Wine Berserkers - international wine social media, online community, and discussion

Cordero di Montezemolo is a big and historic winery. It's owned by a wealthy family (a brother was head of the Italian manufacturers' association or some such, a position that landed him on TV regularly). It's a major vineyard owner -- with 26 hectares owned and a total of 51ha under their control ...

2016 Paulo Scavino Barolo Carobric Touch murkier garnet color with more brick than the Prapo. A good bit more complex on the nose with a slightly riper feel — dark cherry, plum, some loamy earth, licorice, pine, and orange peel, all lifted by some barely perceptible VA. ... First, let me commend yo...

Cordero di Montezemolo is a big and historic winery. It's owned by a wealthy family (a brother was head of the Italian manufacturers' association or some such, a position that landed him on TV regularly). It's a major vineyard owner -- with 26 hectares owned and a total of 51ha under their control i...

Yes, fun, interesting notes. Thanks.

I ordered a case to be delivered to my building this week. The store said it had been delivered, but I hadn't seen it and our very conscientious doormen had no record of a delivery for me in their log. It turned out it had ended up with my neighbor across the hall. Neither my name nor apartment numb...

Yup.

There was a very good academic article maybe 10 years ago, tracking the history and the personal dynamics. I was just checking, but I can't seem to find a copy in my own docs. I know I posted on it, but I'm not sure how to pull it up. It was quite fascinating, with many layers or explanation.

I think she dialed back on the oak somewhat in the early 2000s. I visited in 2005 and she said something about how "we had to go to extremes" to make a point, in the 90s, I assumed. I'm generally quite averse to oak on nebbiolo, but her 01 Cannubi was very balanced in its early years. Via Nuova isn...

I think she dialed back on the oak somewhat in the early 2000s. I visited in 2005 and she said something about how "we had to go to extremes" to make a point, in the 90s, I assumed. I'm generally quite averse to oak on nebbiolo, but her 01 Cannubi was very balanced in its early years. Via Nuova isn'...

Opened a '16 Schiavenza - Ceretta this evening with veal chops in a chanterelle cream sauce. Popped and poured, without a decant. Thanks for this, John. Can I ask whether you thought the alcohol stood out on this wine? I thought I remembered seeing something to that effect. It's labeled at 15%, but...

My local HVAC guy is recommending we install a Daikin mini-split 1-ton system FTK12AXVJU for a new cellar. Would anyone recommend going this route, or instead playing it safe with a unit made specifically for wine? A few options we are considering: 1. Daikin mini-split @ $3800 (installed)... I like...

Opened a '16 Schiavenza - Ceretta this evening with veal chops in a chanterelle cream sauce. Popped and poured, without a decant. Powerful scents of black licorice from the moment the cork was pulled, backed up by a melange of deep, dark fruits -- some plums, black cherry, blackberry. Broad shoulder...

Anyone try one lately ? The notes on CT and from AG seem pretty positive especially if given some air time. I picked up a few at a nice price to help keep me away from the 16's. I have. It was frankly disappointing, especially for the money. It drank like a $19 Langhe Nebbiolo rather than a $50 Bar...

c fu wrote: ↑
November 30th, 2020, 2:00 pm
The only thing i learned after 27 pages is we need more tasting notes from John Morris himself so we can critique them.

Being a fool, I have obliged.

"Piquant" is a pretty good descriptor for the aroma of acetic acid -- sharp but also enticing if not too strong.

William Kelley wrote: ↑
November 28th, 2020, 7:01 am
If you propose a better alternative I will adopt it! I often use it in conjunction with other terms, e.g. "built around chalky structuring dry extract", which hopefully makes it more clear.

Why not just say extracted?

I have no problem calling a wine "extracted," meaning it's dense and has texture. But "dry extract" is a lab term. As I recall, you cook off the liquid and see what solids are left. When someone writes that a wine has a lot of dry extract based only on tasting it, I suspect they mean it's tannic an...

I think it is perfectly understandable if someone says that a white wine (or a sparkling wine, for that matter) seems to be noticeably high in dry extract. However, it would seem a bit weird reading a white wine to be extracted, unless there was some extraction done as part of the vinification proc...

Don't ever say that to a Swede, or a Norwegian.

That's interesting, David. I've not had the same syrahs often enough to be able to gauge the inconsistency, but I think I saw that with one of the '05s (I'd have to check my notes) -- one bottle grapy and fleshy, and the next pretty taut. There was about two ounces of the 01 Wylie-Fenaughty left in ...

Just a word to defend mentioning "dry extract" (one might just as well say "extract", but French oenology measures "extrait sec" and the term has become an albeit redundant proxy for extract when one talks with winemakers in France). Personally, I find this a very important differentiator between (...

Well, y’all are opening my eyes and ears. Personally, I have never seen anyone use the term “lift” or “lifted” in reference to VA. I have used it, and only recall seeing it used, on wine that has a crisp acidic structure and freshness. Busted! I thought you've read hundreds of my TNs I've posted he...

ah, that's it! "High-toned" was the other phrase I was fishing for that certain wine writers misappropriated as a technical codeword for VA while most people innocently assumed it was just referring to a sense of brightness or precision. My schnoz is not fine-tuned enough to isolate "VA, but below ...

Decanter describes the original meaning in a 2018 article about volatile acidity : What is volatile acidity? Ask Decanter Volatile acidity is made from compounds in types of acid found in wine, showing an aroma, rather than found on the palate. ‘In simple terms, it refers to the acidic elements of a...

One of the advantages of not purging my in-boxes is that I have a ready database of tasting notes. Here are some critics employing "lifted" -- for aromas, mouthfeel and finish, and often with dark fruits. It's pretty hard to see any consistent meaning. Monica Larner, Wine Advocate I think Larner may...

I'm compiling some "lifted" tasting notes, but this one made me roll out of my desk chair: 2017 Bouchard Pere et Fils Chevalier Montrachet "Captivating nose melds tangerine zest, lemon, lime, clove, anise, white pepper and crushed stone, complicated by an exotic hint of passion fruit and lifted by m...

But winemakers typically use it in its original sense, referring to VA, and I think some critics (John Gilman and, I think, William Kelley) do as well. If other people use it to mean less ripe or red fruits (an aroma) and others use it to refer to acidity (a taste), then I have to study each person'...

Alan Rath wrote: ↑
November 27th, 2020, 3:04 pm
... There may be some residual sugar here, but the minerality, savory, and acidity more than covers it. I don’t know of another example like this, perhaps some of Andre Perret’s top Condrieu. ...

Thanks for the note. I wasn't sure what you meant by the bolded part.

The two reds were a surprise, both still very unevolved and tight. Drunk with turkey meatloaf last night (couldn't see doing a bird for three). Decanted about two-plus hours ahead. 2002 Chevillon - Nuits St. Georges - Les Perrieres: This was somewhat more giving than the syrah. From the decanting th...

I think the various posts here demonstrate my point that "lifted" has no common meaning anymore. Everyone uses it as they please for VA, for red-fruited, for wines with good acidity that somehow shows in the nose), so it conveys nothing.

Yes, Western Carriers stores and delivers wine for a lot of importers, including Skurnick, I believe, so this disrupted holiday deliveries big time. (Note that the storm hit 10 days ago, on the 16th, at the peak of holiday deliveries.) Anyone heard an update on damage? The story indicates that the p...

ChrisJames wrote: ↑
November 25th, 2020, 4:03 pm
Use it as a marinade for beef.

A sweet wine?

It's not necessarily wrong, but as I understand it, it once was used in a narrow, technical sense to mean the wine had some volatile acidity (e.g., acetic acid). In small quantities, that can enliven the aroma and taste of wine. Now "lifted" is used willy-nilly. In many case it seems to indicate a b...

Don't conflate the EU labeling allowance and the US tariff threshold. Declared ABV's of 14.1, 14.2, etc. can be challenged by US customs. In which case, the producer must submit lab results. Many of our producers proposed upping their ABV and we advised against it. Not worth the delays and the risk...

Sarah Kirschbaum wrote: ↑
November 25th, 2020, 1:33 pm
I was mentally sifting through the cellar to decide what I could offer in response. But I can't compete.

Indeed.

Three liters of eiswein.

You have to wonder what they were thinking when they bottled it.

A Black Forest cake by any other name is .... 2017 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon Sommelier Collection "In February 2019, winemaker Stephanie Putnam and proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset hosted the ninth annual blending session with 13 sommeliers to create this on-premise only offering. It is a blend of 5...

Jay Miller wrote: ↑
November 25th, 2020, 6:46 am
I'd lean towards a white Burgundy.

Yes, the ugly truth is that white wines are MUCH better matches for any cheese than red. Not that I don't regularly ignore this fact.

RichardFlack wrote: ↑
November 22nd, 2020, 10:50 am
Tightrope instructor.

And if you lose your balance and fall, you'll be whacked with a stick. But it will have been seasoned for at least two or three years.

Some wines take their learning well -- well enough to garner 98 points from Suckling. Here's the 2019 Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco per Sherry-Lehman: ... Taught with tension, minerality and neutral oak, this Pinot is breathtaking in its purity of fruit. ... Studies show, however, that teachin...

For my tastes, 2004 was underappreciated in CdP.

The top 22 wines in James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2020 are 100 pointers. There are more 100 pointers in the list but I didn't have the patience to go through the entire list. https://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-reports/top-100-wines-2020/ He gave 98 points or more to 100 wines: And all t...

Does anyone understand why the ABV limit was put in the law? I know the whole thing doesn't make any sense, but wouldn't one think that if part of the goal was to protect domestic wines from competition it would be flipped? ie wines above a certain percentage would be taxed. I've looked for this el...

Here is one such example in Kingston, NY. 43 SKUs for German wine! I think their price points help and also they have a number that fit into the Natural wine camp. One thing for sure is that they are selling a lot of German wine and much more than last year. And they actually promote it. Fantastic ...

On top of that, I think retail wine sales are down generally this year, based on conversations with two people in the trade.

Richard - I can't speak to all the evidence based on your photos, but the corrosion on the capsules may not be a sign of seepage. Lead capsules (which were banned around 1990) often corroded a bit at the bottom edge, on even the most pristine, well-stored bottles. It could be due to a little spillag...

Wrt the OP, I wonder how much of this is just increasing the alcohol on the label (within legal allowances of course) - I would assume a fair bit. I assumed that was the suggestion/insinuation. Given that there's a margin of error allowed on the ABV level (+/-0.5% in the EU and +/-1% in the US if t...

Wrt the OP, I wonder how much of this is just increasing the alcohol on the label (within legal allowances of course) - I would assume a fair bit. I assumed that was the suggestion/insinuation. Given that there's a margin of error allowed on the ABV level (+/-0.5% in the EU and +/-1% in the US if t...

Wrt the OP, I wonder how much of this is just increasing the alcohol on the label (within legal allowances of course) - I would assume a fair bit. I assumed that was the suggestion/insinuation. Given that there's a margin of error allowed on the ABV level (+/-0.5% in the EU and +/-1% in the US if t...

I'm drinking the '15 Vina Alberdi Riserva (La Rioja Alta) , which is great exemplar of new American oak without the dill. It takes a while for the tempranillo to peek out from behind the oak, frankly, but a half hour after opening it, the sour cherry and acid of the grape are emerging. Looking forwa...

Alex Valdes wrote: ↑
November 18th, 2020, 1:06 pm
La Paulee Selections is doing some stuff but not at the level of what 67 Pall Mall is doing.

WS New York is doing something like what 67 Pall Mall is doing for members in NY.

Wine Spectator NY??

You'll be pleased to see that German wines are about the only ones with prices below their point scores.

Search found 16957 matches