Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with. A
nice seafood wine, but not quite as sexy as

Pommery Champagne with a seafood risotto, but explosive bubble mousse
infused mouthful of wine, might make me re think my allegiance to
Taittinger.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

"Joseph Coulter" wrote ......

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with.


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.


A nice seafood wine, but not quite as sexy as

Pommery Champagne with a seafood risotto, but explosive bubble
mousse infused mouthful of wine, might make me re think my
allegiance to Taittinger.



My champagne of first choice has always been Veuve Clicquot, for no other
reason than I love the stuff, although, over the years, I have noticed that
occasionally the current NV offerings do vary, sometimes being a little
green and harsh.

But, when it comes to premium bubbles, I have no preference whatsoever -
just whatever someone wishes to give me!

;-))

--

st.helier

st.helier wrote:
Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.

First time I've come across the ABC term. I'll have to adopt that.

And are there any sites where good Pinot gris is being made in NZ? Last
time I checked, some Chardonnay, a little Gewurz and a lot of Riesling
(outstanding, and very unappreciated, but that's for another topic)
were the only other white varietals being really grown there.

Salil

Joseph Coulter wrote:
Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with. A
nice seafood wine, but not quite as sexy as

King Estate PG has long been our backup choice in restaurants in these
parts: decent white wine, inoffensive, but nothing special. Good to
hear that the 2005 perhaps offers something more.

Mark Lipton

In article 36,
says...

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with. A
nice seafood wine, but not quite as sexy as

Pommery Champagne with a seafood risotto, but explosive bubble mousse
infused mouthful of wine, might make me re think my allegiance to
Taittinger.

--
Joseph Coulter

The King Estate is one of the few PG's that I have really liked. While I
choose the KE Reserve PG, when available, their regular bottling is nice,
especailly with Pacific salmon. Every time that I find the Reserve PG, I put
in a case, if possible.

Our country club has a King Estate tasting dinner most years, so I get to top
-off my cellar then.

OTOH, I favor their regular PN, over their single-vinyard offerings. Go
figure.

Hunt

In article , says...

"Joseph Coulter" wrote ......

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with.


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.


A nice seafood wine, but not quite as sexy as

Pommery Champagne with a seafood risotto, but explosive bubble
mousse infused mouthful of wine, might make me re think my
allegiance to Taittinger.



My champagne of first choice has always been Veuve Clicquot, for no other
reason than I love the stuff, although, over the years, I have noticed that
occasionally the current NV offerings do vary, sometimes being a little
green and harsh.

But, when it comes to premium bubbles, I have no preference whatsoever -
just whatever someone wishes to give me!

;-))

--

st.helier

St H,


You must pay a visit to the Sonoran Desert area of AZ, USA. I keep the "Yellow
Label," (though I find it more orange, than yellow) in the cellar, awaiting
the likes of you. Plus, I have a few Grande Dames, some VC vintage, plus a few
dozen Bollingers, plus my favorite bubbly, Tattingers, just waiting.

Heck, if you make the trek from Kiwi-land, I'll serve all that I have! Not
sure if that's worth the effort and expense, but it's here for the taking.

Who knows, I might even pop the cap on some of my chili-beer. It's best
consumed young, as the Jalapenos tend to really flavor the beer with a few
years. I'd say that they are like some of the bottle-aged ales (Thomas Hardy,
UK comes to mind, though in a different way).

I never thought to offer Dr Lipton an aged Cave Creek Chili Beer, when he, and
family, traveled past these parts. Maybe he would have sold his auto in New
Mexico, and caught the Greyhound (bus) to Phoenix, just to sample one... or,
maybe not.

Hunt

In article , says...

"Joseph Coulter" wrote ......

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice fruit,
soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right friendly with.


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.
[SNIP]

st.helier

Did not see/read this part of your post, until I saw the followup from Salil.
In the states, the term "ABC" can have double meaning. First, there is Alcohol
Bureau of Control, and second, Jim Clendenin's Au Bon Climate. Though I know
Mr Clendenin's wines, I was recently at a wine bar, that featured "ABC" and I
learned something in that encounter. Now, if Mr Clendenin is doing something
in the NZ wine industry, there might be some major confusion. Could one have
ABC-ABC, or ABC [Squared, as my news reader balks at extended characters]?

I am glad to see that King Estate has gone international. If you can find the
Reserve, please try it. They are not the same wines!

Hunt

"Salil" asked .......


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC
(anything but chardonnay) set.

First time I've come across the ABC term. I'll have to adopt that.


My use of this expression is not original - The term has been around for a
little while.


And are there any sites where good Pinot gris is being made in NZ?
Last time I checked, some Chardonnay, a little Gewurz and a lot of
Riesling (outstanding, and very unappreciated, but that's for another
topic) were the only other white varietals being really grown there.


I have no idea how much NZ Pinot Gris finds its way into the export market -
in saying that, there is twice as much PG planted as Gewurztraminer in NZ.

As a mater on interest, (obviously) Sauvignon Blanc dominates the white wine
varieties planted (7,100 ha in 2005) followed by chardonnay (3,800ha)
Riesling (800ha) PG (490ha) Semillon (mostly blended with SB! - 240 ha)
Then smaller areas of Viognier, CHenin Blanc, Muscat varieties etc

--

st.helier

(Hunt) wrote in :

In article ,
says...

"Joseph Coulter" wrote ......

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice
fruit, soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right
friendly with.


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.
[SNIP]

st.helier

Did not see/read this part of your post, until I saw the followup from
Salil. In the states, the term "ABC" can have double meaning. First,
there is Alcohol Bureau of Control, and second, Jim Clendenin's Au Bon
Climate. Though I know Mr Clendenin's wines, I was recently at a wine
bar, that featured "ABC" and I learned something in that encounter.
Now, if Mr Clendenin is doing something in the NZ wine industry, there
might be some major confusion. Could one have ABC-ABC, or ABC
[Squared, as my news reader balks at extended characters]?

I am glad to see that King Estate has gone international. If you can
find the Reserve, please try it. They are not the same wines!

Hunt


Sorry, Hunt, but last time I checked Fl where I live and OR where King
is made are in the same country :-)

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

"Hunt" wrote .....

My champagne of first choice has always been Veuve Clicquot,
for no other reason than I love the stuff,

But, when it comes to premium bubbles, I have no preference
whatsoever - just whatever someone wishes to give me!


You must pay a visit to the Sonoran Desert area of AZ, USA.


Bugger! About 20 years too late / err early / whatever!!!

I did a month long wander through most of AZ in 1986 - drove down to Tucson
and did the Sonora Desert Museum thing and crossed the border into Nogales
etc etc. "Oh look - another f*****g saguaro which we can't take home!"

Heck, if you make the trek from Kiwi-land, I'll serve
all that I have! Not sure if that's worth the effort and
expense, but it's here for the taking. Who knows, I might
even pop the cap on some of my chili-beer.

Actually, I have promised SWMBO a trip to let her see the Grand Canyon - so,
guess who might drop in - an international felon bearing a selection of NZ
wines, illicitly imported across State lines.

--

st.helier

In article , says...

"Hunt" wrote .....

My champagne of first choice has always been Veuve Clicquot,
for no other reason than I love the stuff,

But, when it comes to premium bubbles, I have no preference
whatsoever - just whatever someone wishes to give me!


You must pay a visit to the Sonoran Desert area of AZ, USA.


Bugger! About 20 years too late / err early / whatever!!!

I did a month long wander through most of AZ in 1986 - drove down to Tucson
and did the Sonora Desert Museum thing and crossed the border into Nogales
etc etc. "Oh look - another f*****g saguaro which we can't take home!"

Heck, if you make the trek from Kiwi-land, I'll serve
all that I have! Not sure if that's worth the effort and
expense, but it's here for the taking. Who knows, I might
even pop the cap on some of my chili-beer.

Actually, I have promised SWMBO a trip to let her see the Grand Canyon - so,
guess who might drop in - an international felon bearing a selection of NZ
wines, illicitly imported across State lines.

--

st.helier

Heck, we probably harbor a lot of international felons around here - wine
felons, that is. Right now, I'm storing about 10 cases of wine for a friend,
who is building a house and cellar. I know that three of these were shipped to
the US from IT and skirted all distributors. I do not know how duty was
handled, but the great state of AZ would probably mess in their drawers if
they knew of this contraband. OTOH, some of my wine has been shipped to me
from places forbidden to ship to AZ without the hierarchy of the state gov/
distributors (actually, these are entities joined at the hip - you know the
hip where one keeps their wallet?), but little flights of subrtafuge, like me
standing at their counter and arranging for wine that I own to be shipped to
me in AZ. There the winery just acts as a middle-man, contracting with a
drayage firm to help me move my wine from CA to AZ.

If you do show up, you'll get to see saguaros by the truckload, but you CAN'T
take them home with you! G

I'll try and make sure that I have some of the Reserve PG from King Estate,
and we'll see if you appreciate this version, as much as I do. I'm sure that
there are other PG's out there that are great, but my experiences have not
uncovered them. It is the same with the wines of Chile. I feel certain that
good ones exist, but I've only found one that I'd buy, or buy again. I do not
seek them out, as I have had so many bottles that just do not "do it" for me.
However, friends and retailers have taken up the Holy Grail of finding one
that I will love. Most are handed to me, free of charge, with the words, "Oh,
I'm sure that this will be the ONE."

Hunt

In article 36,
says...

(Hunt) wrote in :

In article ,
says...

"Joseph Coulter" wrote ......

Opened this the other night when the wife wasn't looking, 2005 nice
fruit, soft and gentle the kind of wine one could get down right
friendly with.


Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.
[SNIP]

st.helier

Did not see/read this part of your post, until I saw the followup from
Salil. In the states, the term "ABC" can have double meaning. First,
there is Alcohol Bureau of Control, and second, Jim Clendenin's Au Bon
Climate. Though I know Mr Clendenin's wines, I was recently at a wine
bar, that featured "ABC" and I learned something in that encounter.
Now, if Mr Clendenin is doing something in the NZ wine industry, there
might be some major confusion. Could one have ABC-ABC, or ABC
[Squared, as my news reader balks at extended characters]?

I am glad to see that King Estate has gone international. If you can
find the Reserve, please try it. They are not the same wines!

Hunt


Sorry, Hunt, but last time I checked Fl where I live and OR where King
is made are in the same country :-)

--
Joseph Coulter

Oops, my mistake. I replied to part of one reply, and part of another. Note to
self: go back and read the threads in order! Never mix replies.

Sorry, and thanks for the clarification,
Hunt

huh? Maybe you forgot to mention Sauvignon Blanc?



"Salil" wrote in message
ups.com...

st.helier wrote:
Pinot Gris is currently the vogue variety among NZs ABC (anything but
chardonnay) set.

First time I've come across the ABC term. I'll have to adopt that.

And are there any sites where good Pinot gris is being made in NZ? Last
time I checked, some Chardonnay, a little Gewurz and a lot of Riesling
(outstanding, and very unappreciated, but that's for another topic)
were the only other white varietals being really grown there.

Salil

Hunt wrote:

Heck, we probably harbor a lot of international felons around here - wine
felons, that is.

In my opinion, the USA is collectively begging, so to speak, for
individuals and wineries to dodge/evade/finesse/ignore, etc., the
byzantine array of shipping regulations that vary so arbitrarily from
state to state (sometimes within states). It's so insane and paranoid I
could hardly believe it, if it were not for all the other paranoid and
insane things we Amurricuns do.

Whoa - AyTee - be careful.

You don't know who may be lurking - scanning these newsgroups for such
un-patriotic comments.

It doesn't matter that we foreigners "blaspheme" - we already get rectally
examined upon entering the USA - just in case we have a case or two of what
appears to be wine bottles, but which actually contain radioactive isotopes.

Far better to simply accept that insanity and paranoia is simply "The
American Way"

--

st.helier

p.s. So Hunt, what else do you want me to secret across State Lines for
you?