I like Sangiovese a lot. 100% is perfect for me. Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee

On Jun 9, 9:10�am, Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. �100% �is perfect for me. �Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee

You might try Gambero Rosso or google the words "Italian Wine rating".

On Jun 9, 9:59Â*am, "Bi!!" wrote:
On Jun 9, 9:10�am, Dee Dee wrote:

I like Sangiovese a lot. �100% �is perfect for me. �Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee

You might try Gambero Rosso or google the words "Italian Wine rating".


Thanks, I appreciate it.
Dee Dee

On Jun 9, 10:09*am, Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. *100% *is perfect for me. *Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...

If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it has
probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will taste bad
but not because of the alcohol. The alcohol, like the bad taste, is a
consequence of a particular way of making the wine.

OTOH a wine from Languedoc or Montalcino that does NOT reach 14.5%
alcohol has probably been fiddled in some other way (in the best of
cases, the yields are too high). In this case you would probably
associate poor taste with low alcohol grade.

In each area of production a well made wine will yield the alcohol level
that is natural for that area. For some areas of Germany that can be as
low as 8%, for Bandol it is more likely to be 15 or more. In either
case, a well made wine will not "taste of alcohol".

--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail


Thanks for the explanation.
I'm not sure what the 'taste of alcohol' is either. But I do know
that moonshine tasted but only once is a lot different that scotch. I
know that's an extreme example of knowing/tasting/feeling more alcohol
content. But it is the perception that there is more alcohol in the
wine. I have noticed this perception and 'then' asked what the
alcohol content is, and my perception is usually on-the-money.

Another question: I've noticed that Montalcino wines, which I do
like, almost always makes me flush (red cheeks). I've not yet decided
whether it is the alcohol or the sulfites. Maybe both.

Dee Dee

"Dee Dee" wrote in message
...
I like Sangiovese a lot. 100% is perfect for me. Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee


You might like this: 2005 FALESCO SANGIOVESE UMBRIA. My Italian neighbors
liked it. As for wine critics, I have always been let down. But check this
out: http://tinyurl.com/3fj5gq

On Jun 9, 1:02*pm, "Evan Keel" wrote:
"Dee Dee" wrote in message

...

I like Sangiovese a lot. *100% *is perfect for me. *Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee

You might like this: *2005 FALESCO SANGIOVESE UMBRIA. My Italian neighbors
liked it. As for wine critics, I have always been let down. But check this
out:http://tinyurl.com/3fj5gq



Nice little review of this.
http://www.foodreference.com/frvideo...taste-007.html

Thanks.
Dee Dee

On Jun 9, 10:36 am, Dee Dee wrote:
On Jun 9, 10:09 am, Mike Tommasi wrote:



Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. 100% is perfect for me. Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...

If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it has
probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will taste bad
but not because of the alcohol. The alcohol, like the bad taste, is a
consequence of a particular way of making the wine.

OTOH a wine from Languedoc or Montalcino that does NOT reach 14.5%
alcohol has probably been fiddled in some other way (in the best of
cases, the yields are too high). In this case you would probably
associate poor taste with low alcohol grade.

In each area of production a well made wine will yield the alcohol level
that is natural for that area. For some areas of Germany that can be as
low as 8%, for Bandol it is more likely to be 15 or more. In either
case, a well made wine will not "taste of alcohol".

--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail

Thanks for the explanation.
I'm not sure what the 'taste of alcohol' is either. But I do know
that moonshine tasted but only once is a lot different that scotch. I
know that's an extreme example of knowing/tasting/feeling more alcohol
content. But it is the perception that there is more alcohol in the
wine. I have noticed this perception and 'then' asked what the
alcohol content is, and my perception is usually on-the-money.

Another question: I've noticed that Montalcino wines, which I do
like, almost always makes me flush (red cheeks). I've not yet decided
whether it is the alcohol or the sulfites. Maybe both.

Pure ethyl alcohol has very little smell. One would not dare taste
pure (absolute) alcohol because it would badly burn your mouth and
throat membranes if you did. Pure alcohol is difficult to obtain,
because no matter how many times you distill it, a certain low
percentage of water will remain that can only be removed by chemical
means. It is the impurities, including many compounds present in
fermented liquids that pass over with the alcohol on distillation,
that give commercial alcoholic drinks different tastes and smells. I
have seen ultra-pure absolute alcohol used for chemical research, and
it has nearly no smell - only a sharpness when sniffed close up. If
diluted with about 1/2 water to whiskey strength, pure alcohol has
nearly no taste other than the warmness it produces in the mouth. The
closest thing you can buy to drink that will give nearly the smell and
taste of pure alcohol is a vodka that has been distilled several
times, charcoal filtered, etc. to leave it nearly tastless. However
many vodkas are not so highly refined, and a slight smell and taste
remains that differs for vodkas made from grain, grapes, or even
apples or maple sap for a few of the high end vodkas.

"Dee Dee" wrote in message
...
On Jun 9, 1:02 pm, "Evan Keel" wrote:
"Dee Dee" wrote in message

...

I like Sangiovese a lot. 100% is perfect for me. Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

What I'd like is a recommendation of the name(s) of a known,
respectable, wine critic that is knowledgeable regarding this wine
(not excluding all other Italian wine, of course), and acknowledges
that there are drinkable wines within the $20-$30 range.

I don't care to subscribe ($) to an online reviewer or ($)newsletter
-

Thanks so much.
Dee Dee

You might like this: 2005 FALESCO SANGIOVESE UMBRIA. My Italian neighbors
liked it. As for wine critics, I have always been let down. But check this
out:http://tinyurl.com/3fj5gq



Nice little review of this.
http://www.foodreference.com/frvideo...taste-007.html

Thanks.
Dee Dee

This must be a joke:

"The nose is showing lots - young vibrant energetic fruits of jammy cherry,
cherry jello, ripe strawberry dipped in balsamic vinegar, cranberry with
wild dry flower and violet/lilac. This well extracted full body wine offers
tons of fruit and sutle spice, tobacco, dark chocolate, smoke, charred wood
and almond nut"

Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. 100% is perfect for me. Lately I've found
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...

If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it
has probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will
taste bad but not because of the alcohol.

Last September I was talking to a winemaker near Asti who told me his
Barbera Superiore was pushing higher than 15% because of the extreme
weather. He very much didn't want such a high concentration, he said,
but that was the way the fermentation was going. It will be very
interesting to see how it turns out.

Andrew.

Dee Dee wrote in
:

On Jun 9, 10:09*am, Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. *100% *is perfect for me. *Lately I've fo
und
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...

If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it
has probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will
taste bad but not because of the alcohol. The alcohol, like the bad
taste, is a consequence of a particular way of making the wine.

OTOH a wine from Languedoc or Montalcino that does NOT reach 14.5%
alcohol has probably been fiddled in some other way (in the best of
cases, the yields are too high). In this case you would probably
associate poor taste with low alcohol grade.

In each area of production a well made wine will yield the alcohol
level that is natural for that area. For some areas of Germany that
can be as low as 8%, for Bandol it is more likely to be 15 or more.
In either case, a well made wine will not "taste of alcohol".

--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail


Thanks for the explanation.
I'm not sure what the 'taste of alcohol' is either. But I do know
that moonshine tasted but only once is a lot different that scotch. I
know that's an extreme example of knowing/tasting/feeling more alcohol
content. But it is the perception that there is more alcohol in the
wine. I have noticed this perception and 'then' asked what the
alcohol content is, and my perception is usually on-the-money.

Another question: I've noticed that Montalcino wines, which I do
like, almost always makes me flush (red cheeks). I've not yet decided
whether it is the alcohol or the sulfites. Maybe both.

Dee Dee

HIgh alcohol in a well crafted wine will bring the flush and a notation
that it is a bit hot, but not a problem with taste. As Mike said if the
wine has been pushed to an unatural alcohol level, then there will be a
"bad" taste.

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

On Jun 12, 10:00*pm, Joseph Coulter wrote:
Dee Dee wrote :





On Jun 9, 10:09*am, Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. *100% *is perfect for me. *Lately I've fo
und
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.

Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...

If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it
has probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will
taste bad but not because of the alcohol. The alcohol, like the bad
taste, is a consequence of a particular way of making the wine.

OTOH a wine from Languedoc or Montalcino that does NOT reach 14.5%
alcohol has probably been fiddled in some other way (in the best of
cases, the yields are too high). In this case you would probably
associate poor taste with low alcohol grade.

In each area of production a well made wine will yield the alcohol
level that is natural for that area. For some areas of Germany that
can be as low as 8%, for Bandol it is more likely to be 15 or more.
In either case, a well made wine will not "taste of alcohol".

--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail

Thanks for the explanation.
I'm not sure what the 'taste of alcohol' is either. *But I do know
that moonshine tasted but only once is a lot different that scotch. *I
know that's an extreme example of knowing/tasting/feeling more alcohol
content. *But it is the perception that there is more alcohol in the
wine. *I have noticed this perception and 'then' asked what the
alcohol content is, and my perception is usually on-the-money.

Another question: *I've noticed that Montalcino wines, which I do
like, almost always makes me flush (red cheeks). *I've not yet decided
whether it is the alcohol or the sulfites. *Maybe both.

Dee Dee

HIgh alcohol in a well crafted wine will bring the flush and a notation
that it is a bit hot, but not a problem with taste. As Mike said if the
wine has been pushed to an unatural alcohol level, then there will be a
"bad" taste.

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacationswww.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -



This is a very interesting concept and one that I don't quite
understand. Most wines that we buy, I have a high percentage of
identifying the wines that have a higher percentage of wine; ditto for
DH.

Here's how it goes: "I'll bet this has a 14 or 14.5% alcohol
content." "Yeah, I'll bet you're right, let me see."
Yep, we're right.


They must have another component in their respective higher numbers
that I am not aware of. Hmmm.

Thanks.
Dee Dee

On Jun 13, 6:28�am, Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
On Jun 12, 10:00 pm, Joseph Coulter wrote:
Dee Dee wrote :

On Jun 9, 10:09 am, Mike Tommasi wrote:
Dee Dee wrote:
I like Sangiovese a lot. �100% �is perfect for me. �Lately I've fo
und
that 14.5% alcohol doesn't taste so great.
Not sure about that. Alcohol does not really taste of anything...
If a wine from Burgundy or Piemonte reaches 14.5% alcohol, then it
has probably been concentrated in some artificial way, so it will
taste bad but not because of the alcohol. The alcohol, like the bad
taste, is a consequence of a particular way of making the wine.
OTOH a wine from Languedoc or Montalcino that does NOT reach 14.5%
alcohol has probably been fiddled in some other way (in the best of
cases, the yields are too high). In this case you would probably
associate poor taste with low alcohol grade.
In each area of production a well made wine will yield the alcohol
level that is natural for that area. For some areas of Germany that
can be as low as 8%, for Bandol it is more likely to be 15 or more.
In either case, a well made wine will not "taste of alcohol".
--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail
Thanks for the explanation.
I'm not sure what the 'taste of alcohol' is either. �But I do know
that moonshine tasted but only once is a lot different that scotch. �I
know that's an extreme example of knowing/tasting/feeling more alcohol
content. �But it is the perception that there is more alcohol in the
wine. �I have noticed this perception and 'then' asked what the
alcohol content is, and my perception is usually on-the-money.
Another question: �I've noticed that Montalcino wines, which I do
like, almost always makes me flush (red cheeks). �I've not yet decided
whether it is the alcohol or the sulfites. �Maybe both.
Dee Dee
HIgh alcohol in a well crafted wine will bring the flush and a notation
that it is a bit hot, but not a problem with taste. As Mike said if the
wine has been pushed to an unatural alcohol level, then there will be a
"bad" taste.

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacationswww.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

This is a very interesting concept and one that I don't quite
understand. �Most wines that we buy, I have a high percentage of
identifying the wines that have a higher percentage of wine; ditto for
DH.

�Here's how it goes: "I'll bet this has a 14 or 14.5% alcohol
content." �"Yeah, I'll bet you're right, let me see."
Yep, we're right.

They must have another component in their respective higher numbers
that I am not aware of. �Hmmm.

It goes like this. What Joseph refers to as "pushing" is he process of
adding sugar to the fermenting must, or of passing it through a reverse
osmosis process to remove water. Either way, you are making up for lack
of natural maturity, you are pushing a wine that would have normally
been thinner to a high alcohol level, yet you are leaving the flavour
components unaltered, i.e. thin, lacking in something.

Now imagine that trendsetters determine that high alcohol is fore some
reason bad, then winemakers, short of diluting the wine or resorting to
other removal techniques, they can increase yields and produce grapes
with lower sugar content. Again the flavour components will be off.

Anything that shifts the wine's alcohol content from its natural level
is bound to make bad wine. In an area like Bandol (same is true for many
CA areas) where it practically never rains from May to harvest time, one
wonders how some wines come out at 12 degrees of alcohol. It's almost
impossible to do unless you do something funny. And in fact even the
good wines are marked with somewhat false information about the alcohol,
it may say 14 on the bottle, but you can be sure it is in fact somewhere
between 14.5 and 16.

--
Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The taxes are higher on higher alcohol wines. IIRC, 14.1 is the cut
off for tax purposes.