Posts belonging to Category Ribbon Ridge

With temps in the 80s, offshore winds and longer daysit is starting to feel like Dotoré’s favorite season. Fighting off the urge to nap we have time to hit you with some wine reviews. And the occasional observation.

What if Andrew Dice Clay reviewed wines?

The Underground Wine Letter is running a series on wine fraud. Phony DRC wines caught at auction. I saw a guy on Auction Hunters crying because he only got $55,000 for his Delorean “time machine.” It was a replica. So these wine frauds pay for empty bottles of premium Bordeaux and Burgundy. If you can get past the effete-iness it makes for interesting reading. Especially the entry where Tilson (UWL editor) goes through a multi-decade process solving a mystery about a case of very unusual 1928 St Emilion he bought at auction. (more…)

Hopefully you will be able to read this in time for the big meal Thursday. We are going to reveal the secrets of tasting wine so you can be the brain bully and sound like a real snob. You know casual like but intelligent. It’s easy if you stick to these few pointers. Don’t get too excited.

You won’t be like a “somm” but you will take on the trappings of a pretty dope snob. Like tBow and Dotoré. Even IGTY practices these techniques and now he’s a snob too. (more…)

If you ever need to just recharge the old D cells you ought to consider Lake Tahoe. A world class alpine lake right here in California – or at least half of it is in California. The attractions include unmovable mountains with snatches of snow, boats bobbing in the lake, and long slow days doing whatever seems most unimportant. Wine also helps. In the afternoon and the evening. Coffee in the AM. Wine reviews follow in a minute. (more…)

Concerned you ran out of time to score the BEST of Oregon’s 2008 Pinot Noir? You may have additional time with Scott Paul Wines in Carlton. He produces too many cases to qualify for the Portland Independent Wine Festival – PIWF – even though his sensibilities are definitely artisanal [ed. you know, a small producer dedicated to the craft], his focus is Pinot Noir, and his winemaking touch is deft. This means he may have some of his 2008s left when you go calling. (more…)

tBoW really likes Dewey Kelly’s wines…at least the 2006 and 2007 vintages of his eponymous label and the 2008 Ribbon Ridge VIneyards Pinot Noir. We wrote about it in 2009 and again this year following the Portland Indie Wine festival or PIWF.
We also reported something we heard that 2009 would be Dewey Kelly’s last vintage making any wine, at least for sale. He would be selling off all his fruit and letting other capable winemakers work with his carefully tended and, apparently, much admired Pinot Noir grapes.
NOT SO…at least not exactly. (more…)