Who Do You Trust?

Who do you trust?

Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator have fabulous articles and of course lots of scores. But when someone like Domaine Serene advertises their Monogram ($225) for 6 months prior to release and then pulls all mid 90s, you have to wonder. I love their wine, but I still wonder.

Since 99% of what I know is about Pinot my examples may not be more than just regionally relevant and I apologize for that.

The Wine Advocate and Burghound do not accept advertising so $$$ for ads obviously can't sway anyone. And although I do not believe WE and WS ratings are skewed by those who contribute to their budgets, you still have the opportunity to be skeptical because there are so many ads. (and the whole fake restaurant thing that happened last year, you know that WS thing we're all thinking and not saying.)

Okay, I've had my fun, I mean this question sincerely. There are speculations about many different published magazines, but who do you trust? Does your pallet line up with Steve Tanzer, Robert Parker, Harvey Steinman, or Dr. Jay Miller? And do you believe them because they are renowned for what they do, or because your pallet matches theirs on so many occasions.

I am working on creating a cellar right now so I don't think I can say whether I agree with anyone across any sized board. I think my Pinot Pallet is closer aligned with Burghound than with Dr. Jay or Steinman. I would love to taste some of "Parker's Perfects" some day (wines Parker has rated 100 pts). But I don't feel inclined to buy a wine solely based on one man's opinion, I don't listen to my own father that much, let alone a stranger with a wine glass. If someone happens to have one, or I find one that is a bargain, I may swoop down on it like a screeching eagle.

If I am so fortunate to find someone to agree with, I will be able to pounce on wines I will probably like and that is the goal right? Finding the most delicious wine for you.

¡Salud!

¡Salud! is an amazing non-profit that provided health care for vineyard workers. The wineries of Oregon come together to create ¡Salud! exclusive wines to auction off. If you ever get to taste these special wines, you are among the special few. Places like Archery Summit, Cristom, Ken Wright, and Domaine Serene participate and use their finest single vineyards barrels for this event, so you know it's a big freakin' deal.

Anyway, yesterday I have the privledge of tasting several of the 1999 auctions ¡Salud! wines. We had Archery Summit, Cristom, Ken Wright, Domaine Serene, Sokol Blosser, Evesham Wood, and maybe even a few others. Let's just say we had a lot of fun. It's great to know people with big wine cellars (and in the industry, they have access to all sorts of things).

I'll keep it short, there wasn't one I didn't love, 1999 was an amazing year for Oregon Pinot Noir.

Cheers! no, no, no, I mean

¡Salud!

Different Glasses

I have never done a formal taste test with Riedel. However I have 5 different Riedel glasses that I wanted to share my notes on a personal taste test.

The glasses I used were all Riedel, although I have others glasses I could have tried with too.

Glass #1 Small tasting glass that I don't really know the series of
Glass #2 "O" series Bordeaux
Glass #3 Nebiolo/Pinot Noir (similar to the Oregon PN w/o the lip)
Glass #4 Oregon Pinot Noir
Glass #5 Vinum Extreme Pinot Noir

The wine - Archery Summit 2006 Premier Cuvee

I found that at no time did the wine taste like a completely different wine. However, I did prefer the aromatic expression some of the glasses allowed. I think the crystal of the Vinum Extreme enhanced the wine well and allowed for the greatest amount of aroma, making some of the more delicate characteristics stronger and more available for the nose. The Oregon Pinot glass did similar in the way that it didn't allow the aromas to fly out of the glass when swirling. I chose to do this with a wine I already love and has interesting qualities and is very complex, to really test a glass's ability to open up these complex characteristics.

Glass 1 gave this wine an iodized aroma, masked all but a faint cherry fruit quality, and lacked any smoke or spice you commonly see in this Cuvee. Glass 2 was a bit better in that it did allow a brighter fruit quality to show through. I also hinted at a bit of rose tea on the latter half of my sniff. There was also no sharp heat that I felt when using #1. Glass 3 turned out to be the best glass for me. You could really pick up on the acidity and the fruits I distinctly smelt included bing cherry, blackberry, huckleberry, and fresh juicy raspberries. I definitely got more floral notes with this glass too. Stronger anyway. I didn't get any smoke, since I don't care for this aroma much I was very pleased. Glass 4 relaxed some of the fruit notes but brought on a bit of smoke. There was a bit more heat from this glass too. Glass 5 is my second choice as I got similar results as the Oregon Pinot Glass without the smoke, not as much fruit on the nose as my 1st choice.

Each taste of this wine had the same notes, in that the glass was not really as important to the mouthfeel or the finish. Only the first part of the taste is influenced by the glass.

Next time I open an '06 Pinot I'm going to see if this glass is better than the Oregon Pinot for me, it probably won't be true as there are other characteristics expressed and I may like or not like them. All the more important to try a wine in several every time (okay, not every time, but every once and a while to test your pallet and be sure you're getting the fullest satisfaction from that bottle of wine. Archery Summit Premier Cuvee is $48, lets just say I'll take the extra 5 minutes before sitting down to dinner to consider my glassware options and get the most bang for my $48 bucks.

I suggest everyone do something like this from time to time. Line up your glasses and find which one will help you enjoy your wine more. There was more dramatic of a difference than I expected. Trust me, until now I was still skeptical too.

Taste like a pro

What are we all searching for in a wine tasting? Sometimes people over complicate a tasting, you're doing several things when you're evaluating wine though. You have 2 main objectives when wine tasting I think. First of all, you're discovering what wine you like and don't like. Not just specific wines, but producers, regions, varietals, vintages, etc. You may love the 2006 Oregon Pinots and find 2005's to be too restrained and high in tannins. You may love everything Walla Walla has to offer, and dislike every Zin you've ever ventured to put in your mouth. Hopefully your second objective is to have fun. Why else would you do it???

Here are some techniques to tasting like a rockstar:

1. Examine the color and clarity, hold it up to the light, wine can be very beautiful like mini stained glass windows. If you swirl it a bit you'll see the legs, the wine trickle down back to the bottom of the glass, if nothing else they look cool.

2. Swirl the wine. Swirling will release the aromas. Oxygen will also incorporate into the wine. You'll be able to pick up on more aromas by getting them up out of the liquid.

3. Sniff -Really get in the glass and sniff. Aroma is the best part of wine sometimes. When you're sick nothing tastes right because you can't use your nose.

4. Sip - Unless you're at a dinner table, it is completely appropriate to slurp in air at the same time you drink the wine. This will aerate just a bit more, releasing the unique characteristics you may otherwise miss.

(Side note: Be confident while tasting! No one will second guess your nose if you describe the wine with confidence. If you smell something, then that's what it smells like. I don't care what Dr. J. says it smells like, if I can't smell it, or taste it for that matter, it doesn't mean I'm wrong, same as if I pick out something different. That's what makes wine so mystical.)

The last 2 here are suggestions for tasting:

5. Spit - Think about it. If you taste 6 wines at a winery, at 1 oz each, you are consuming 1 glass of wine. If you're going to 4 wineries, you would consume 4 glasses of wine. Your pallet will be shot by #2 if you're lucky. Spit out at least a few of them, it isn't an insult, in fact, most winery staff members will take you more seriously because you aren't looking like you're out to get buzzed. You will find enough wines to take home and enjoy in the safety of your own home.

6. Take notes - Whether you spit or not, you will not remember every wine you tasted and everything about it, what you loved, what you didn't, if you don't write it down. Don't count on the winery to supply you with tasting notes either, bring a little notebook or if you have to, use receipts, just don't forget the wines, you're trying to learn what you love and don't love. Remember that 6 wines at 4 wineries equals 24 wines to remember...good luck.

This last one is NOT a suggestion. If you do nothing else while you are tasting, follow this rule. This is the golden rule, so I will write it in caps:

7. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!!! The life you save will not just be your own! 10 free tastings are not worth your life! Have a dry friend drive, hire a driver, or join a tour bus, but don't drive if you intend to taste any wine. If you are spitting you are still consuming some alcohol. Any alcohol you consume will effect you to some degree.

Now you're ready to taste wine like a pro. Cheers!

Pronunciation is key

Here's a quick how to on pronouncing several Oregonian words so you don't sound foolish next time you travel to wine country or order an Oregon wine in your local restaurant.

We'll start with the trickiest: Oregon

Oregon: Or-E-gun - gun as in bang NOT GONE. It is not OREGONE!!!

Pinot: Pea-no - as in the veggie, peas or the letter 'P', then No, as in "NO, bad dog!"

Willamette: Will-am-et - Will just as the name, am as in "I am Sam", and et as in set, net, met, let, you get it.

I don't want to hear Oregone, pine-not, or while-aim-ettie ever again, it's embarrassing, and it's not your fault when they visit here. It understandable when it's your accent, but if you speek English, you should learn and teach the proper way to say these words.

While we're at it I want to throw in another misspoken word:

Riedel: Read-L - this is a German word, 'V' is pronounced as 'W' (yes, vodka is pronounced wodka) and 'ie' says 'E', like in Riesling, you don't call it Rise-ling now do you?

2008 - the year of Syrah

2008 certainly was a great year for drinking wine. And it certainly has been a great year for Syrah! Some Oregon Syrahs I have enjoyed include those from Dominio IV, Rockblock by Domaine Serene, Elk Cove, Carlos and Julian, and Adelshiem,. If you're holding the latest issue of Wine Enthusiast (12/31/08), you can look to both the best buy list and the top 100 of 2008 to see both start with a syrah in the #1 slot. For the Best Buys #1 (90 pts )Bodegas Luzon 2007 Luzon, a Monastrell-Syrah blend for $9. And #7 is (again 90 pts) Mandolin 2005 Syrah for $10. I can't recommend either personally, but at that price you can defiantely take the risk yourself. I will be looking both of them up soon myself. On the Top 100 of 2008 #1 again goes to a Syrah with Failla 2006 Phoenix Ranch Syrah $42 (95 pts). I have this one though I haven't tasted it. It recommends a wait of 6 years (ahhh, I think I can give it a bit longer before breaking down.

I love learning about different varietals and Syrah is one my husband can't get enough of. I am sure I'll have more to talk about when the syrahs I have been laying down are ready.

Cheers!

Today I turn 24!

I have nothing to really report about the fact that it is my birthday except that I am now 24.

I have always loved having a birthday so close to Christmas and New Years. I have 10 weeks of crazy and then 10 months of nada. It starts with 12/7 my hubby's b-day, then our wedding was 12/13, so presents every year on that day from now on, of course Christmas 12/24-12/25, New Year's Eve, my b-day 1/2, and then wrap up 2/14. You'd think I planned it that way ;)

Happy New Year!

Hope you stayed up late enough to celebrate the New Year with a chilly bottle of bubbly. We celebrated with a bottle of 1999 Elk Cove and Mumm Napa Sparklings. Maybe someday I'll have a bottle of Dom and friends I like enough to pour it for. We sabered the top of the Mumm Napa, that was awesome, but it was sans flying bubbles. Maybe next time we'll shake it a bit (not too much, we want some left to drink!).

My NYE resolution that matters to you is that I will continue to blog about my journeys, but that I will do my best to stay on top of my wine tasting and get out there to some new wineries to report to you about. If you have any must-have suggestions for me, please let me know!