re: Calling Resident Oenophiles......

Martini, how is the 07 drinking?

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2012 Fisher Vineyards Syrah

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Panny Crickets, are you on their mailing / member allocation are do you simply seek their wines at retail outlets? If you picked up that Syrah via the allocation when do they open up the offerings? I am on the mailing list but haven't received anything since I've signed up.

TIA

I'm a member.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and ordered the 2013 at the winery (along with the 2013 estate chard, 2012 Wedding Vineyard Cab and 2012 Whitney's vineyard cab).

I'm not sure if they sell retail; they are on some restaurant lists.

They are tremendous to work with--great family and wine.

I will email them and see if I missed the invite are they have not released any information just yet. I know my boss is a big fan of Fisher and was the first person who suggested I try some of their products.

I can order any of the Unity line at any time and may start there.

lilwineman : I as most am am and should be very appreciative of your input today. Relax and enjoy the rest of the evening... at least whats left. It seems it may just be a few of us interested but I hope we can continue to converse.

Regards..

Thanks for getting this thread started.

Long overdue.

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A few wines I've found from the old world that translate to the American palate very well and have s great price point are listed below. Hopefully it'll open up ideas to break away from the varietal norm of California and domestic wines

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Now that you mention this... I think many people are simply too afraid to venture out of the red/white zone and try new things....

A few weeks ago I hosted a dinner party and 5/6 pairings were old world and everyone really enjoyed them... They were all quality examples and meant to pair well so that was working in my favor as well... I MADE them try..

French Rose' from Tavel
Cakebread White Zin (paired well with lobster tortellini in broth)
Brunello Di Montalcino
French Sauterne for desert

As a follow up I had everyone try a Rosso as a more inexpensive option to get into Italian wines.

Great evening and opened up some eyes.

And another note....European wines pair much better with food than American wines honestly. The elevated alcohol and sugar levels borne from our palatable addiction to "sweeter things" and Robert Parkers obsession with over the top wines overwhelm anything they go with (red wines specifically). The great levels of acid and layers of old world wines are a much more ideal companion....I mean if you're eating a chargrilled ribeye every night, enjoy your cabs as much as you want bc the fatty umami intensity can stand up to those wines, but I have felt in my older days that the domestics should be consumed more often rather than being paired. That isn't to say this is all producers, but someone like Orin swift who makes a rose that's clicking at 16% alcohol comes to mind...his wines taste like alcoholic dessert

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nectar of the gods)

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also referred to as the wine of kings.

It´s no fluke that Bodegas Vega Sicilia has bought massively there over the past twenty years.....

IN regards to Italian wines and your system....I honestly think the correlation of total sugars us what hurts the most and takes your body longer to process. A lot of classic Italian wines are very far removed from the syrup you refer to. Try some Altesino Brunello for some true funk.

I've had some wines from Mauro as well, but they are tougher to find. its either Skurnik or Canaan who bring those in. Sold them st churchills years ago. Those wines are great for the dollar. Another region I'm stuck in is priorat and the truth of terroir in their wines (recently had the Porrera Vie de Villa from Vall Llach and their less expensive wines). The surrounding area of Montsant is a great value with similar topography but slightly different soil (they don't have the famous llicorella slate present in priorat).

This afternoon I have a bottle of Francoise Bedel "Entre Ciel et Terre" NV Champagne (RM-Recoltant Manipulant/grower producer). Majority of this wine is from Pinot Meunier in Vallee de la Marne and primary premier cru vineyards. The average age of the reserves in the bottle is 6 years, far beyond that of your traditional NV producers. Loads of autolytic/yeast driven complexities of toast, marcona almonds, poached apples and pear, cherries, pluot...a remarkable champagne off the traditional path.

That's spot on for traditional Italians, but much like Spain and outer lying areas of France, a more modern approach is being taken by some producers for riper styles. Classically they are very much acidic, rustic, and driven by their terroir....I'm curious as to what he is drinking though to assume they are syrupy. I've had some Brunello recently clicking at 15% and of course amarone is intentionally that way, Tuscans are a mixed bag depending on producers.