Strategy & Debate for 2009 Bordeaux

Let’s not debate the greatness of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage as the top wines make their way to US markets.  For now, squelch all lamentations over price inflation for first and second growths on the heels of their runaway futures market.  Turn a blind eye to Parker’s very recent The Empire Strikes Back article where he wrote ”this is unquestionably [...]

Sean Thackrey Pleiades XI-XVIII: Vertical Tasting Without Boundaries

This weekend’s vertical tasting of Sean Thackrey’s Pleiades XI-XVIII offered a thrilling departure from the familiar variables more traditional vertical tasting sessions showcase; particularly the satisfying intellectual discovery stemming from sensory embodiment of vintage variation against a backdrop of consistent terroir.  Then again, Marin County based Thackrey is the antithetic picture of California wine producers, coming at it with [...]

Tasting 1982 Bordeaux: Vieux Chateau Certan and Les Ormes de Pez

Having missed the 1982 Bordeaux futures market bonanza by two regrettable years, any evening I can taste two or more clarets from this historic vintage, side by side along with good people and tasty food, transforms into a trademark “good living” moment.  A few weeks ago, my friend Jacques suggested we head over to his house [...]

Uncovering Boston BYOB and Wine Berserkers

Late edit and FYI:  Disappointingly, Mark Squires unfriended me on Facebook minutes after publishing this post here and sharing the link on Facebook.  To Mark Squires:  Sorry if you were offended by anything I have mentioned here, it was not my intention.  Please refriend me on Facebook, I enjoy the information you share there. Open [...]

Questioning the Sensibility of Bordeaux’s New Found Irrelevance

Eric Asimov helped me feel old, out of the loop,  and crusty today simply because I prefer Bordeaux.  Please do not crucify me en masse, and allow me to cling to a hard earned 51-year-old point of view that many of the world’s finest wines are products of Bordeaux as you join me on a visit [...]

Blind Tasting Series Report Part 1: Viognier

After a several year hiatus, a successful season of reincarnation has passed for the blind tasting series and wine enthusiast group that I am pleased to regale monthly at my home.  Each tasting requires hours of preparation including wine acquisition, printed line ups, tasting agendas, room set, food and bread supply, wine prep, glassware provisioning, [...]

Wired for 1990 Chateau Latour

In the event you birthed a child in 1990,  got married that year, or are secure in your belief that spending slightly under $700  a bottle can represent a really fine wine deal, then you will want to make sure you check out Wired for Wine at 10:00am on Monday, May 3.  They will be [...]

Authentic Discovery: Rather Drink Wine With Tom Johnson than Stephen Tanzer

It was an amusing week dipping into the online wine-world, witnessing Stephen Tanzer barreling clumsily into the blogosphere with his Winophilia and Tom Johnson striking a chord at Palate Press, accusing wine blogs of failing its readers. Tanzer, an established traditional media wine critic, is Editor and Publisher of the International Wine Cellar while Johnson, a recently converted [...]

Bottle Age Challenge: 1985 Lynch Bages vs. 1985 Chateau Montelena

I opened two $20 wines, one from Napa Valley and one from Bordeaux’s Paulliac appellation, for a few remaining tasters hanging around after our challenging 2007 Southern Rhone tasting. Don’t let the retail values throw you; price tags are acquisition costs for the 1985 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon and the 1985 Lynch Bages that I [...]

2004 Dumol Syrah: A Country Club Wine?

American country clubs and their wine lists are simpatico; boring, nondescript bottles of wine punctuated by a few “has been”, overpriced, tired Cabernet and Chardonnay brands served up to a homogeneous pool of status-subscribing members willing to pay for social standing.   Apologies for these harshly extreme generalizations, but my memory banks were recently refreshed at a [...]

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