and melted butter notes.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-31674226295845723012009-09-16T14:22:00.000-07:002009-09-16T15:09:11.519-07:002008 Skouras White<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yJz2NPxmA_-PGrF8pBfci2oi46DAYaDeIYnrOknw7PVbHJ9INTM9v63TJCH-LWjTZUo5H6ERCbE1out6xTnlSTRA2XOuBEA6YUtWkmrk5_fGgeEK1L8tKjCwsTtbOjxYhMNXClIJJzJn/s1600-h/Skouras.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yJz2NPxmA_-PGrF8pBfci2oi46DAYaDeIYnrOknw7PVbHJ9INTM9v63TJCH-LWjTZUo5H6ERCbE1out6xTnlSTRA2XOuBEA6YUtWkmrk5_fGgeEK1L8tKjCwsTtbOjxYhMNXClIJJzJn/s400/Skouras.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382190771682549282" /></a><br />I have a fondness for Greek wines, even if I only drink it very rarely. That's because I first started drinking wine on a regular basis when I was studying abroad in Greece during college. <br /><br />I remember not liking red wine at first, because it was served warm, and I couldn't comprehend drinking a warm, or room temperature beverage with food (that's an American thing, apparently). <br /><br />Still, the novelty of being able to buy alcohol at will (I was only 20) and the idea of drinking wine with dinner as what sophisticated people did, compelled me to try the various bottles on the shelves. <br /><br />It wasn't long until I was exploring the wines of Greece, and loving every glass, from Xinomavro wines of Naoussa to Agiorgitiko wines of Nemea, as well as the sweet, dark dessert wine Mavrodaphne to the cheap, available in every bar, pine sol tasting Restina. <br /><br />After I moved back to the US, I continued drinking wine on a regular basis, but shifted to the cheap wines I found here, which were mainly California plonk. <br /><br />When I moved to California, and Oakland specifically, I came across a wine shop called <a href="http://www.duvinfinewines.com/">Du Vin Fine Wines </a>in Alameda that specialized in Greek wines (they have a good selection of Portuguese and Italian wines as well). <br /><br />As I'm on an obscure Italian wine kick, I decided to see what they had last weekend. I was able to get a Lacrima di Morro, my current favorite red, and I asked him to suggest an off-beat white wine as well. The main one he wanted to sell me was out, but he suggested instead the 2008 Skouras White, a 60/40 blend of Roditis and Moscofilero, two native Greek grapes. As a bonus, the bottle was only $10.99.<br /><br />Back home, I found this wine to have an earthy nose with a slight blue cheese mold tint to it. In the mouth, this dry wine had bright acidity and seemed to have a slight effervescence. Steely while cold, flavors of almonds and honey appeared as it warmed. <br /><br />Overall, and interesting wine for $10.99, but nothing too exciting. I believe the wine the shop owner wanted me to try was a 100 percent Moscofilero, which the site <a href="http://www.allaboutgreekwine.com/">All About Greek Wine </a>describes as "A distinct aromatic grape from within the AOC region of Mantinia, in the Peloponnese, Moschofilero grapes have a gray colored skin and therefore produce a wine that is a blanc de gris. Its crisp character and beautiful floral aroma of roses and violets with hints of spices can be drunk as an aperitif or with food." Sounds good - I'll have to seek something like that out!rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-1233449248307038472009-09-13T10:24:00.000-07:002009-09-13T11:07:24.309-07:002006 Thomas Coyne Petit VerdotA few years ago I took some friends of mine to a wine trip to Livermore. They had wanted to visit Napa, but I've spent too much time stuck in traffic waiting to get to packed tasting rooms where the winery charges $10 for three little tastes, then offers you the option of tasting "reserve" wines for $15 more, and a futher "library" tasting for another fee. You can spend $40 in a tasting room trying wine without yet buying a bottle, which are themselves $40 and up. Plus you're fighting crowds.<br /><br />Livermore has dozens of wineries, many that are smaller operations. Some of these I visited were literally in the garage of the grape grower. While you may not get astounding wines at every stop, you're bound to find a few great ones that won't cost you a ton of money simply because it was made in Napa.<br /><br />One of the places we visited was <a href="http://thomascoynewinery.com/">Thomas Coyne Winery</a>, a hard to find but worth visiting location in south Livermore. Specializing in Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, winemaker Thomas Coyne (pronounced "Coin") started making wine in 1989. The winery itself is on a hill in the middle of in an 1881 building built by French engineer Alexander Duvall. You can see Mt. Diablo in the background, and overall it's a really pretty place to try some wines.<br /><br />All of the wines I tried tasted great, and I in particular liked the Petit Verdot. You can get these at Whole Foods as well.<br /><br />The Petit Verdot, priced at $18, looked as black as night in the glass. On the nose, I found sweet jammy black fruit, and this followed in the mouth, as it presented ripe blackberry jam with a touch of vanilla and heat on the finish. Really thick mouthfeel, with the fruit flavors sparkling as a bright beam. <br /><br /><br />From the winery: "This little-known Bordeaux Varietal is normally reserved for blending to enhance color and body of the major varietals. The grapes came from a vineyard near Lodi in Northern California. After crush and fermentation, the wine was aged in American and French oak barrels for eighteen months. The wine is full-bodied in character with intense herbal flavors and rich oak finish."rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-55518336591302329772009-09-07T09:40:00.000-07:002009-09-07T09:58:57.474-07:002008 Tiamo Sangiovese<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV5T5S_dxXs0m4Vtcupt1LRB7A_vx9cVpWybR_FZxnRaitM1ylvdo8z4-SMHqrCyR2rExYBwae8jflbVMApy0DhyphenhyphenZKUj09B_R6ySvPy_ZkUW-38EjvCwz-E7h9V1WZafGctfyE0ox0tqC/s1600-h/tiamo+sangiovese.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV5T5S_dxXs0m4Vtcupt1LRB7A_vx9cVpWybR_FZxnRaitM1ylvdo8z4-SMHqrCyR2rExYBwae8jflbVMApy0DhyphenhyphenZKUj09B_R6ySvPy_ZkUW-38EjvCwz-E7h9V1WZafGctfyE0ox0tqC/s400/tiamo+sangiovese.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378768668892101922" /></a><br /><br />We were having some friends over for dinner last night, with a plan to make pasta and sauce from scratch, so when I was at Whole Foods looking for a wine to match, I naturally gravitated toward the Italian section. I have also been on a huge Italian kick as of late, exploring the country's many indigenous grape varieties. <br /><br />Sangiovese is one native grape that's used in a variety of wines, including Chianti, Super Tuscans and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This particular bottle, the 2008 Tiamo Sangiovese, was affordable, at $10.99, made with organic grapes(my friends are really into that) and came from the Marche region, an area that I've found to make really good wines.<br /><br />This bottle, unfortunately, wasn't a good example. I found it to be extremely over oaked, and the signature Sangiovese cherry flavors watered down. If I had to guess, I'd assume the grape grower didn't reduce their yields enough to produce concentrated wines, and then to compound the problem, used barriques (small wooden barrels) which gave this wine ultimately too much woody flavor.<br /><br />I've been telling anyone who will listen that cheap European wines outshine their American counterparts, though here's a case where that theory didn't hold up.<br /><br />In general though, a $10 bottle of wine from Europe will likely express more pure fruit and varietal correct flavors than a wine made in the U.S., especially California, where the cheaper wines aim for the supposed mass market desire for vanilla and oak tasting wines. <br /><br />I think things are changing here, as I've seen more examples of wines made with a light touch, but if I want to play it safe in the wine shop, I'll head toward the Euro section.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-42711612549240688152009-09-01T16:52:00.000-07:002009-09-01T17:12:49.533-07:00Bolivia Cup of Excellence #2 - Flor de MayoMy mom has been getting me gift certificates to Acton, Massachusetts-based <a href="http://www.terroircoffee.com/">Terroir Coffee</a> for my birthday for the past couple years, and I recently cashed in by splurging on several offerings, including the second place winner in last year's Bolivian Cup of Excellence from the <a href="http://www.cupofexcellence.org/CountryPrograms/Bolivia/2008Program/AuctionResults/tabid/594/ctl/FarmDetails/mid/939/ItemID/1091/Default.aspx">Flor de Mayo</a> farm. The coffee cost a stiff $27.95 for 8 ounces, an amount I probably wouldn't spend on my own unless the coffee was crazy good. <br /><br />As an espresso, the coffee was devoid of bitterness, showing complex, subtle flavors that were hard to pick apart. I think I got some papaya and mango in there. <br /><br />Prepared via inverted Aeropress, I got wonderful floral aromas of lavender and lilacs, reminding me of an astounding Italian wine called Lacrima di Morro d'Alba. I'm talking huge aromatics here (in both the coffee and wine) that are beautiful to behold. In the cup itself though the flavors aren't as strong, and I got chocolate and hazelnut notes in the finish. As for mouthfeel, this coffee was richer than other Central American coffees I've had, almost feeling a bit like butter but not quite there. <br /><br />The Cup of Excellence jury awarded the coffee 90.85 points, describing it as "bright, balanced," and added it had flavor-aromas of chocolate, orange, caramel, peach, honeycake, blueberry, green apple, with a "lingering mouthfeel, complex, well balanced, subtle."<br /><br />I believe I got the last batch from Terroir as I don't see it on their site anymore. If I'm going to spend $30 on 8 ounces of coffee, I'd like something a little more powerful, but overall I enjoyed this, especially since I didn't pay for it myself.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7215057955489404032.post-78534545109394823142009-08-25T17:22:00.000-07:002009-08-25T17:41:03.005-07:00Natural Wine Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4O-YQgCQKr6fuQBAMTJcBZ7KLZsY8lXFdC625nm3KcfRFdanJBaduk0pzI9knWhWxWB4hYSQBU6kmRQFdiJCHhqA7CslVTlx1nqjzoPV6l48LhgpRMLhTI4CCM9jhNhxm3n-xYrYV0q-/s1600-h/sf-nat-wine-poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4O-YQgCQKr6fuQBAMTJcBZ7KLZsY8lXFdC625nm3KcfRFdanJBaduk0pzI9knWhWxWB4hYSQBU6kmRQFdiJCHhqA7CslVTlx1nqjzoPV6l48LhgpRMLhTI4CCM9jhNhxm3n-xYrYV0q-/s400/sf-nat-wine-poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374066044459041426" /></a><br /><br /><br />Did you know this week is <a href="http://sfnaturalwineweek.wordpress.com/">Natural Wine Week</a> in San Francisco? I didn't - though I wish I had. <br /><br />"Natural" is a term used to describe wines that fall somewhere between organic and biodynamic practices. Organic will get you so far, while biodynamic incorporates a whole mess of almost religious practices that some growers chaff at. Both aim to encourage grape growing and wine making that allow the end product to truly reflect the spot it's from. <br /><br />The nuts and bolts of both grape growing and wine making to achieve this process are detailed and controversial, but overall they try to limit outside influences or inputs such as chemicals like fertilizer, or non-native ingredients like lab-created yeasts. Whether these methods do work are fiercely debated. I happen to think they do produce more authentic wines, if you'll allow me to use that term, and are great for the environment. <br /><br />Every day this week, one location in the city will host a tasting of natural wines. Tonight's event will be held at <a href="http://www.biondivino.com/">Biondivino</a>, which will feature wines from Italy, Georgia, Spain and Austria. Importers will be there as well to probe with questions. <br /><br />Check out Natural Wine Week's <a href="http://sfnaturalwineweek.wordpress.com/">Web site</a> for more info on this great idea.rsdrinks@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07374947995977958309noreply@blogger.com0