On 2 Jan 2006 09:37:32 -0800, "DaleW" > wrote:

>Hopefully my vinuous 2006 is better than its start.

Amen, amigo! I went to a New Years Eve party I've been attending for
years, thrown by a Taurus friend who really knows her wines and her
way around the kitchen. (The lemon bars were to die for.) In the past,
her guests have demonstrated an impeccable ability to select and bring
above average wines to the festivus. This time around, however, the
malaise was palpable.

For the first time in my recollection, there were bottles of Trader
Joe wines on the table! Quivira, D'Aquino chianti, one of those
horrible Cotes du Rhones in a bottle that looked like it should have
held brandy...I mean, it was Plonk City!

Fortunately, I'd brought my usual six-pack, plus a bottle of Laurent
Perrier for the midnight burst. Also, a '98 De Renzis Sonnino Vin
Santo, in case the opportunity presented itself, and a '99 L'Ecole 41
Semillon, which had somehow gotten lost in the cellar for years. When
my best buddy sidled up and whispered, "Isn't there ANYTHING drinkable
around here?," I reached for the sixer.

In order of consumption (and yes, we kept these bottles in a
restricted area, away from the plonkified hoardes) :

2000 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre
2000 Travignoli Riserva Chianti
1996 Markham Petite Syrah
2000 Brunel Rasteau Les Sambiches CdR

The Rasteau was probably the most impressive, the Travignoli
disappointing, even after decanting. As usual, no flies on the Palazzo
or the Markham. Never got to the Vin Santo, the semillion or a 2004
Insoglio Campo di Sasso Bibbona. My buddy brought a 2002 Windy Point
Yakima Valley Cab that we didn't open, either, but I recently tasted
it and gave it a B+ on the Dale Scale.

Generally speaking, I bring wines to share, not to hide in a remote
corner of the kitchen. But this was one of those times when a very few
of us knew what we were drinking. I've been to a few "wine" parties
lately that have produced similar results...people with little or no
real wine knowledge grabbing cheapies off a supermarket shelf, just so
they can show up with a bottle in hand. Then they discover the good
wines (like mine), and quickly consume them, leaving behind the plonk.
I'm pleased to see wine is gaining in popularity, but we could sure
use a little more education to go along with the increased sales.

Cheers, and Happy New Year!

JJ