Posts belonging to Category Value Value Value

May 18, 2012
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Posted by Bacchus
Recently we’ve been thinking how the wine world has it all figured out now. The recession blew the socks off trophy wines taking down everyone with them. The “survivor-type” wine producers foresaw the end of the “wine bubble” and started moving to lower pricing without sacrificing quality. The intersection of CHEAP and QUALITY is precisely where most wine consumers get lost. The old signals no longer work. You really just have to taste the wines to know for sure. There are other indicators such as knowing the importer or distributor but that gets into advanced wine studies. Here are some tips for selecting and detecting which wine to buy and which wine to pass on. (more…)
Categories: Alta Rioja, I.M.H.O., Rioja Alta, Sangiovese, Spain, Tempranillo, Value Value Value, Wine Grapes
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Tags: 1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia, 2010 Azienda Vitivinicola Offida Bacchus Rosso Piceno Ciù Ciù, 2010 Symphony of Wines Amador County Tempranillo
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May 6, 2012
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Posted by Bacchus

Land of Muscadet
Touting a Garagiste – aka “G.” – purchase is always dicey. Like nostalgia, praising a great G. buy only works in retrospect. Rimmerman’s selections almost always sell out so there is no going back and buying in. You have to be there when it all goes down. There are other pitfalls when mainlining G. which Dotoré will insist we mention
[ed. and we have in an earlier G. post] such as Rimmerman’s twist on the “availability principle,” as in “it’s not a question of price but availability.” With G. you have to strike early and decisively since it is apparent G. buys “on the come.” When you check your warehouse chart you will find many “pre-arrival” notes next to the wine for which you so willingly even anxiously..yes
thrillingly!!…pulled the trigger!
(more…)
Categories: Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenic Blanc, Chianti, Dundee Hills, Loire Valley, Malibu Coast, Merlot, Muscadet, Oregon, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tuscany, Under$20, Value Value Value, Willamette Valley, Wine Grapes
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Tags: 2007 Christopher Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Cuvee Unfiltered, 2008 Riseccoli Chianti Classico, 2009 Anne Gros Bourgogne, 2010 Malibu Sanity Single vineyard California Pinot Noir, 2010 Selection des Cognettes Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie
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April 27, 2012
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Posted by Bacchus
Summer was almost here…then it jumped off the hook just like a River Monster. tBoW and team tasters have been doing our best to get ready for endless heat and long evenings on the patio with corks getting pulled and the BBQ working. Spring cleaning usually turns up a couple surprises but this year we hit the jackpot. Been waiting on this double-and-a-half magnum for some time. We did not know what to expect although we could vouch for the past 20 years of provenance. There’s more. (more…)
Categories: Alta Rioja, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chateauneuf du Pape, Grenache Blanc, Paso Robles, Rhone, Spain, Syrah, Tempranillo, Under$20, Wine Grapes
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Tags: 1985 Jaboulet Aîné La Chapelle Hermitage, 2005 Marques de Riscal Reserva, 2009 Carignan Redwood Valley Colimbini Vineyard, 2009 Ranchero Cellars Carignan Redwood Valley Colimbini Vineyard, 2009 Rangeland Wine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Ranchero Cellars Chrome, 2010 Ranchero Cellars Viognier
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April 4, 2012
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Posted by Bacchus

times have changed
Collectible kosher wines? The thought boggles the mind. How could inky purple Manischewitz syrup with a shelf life of 20 minutes get a Parker rating? Next you’ll tell me there are “growth” Bordeaux, as in those classified in 1855, that obey Talmudic law. Every year there are more customers than there are wines for those lucky labels classified under the five levels of Bordeaux Growths: wines such as Château Léoville-Poyferré a 2nd Growth St. Julien; or Château Malartic-Lagravière an unclassified yet coveted Graves; Château Pontet-Canet a 5th Growth Pauillac; and Château Le Crock a Crus Bourgeois Pauillac. Oh yes. Each one of those highly coveted labels has a kosher “edition.”
N’kidding. (more…)
Categories: Burgundy, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Israel, Los Angeles Culture, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Rhone, Syrah, Under$20, Wine Grapes
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Tags: 2003 Clos Vougeot Chateau de la Tour, 2004 Pontet Canet, 2005 Le Crock, 2005 Leoville Poyferre, 2005 Malarctic Lagravier, 2005 Malarctic Lagraviere, 2009 Domaine Netofa Latour, 2009 Domaine Netofa Red, NV Coteaux du Tricastin Red Rhone Special Reserve Cellier des Dauphins
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March 25, 2012
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Posted by Bacchus
“This is Shotgun Tom Kelly” said the vintage KRTH 101 announcer as he loaded the Rascals “Lonely Too Long” into the queue. Shotgun followed that with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel and tBoW was smiling wide as he climbed his favorite bike trail – Dirt Mulholland.

wine technology
Listening to radio programming from the 60s/70s cuts two ways like all nostalgia reminding us how old we are and how certain music can make us young again. Shotgun has that radio voice – full throat, between bass and treble, a “hip” knowing and cheery tone. What’s it got to do with wine?
If you do not have an aerator you should get one because it shares many qualities with the radio and 60s or 70s rock music and DJ styles. The aerator takes years off wines that are too young to be properly enjoyed [ed. or does it add several years?]. While we can enjoy wine when it is young, many wines do improve with age. The aerator makes that happen right away. BOOM! We tasted several wines recently that illustrate the benefit. Actually, we went crazy with the aerator! (more…)
Categories: Beaujolais, Carneros, Chardonnay, Gamay, Mendocino, Napa, Pinot Noir, Under$20, Wine Grapes
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Tags: 2005 Fort Ross Chardonnay Reserve Fort Ross Vineyard, 2005 McKenzie Mueller Carneros Pinot Noir, 2007 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Reserve Fort Ross Vineyard, 2010 Domanine Lathuiliere-Gravallon Brouilly Pisse-Vielle
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