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Wine (alt.food.wine) Devoted to the discussion of wine and wine-related topics. A place to read and comment about wines, wine and food matching, storage systems, wine paraphernalia, etc. In general, any topic related to wine is valid fodder for the group. |
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Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie
OK...
I managed to locate a place that sells Pillar Box Red, bought a bottle, $11, more than what was mentioned, but no big deal... For those of you who can't recall the review that was posted...here it is... =============== inserted text below ===================== Ok Hunt --- here's the wine jargon version for Pillar Box Red 8-) Approx USD 8.00 - 9.00. "A fabulous value, this 20,000 case blend, assembled by renowned Barossa winemaker Chris Ringland, is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Shiraz, and 11% Merlot, primarily from young vines. Ringland has rarely worked with such huge quantities, but he kept the wine in tank with a little exposure to American and French oak, bottled it unfined and unfiltered, and finished it with a screw cap. It boasts luscious black currant fruit intermixed with smoke, herbs, and cedar. Richly fruity, opulent, and medium to full-bodied, it is one of the great wine bargains of the world. Consume it over the next 2-3 years." (WA) "A blend of 57% cabernet, 32% shiraz and 11% merlot) Ruby red. Aromas of smoky grilled meat, dark cherry, plum and licorice candy are lifted by alcohol and show a distinctly herbal cabernet tone. Fat and broad in the mouth, with sweet, candied berry, plum and cherry flavors complicated by hints of cracked pepper and violet pastille. Finishes on a tangier, red fruit note of cranberry, with no noticeable tannins." (IWC) ============== inserted text above =============== OK...I was very excited to try this out, having read this newsgroup the last few days, and "how to taste", etc.... I ended up being a little disappointed (not with the wine, though, I still like it, a lot)...This was going to be my first little "project"...I was taking notes, looking at color, smell, taste, clarity, etc. First of all, I don't know what generic "herbs" smell like, nor currant..candied berry, cherry, smokey meat...none of these were detectable by me. Am I supposed to smell these or taste them (knowing that it all is linked to smell anyway).... My main thing I can not get over (and maybe it's a cheap wine thing),...when I have a mouthfull of wine, and then breathe in...makes the wine "bubble", the alcohol is overwhelming to me, to the point of, it's uncomfortable, makes me cough, almost like inhaling rubbing alcohol...Is that the reasonable way to "airate" wine to detect taste? Are better wines a little bit more reasonable in this regard? But here's my little SUCCESS! I smelled, and tasted, licorice. What I do NOT know is, did I smell/taste it because I read a review that mentioned it, or did I really taste it? As it went along (wine sat out longer, I went back to taste it later), I could detect licorice more, or easier, but that might again be because I was thinking abotu it, or, perhaps, because I had already had a glass. The question for me is, is this common, happens a lot, or do you have to develop your taste somehow. I mean, I really tasted nothing (other than the slight sweetness of the licorice)... I think that the taste of the wine changed with how long it was opened before I drank it, and also what I ate (or, maybe just because I ate)... Gotta tell ya...I liked the wine, but the whole experience was a little bit of a let down...I'm not going to stop trying, but, I'm a little disappointed.... Jeff Of course, I never found all of the flavors as described but really enjoyed the wine. I was able to find the screw cap, thought. And I believe that the OP already found the unfiltered part (sediment). |
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screwcaps (was Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie)
"Hunt" > wrote in message ... > In article >, teacherjh@aol. > nojunk.com says... >> >>> Stelvin is a type of screw-cap closure. While there are other brands of >>> screwcap enclosures, Stelvin is probably near the Kleenex tm mode for > tissues. >> >>How do they rate against one another (and against non-wine screwcaps?) >>If I open a bottle and don't finish it, I usually rebottle it in a >>smaller bottle and pump it down with VacUVin. But if I can fill it to >>the tippy top and screwcap it, it should also keep nicely, no? >> >>Does the kind of screwcap matter? Can I use an old EVO (I just learned >>that one) bottle with no ill effects? >> >>Jose > > I do not know the answers to either. Some in the group have much > experience > and knowledge regarding the various producers of screw-cap enclosures for > the > wine industry. > OK, in my limited knowledge, I had heard that screwcaps were a good thing...corks could have that disease/bacteria/whatever that could ruin an entire vintage, and recently have. I recall RH Phillips using screwcaps and actually attaching a cork to the bottle, in a sense, letting their consumers know that it was not a cost issue that they switched to screwcaps. I have had problems with synthetic corks, specifically those from one brand, which I don't remember now, ! I remember! Vendange...but I never buy it anymore, that actually BROKE a corksrew I had gettign the damn cork out... With regard to my fridge, I have no shelf low enough to put a bottle of wine standing up in, so once i open something white up, I don't have place to put it, so the screw top makes it VERY nice so that i can lay it down. |
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Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie
"JR" > wrote in
: > it went along (wine sat out longer, I went > back to taste it later), I could detect licorice more, or easier, Once you identify a taste/smell it is certainly easier to find it again. There are tasting kits out there that include all the smeels thaet you are "supposed" to find in wines. To train the palate you use the keys and then see if they were in the wine and if so how much so. It is like hte butter taste, once you id it you will probably be able to smell it before tasting. Cherry notes are like that for me. I can pretty well (please I know I can be fooled from time to time) tell a PN with one wiff. I am just getting back to northern rhones and the smoky bacon thing that goes on in Syrah from that region. Opened one last night and it was almost too much of a good thing. -- Joseph Coulter Cruises and Vacations http://www.josephcoulter.com/ |
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Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie
In article >, jrich7970@hotmail.
com says... > >OK... > >I managed to locate a place that sells Pillar Box Red, bought a bottle, $11, >more than what was mentioned, but no big deal... [SNIP] >OK...I was very excited to try this out, having read this newsgroup the last >few days, and "how to taste", etc.... > >I ended up being a little disappointed (not with the wine, though, I still >like it, a lot)...This was going to be my first little "project"...I was >taking notes, looking at color, smell, taste, clarity, etc. > >First of all, I don't know what generic "herbs" smell like, nor >currant..candied berry, cherry, smokey meat...none of these were detectable >by me. Am I supposed to smell these or taste them (knowing that it all is >linked to smell anyway).... Because our "taste" is extremely limited, most elements are actually part of the olfactory sense, either through the nose or retro-nasal. Body and mouth- feel (part of the experience) are really tactile sensations on the tongue and in the mouth/palete. > >My main thing I can not get over (and maybe it's a cheap wine thing),...when >I have a mouthfull of wine, and then breathe in...makes the wine "bubble", >the alcohol is overwhelming to me, to the point of, it's uncomfortable, >makes me cough, almost like inhaling rubbing alcohol...Is that the >reasonable way to "airate" wine to detect taste? Are better wines a little >bit more reasonable in this regard? First thought - smaller amount of wine. Second thought - what temp did you try the wine at. The old saw, "reds to be served at 'room' temp... " comes from European "room temp," which is just above cellar temp of 55F. I usually bring bigger reds up from the cellar and pour/decant at whatever the temp at the time, probably ~60F. By the time that I fiddle with the wine, the temp is probably ~65F, which is considered by many ideal for most reds. I'm asking this because one of the problems that I find with warmer reds is that the alcohol hits, big-time. In restaurants in the US, I find that I more often need the old ice bucket for my reds, than for my whites, which often come out at ~45F - far too cool in IMHO. > >But here's my little SUCCESS! I smelled, and tasted, licorice. What I do >NOT know is, did I smell/taste it because I read a review that mentioned it, >or did I really taste it? As it went along (wine sat out longer, I went >back to taste it later), I could detect licorice more, or easier, but that >might again be because I was thinking abotu it, or, perhaps, because I had >already had a glass. This is common. When tasting in a group, the power of suggestion can be very powerful. Same when you have TN's in front of you. I try to purge my mind and thoughts, and attempt to concentrate on what I think I actually find. It is not uncommon for some tasters (or copywriters :-} ) to find things that others cannot. I've had a recent situation, where everyone at the table found a certain element, but it took me about four trys, and I was really digging as deeply, as I could. I think that aeration and possibly temp may have been part of the difference, but for three big "go's" at it, the element eluded me completely. I also seem to find things that many others cannot. My wife thinks that I make this sh*t up, but I do not. She often finds violet notes in reds, that I can never find. Since she dislikes violets, I think she's "finding" these elements so she doesn't have to finish the wine. Since she's my designated driver, and the wines are usually well-aged Bdx, I always just take her glass of "violets" away and finish it myself. > >The question for me is, is this common, happens a lot, or do you have to >develop your taste somehow. I mean, I really tasted nothing (other than the >slight sweetness of the licorice)... It's more a recall of one's taste memory. The ability to associate particular tastes/smells with prior experiences takes some practice. It's less a process of developing one's tasting/smelling ability, as it is being able to associate the stimuli with past experiences. Also, taking apart the smell in your mind really helps - is it freshly cut apple, or cooked apple, or spiced apple? Hm- m, what spice on the apple? Now, obviously some folk can smell much better than others, and practice also does help. There are olfactory sensory kits available to practice with. One is setup as a kind of board game. One, from France, costs as much as a btl. of 1cr Bdx. A suggestion would be to pick up a Tasting Wheel. It's done by Ann C Noble of UC Davis and has all sorts of data on smells. Many wine shops sell them, and they are also available from UC Davis. > >I think that the taste of the wine changed with how long it was opened >before I drank it, and also what I ate (or, maybe just because I ate)... Time does change wine in the glass, or decanter. This is basically what is meant by letting the wine breath. With repeated swirling, you are aerating the wine. Also, food will effect the wine, either for the better, or the worse. > >Gotta tell ya...I liked the wine, but the whole experience was a little bit >of a let down...I'm not going to stop trying, but, I'm a little >disappointed.... > > >Jeff > >Of course, I never found all of the flavors as described but really enjoyed >the wine. I was able to find the screw cap, thought. And I believe that the >OP already found the unfiltered part (sediment). Sorry for the disapointment. One last thought - glassware. What glasses were you tasting from? Glassware can have a major impact on what one senses from a wine. I'm not talking about the anal retentive sales pitch for Riedel Sommelier glasses (though I have some personal experiences to support some of that), but about size, shape and thickness/shape of rim. I've done tests of the same wine from totally different glasses and have gotten distinctly different impressions. Let us know how it goes, Hunt -- NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth |
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Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie
"Mike Tommasi" > wrote in message ... > Marcello Fabretti wrote: >> >> I love the "idea" of terroir, but you have to give you're vines every >> chance to express it, and that takes lots of trial and error, and >> increasingly these days -- science. >> >> Marcello >> >> PS. I know, almost ad infinitum nauseamque... But that's a wrap! > > > Interesting read Marcello. And a latinist to boot. Gratias tibi ago, Tommasius Michaelis. I. Fabrettius Marcellus Terra Australis Incognita. |
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Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie
"Hunt" > wrote in message ... > In article >, > jrich7970@hotmail. > com says... >>by me. Am I supposed to smell these or taste them (knowing that it all is >>linked to smell anyway).... > >>the alcohol is overwhelming to me, to the point of, it's uncomfortable, >>makes me cough, almost like inhaling rubbing alcohol...Is that the > > First thought - smaller amount of wine. I'll try that. > Second thought - what temp did you try > the wine at. Well, it was room temp, which means today (it was beautiful out!) about 70 degrees F. Much warmer than you're talking about. >> >>But here's my little SUCCESS! I smelled, and tasted, licorice. What I do >>NOT know is, did I smell/taste it because I read a review that mentioned >>it, >>or did I really taste it? As it went along (wine sat out longer, I went > > This is common. When tasting in a group, the power of suggestion can be > very > powerful. Same when you have TN's in front of you. Well now you're making me wonder more. Certainly suggestion is a very powerful thing. OK, fine...So how do these high-falutin' reviewer-type guys come up with stuff. They're just experienced, and, of course, it's just their opinion...And, its the same as, I guess, movie reviewers. If you read a Roger Ebert movie review, go to the movie, and agree with him for the most part, you'll trust his review of another movie. If you go to too many movies and do NOT agree with Roger, you won't trust him for the next one...I'm starting to get it. > I've had a recent situation, where everyone at the table found a > certain element, but it took me about four trys, and I was really digging > as > deeply, as I could. I wonder if I would bother, by that point, other than it would just be fun to try. if I didn't detect something, then I would just give up and move on to the next wine. If it's that hard to detect something, then why continue. And, if you say, you were digging as deeply as you could, then, yes, I can see that suggestion might eventually put that taste into your mind. > I also seem to find things that many others cannot. My wife thinks > that I make this sh*t up, but I do not. I believe you, and I'm sure that many of us who are married would believe you. Both male and female out there. Men and women, and people, are different. > She often finds violet notes in reds, > that I can never find. Since she dislikes violets, I think she's "finding" > these elements so she doesn't have to finish the wine. Since she's my > designated driver, and the wines are usually well-aged Bdx, I always just > take > her glass of "violets" away and finish it myself. That's funny! And, by the way, I smell no violets in this wine I'm drinking right now. > It's more a recall of one's taste memory. The ability to associate > particular > tastes/smells with prior experiences takes some practice. OK. I guess I'll practice, and enjoy the practicing while i do it! > Now, obviously some folk can smell much better > than others, and practice also does help. Which also makes me wonder...are there any smokers that are also wine officionados? I was never a smoker, I more of an active guy, marathon runner and such, and don't want to make any judgements about other peoples lifestyles, but some who I know who are EX-smokers tell me that when they have stopped, things start tasting stronger. My wife quit smoking...um...14 years ago (in June), but we weren't really "serious" wine drinkers back then, and has never really mentioned the taste thing, but I bet if I asked her, she would say yes, things taste better now. > There are olfactory sensory kits > available to practice with. Hmmmm. I wonder if, for me at least, if that's carrying things too far. And, then, there's the suggestion thing again. Start smelling a card with violets on it, and the wine is going to taste like violets! :-) > > Sorry for the disapointment. I will survive. :-) > One last thought - glassware. What glasses were > you tasting from? Well, it wasn't your standard, large red-wine type of glass, but it was larger than a glass that you would see for white wine. About 2 3/4 inches in diameter at the mouth of the glass. Larger than your average glass. For example, when filled, my wife and I can only get about 3 1/2 glasses from a bottle, so it's a bit larger than most glasses. Not all that thick, but not thin either. The lip of the rim is about double the thickness of the rest of the glass. Nothing excessive. A totally unremarkable glass except for the fact that tis a bit larger. Of course, to do this tasting, I only put a small amount in anyway, otherwise when I swirled it, it would have splashed out, so... I realize that money is an issue, but the one and only tasting I was at, we used clear plastic cups. No one seemed to mind...especially as the evening rolled along. In fact, we were all quite happy that we all lived within walking distance. :-) |
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screwcaps (was Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie)
"Anders Tørneskog" skrev i melding
> > Anders > who seldom puts away anything but empty bottles... :-) Ah yes, a man after my own heart ;-) -- st.helier |
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screwcaps (was Various, RAMBLING, wine questions from a newbie)
"st.helier" > wrote in message ... > "Anders Tørneskog" skrev i melding >> >> Anders >> who seldom puts away anything but empty bottles... :-) > Me too, but even when I'm drinking an entire bottle of a white, I still like to keep it cold while I'm doing it... |
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