Owner: Unidentified Appellation URL:http://unidentifiedappellation.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:51:20 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Comprehensive Amateur Wine Criticism from the Rhone to California. Vintage reports, producer profiles and insightful commentaries from one, full-fledged wine geek. Site statistics:Click here
Leoville Poyferre Vertical, Vying for a Moment on the St. Julien Stage 2008-07-09 10:40:00 The forgotten Leoville of Saint Julien, the Poyferre, was given a thorough test drive through just about every storied vintage last night. Several verticals leave you wondering ‘how would this vintage have fared in such competition,’ or ‘great tasting, too bad you didn’t try that vintage,’ but this one had everything but the kitchen sink and displayed the apex of this estate’s recent a Read more:Vertical
, Moment
, Stage
A Chardonnay, errr...Burgundy producer I'd been dying to try.... 2008-08-05 18:34:00 Goodness knows why I’ve been on a bit of a Chardonnay
kick, but this wine actually is a bit more about person and place than that of grape & gadgetry. Pouilly Fuisse has been somewhat of a go-to, uncomplicated appellation for decent, refreshing Chardonnay, yet I’d never found much to be excited about from the region that warranted serious exploration. Well, I admit it, the Rosenthal novel
Rags to Riches… 2008-08-04 19:52:00 While this is by no means an ideal comparison between the two heavyweight Chardonnay producers that source Ritchie Vineyard fruit (the vintages were not the same), it was as good as we could manage on a sun-drenched, Sunday afternoon picnic. The characteristics of each wine were a bit more distinct than I had imagined, w/ the Ramey showcasing a bit higher-toned, racy profile, as the Aubert unwoun
Hey, pssst, Aubert fans, doesn’t this guy deserve a temple too? 2008-07-30 16:57:00 Broadcasting a ‘calling all Aubert fans’ is tantamount to me saying ‘hey, you guys that are into wine, I’ve got something to show you,’ but trust me, there’s reasoning behind this. David Ramey is as well known for Chardonnay, if not more so than Mark Aubert, but, from the outside looking in, I haven’t noticed a shrine to Ramey anywhere near the magnitude of Aubert’s….perhaps Rame
So, two unfunctional wines walk into a bar... 2008-07-28 18:43:00 Well, slapstick isn’t really my forte, but these puppies are on totally different ends of the spectrum (though color-wise, they are absolutely on the same page), but I have no clue what to do w/ either of them. Actually, strike that, no clue what to do w/ the second, the first wine needs to be flushed, like the urine-colored substance that it is. The second…is essentially a dry, botrytis-infus
Beaucastel, a reprise collection of the best of the best (89-06): 2008-07-26 11:58:00 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc:2001Surprisingly still open knit and as youthful as ever, this vintage of Beaucastel Blanc (w/ 80 plus percent Roussanne) explodes from the glass w/ golden flower, honeysuckle, nutmeg and spiced rice pudding scents. The palate was thick, oily and decadent, w/ an impressive array of buttered melon flavors that envelope the mouth and are kept honest by good freshness and po Read more:collection
Best of the base cuvees in Chateauneuf 2005 2008-07-25 10:57:00 When I taste wines of this caliber from '05 it really makes me shake my head that I don't swoon over the vintage....but then I'm reminded of some of the jagged, austere tannins that other wines in the vintage produced & I slide back on the fence. I really feel that some producers 'got the vintage,' and others didn't know what to do w/ all the structure.Next to Clos St. Jean's Vieilles Vignes (
Top vintages of Beaucastel at Lotus of Siam 2008-07-22 10:50:00 A trip to Sin City is not complete w/o a jaunt over to Lotus
of Siam, the Thai lover’s paradise that is fawned over by all gustatory geeks alike. While I wouldn’t consider myself a Thai nazi by any stretch of the imagination, the barrage of dishes that I, Jack Bulkin and my wife, Ejehan, dove into were nothing short of mesmerizing. There was fantastic intensity of flavor, judicious spice and
A Couple Top Notch Whites that Still Sell for a Song 2008-07-21 21:48:00 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc, 2007How much of a smoking value is this…and why is their Sauvignon Blanc nearly twice the price? Year in, year out this is a spectacular little Chenin, with this vintage sporting a beautiful bouquet of sage, paraffin, green tea, salted butter, lime candy and quince notes that jump from the glass. The palate is full of spicy, lively, mouth-filling Chenin flavors that ar Read more:Notch
, Whites
Mixing business w/ pleasure, an evening at Babbo 2008-08-19 18:39:00 Well the spoils of the pharmaceutical profession are nearing an end as the political pressures of an election year have caused big pharma to squeeze the belt a bit tighter, cutting out the physician dinners and promotional materials as of January 1st, 2009. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the wine-ing and dining aspect of my job was not only enjoyable, but instrumental in my on-going enol Read more:Mixing
, evening
, Babbo
Appellation...identified?! 2008-08-13 19:24:00 I started this blog roughly a year ago w/ the hopes and dreams that Brooklyn’s enological potential would finally be realized, putting the bum’s borough up w/ global wine giants the likes of Bordeaux, Tuscany and the Mosel. Well folks, it appears that dream has become realized through the blood, sweat and tears that I’ve poured into my cyberspace writing, paving the way for my beloved Brookl
The Main Event 2008-08-12 12:31:00 D’Angerville Clos des Ducs Volnay, 2001Starting off the evening w/ our ‘white’ wine, this red Burgundy’s best sip was its last, but the ride to the finish was a lovely jaunt all the way. A transparent, shy ruby color foreshadowed a lifted, primary nose of rose petals, bing cherry and freshly tilled loam. The palate was all about presence and purity, as crunchy acidity pumped along the beam
Brad’s bachelor week- first installment 2008-08-12 11:41:00 Before you cast a barrage of ‘third person title’ hate, consider the somewhat clever alliteration ;)The wife has been away for two weeks & I’ve decided to inundate myself w/ wine-filled events everyday of the week and twice on Sundays. When Ejehan, my better half, returns on Wednesday night I can only pray that she’ll take pity on my over-bloated remains and the liquid-borne casualties Read more:installment
Eleventh Heaven on Madison Avenue 2008-09-11 16:50:00 When it comes to the extravagance of excess, there’s nothing like playing w/ a stacked deck, and I think Eleven Madison
+ top Bordeaux constitutes just that. Sitting across from Professor Ben Goldberg brought out the teacher in all of us, demonstrating to the ‘Prof’ that great wine deserves to be drunk. See I don’t want to embarrass Ben or make an example of him, but he’s a great guy w/ Read more:Heaven
, Avenue
2007, Prime Time for Chateauneuf du Pape 2008-08-29 12:27:00 In case you were wondering, this is not another vintage of the century stance, but merely my opportunity to comment on the importance of timing. See Chateaunuef du Pape has had an unprecedented string of fabulous vintages that trace back to 1998 (save for a hiccup or two in ’02 and ’03) which makes a strong case that the region could rival Napa Valley in terms of consistency. In addition to co Read more:Prime Time
A ‘Bottle Shock-umentary’ 2008-08-25 15:53:00 The recent buzz on this film has been a bit disparaging as it has been compared to Sideways, which is as apples to oranges as assessment as any that I’ve heard of in cinema circles. I believe one’s enjoyment in the film will highly correlate to their initial expectations as they walk into the theater (or pop it in their NetFlix cue).Loosely based on factual occurrences during the pivotal tast Read more:Shock
Fans of Clos des Papes....this juice may just tickle your fancy.... 2008-08-21 21:37:00 When I say Clos des Papes fans, I’m referring to those that have been entranced in their white wine, not their more commonly known red…and if you haven’t tried their white Chateauneuf yet, I’m giving you an order to get crackin’! Clos des Papes white Chateauneuf utilizes all the white grapes allowed in the appellation, creating a unique harmony of brisk acidity, depth of fruit and a nut
Is the hallowed sense of minerality the key to terroir? 2008-09-27 10:16:00 When I ask the terroirists if they had to reduce a wine’s transparent expression of site to one element, the response is generally broken down to mineral character. I suppose this rationale elucidates why minerality is a feature that is so sought after from a vigneron’s perspective, particularly if it’s believed to represent what a vine’s roots have to say if they can dig deeply enough to
A Special Wine & a Tribute Tasting Note 2008-09-20 20:04:00 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang ‘05 A deep straw color foreshadows a ripe, hauntingly subtle bouquet that’s charged w/ bailed hay, lime blossom, hot stones, wilted flowers, hummus and macadamia nut notes. The palate hurdles citrus fruits in and out of a body that is ablaze with mineral definition; cutting an electric edge w/ its sharp blade of rippling acidity. While this is certainly a ripe custome Read more:Special
The Jimi Hendrix of Sauvignon Blanc 2008-09-18 10:42:00 Yesterday morning, while traveling over the Cognac region, Didier Daguneau was tragically killed in a small plane crash. In a year of insufferable loss, which included the passing of the American wine pioneer, Robert Mondavi, this legend of the Loire seems to have struck me the most painfully. The self-taught, passionate maverick seemed to attract as much praise as he did disdain, and at 52 years Read more:Hendrix
, Sauvignon
, Sauvignon Blanc
Hmmm, Chardonnay fans, it appears Food & Wine Magazine agrees w/ me... 2008-09-15 17:28:00 Well, I had recently decided to rock the boat a bit on the Squires board and make the claim that David Ramey's '05 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay
could go toe to toe w/ the same vintage from the board's darling, Mark Aubert. See I'm an Aubert lover as well, but when I tasted David Ramey's '05 (sourced from the same Ritchie Vineyard that Mark Aubert uses) I thought it was of comparable quality to what Read more:Magazine
Slow and Steady, New York's Finest Producers Aren't Skipping a Beat 2008-10-14 18:23:00 I spent a brief, but thorough Saturday tasting at some of New York
’s finest producers in search of outstanding Cabernet Franc, while keeping my eyes peeled and ears open for the pleasant surprises along the way. This was somewhat of a spontaneous fall trip, which happens to be the region’s busiest time of year in terms of tourism (the pumpkin patches were inundated w/ schools of children in pr Read more:Producers
, Skipping
Ducru Beaucaillou Vertical, Spanning Vintages from 1970-2000 2008-10-08 17:04:00 Oh the beauties of being a bench warmer. See I grew up w/ high basketball aspirations and a ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich-like work ethic (though I shot the ball a bit more along the lines of Chris Dudley), yet my lack of athletic ability and the minor hiccup of being vertically challenged left me ‘riding the pines’ as they say. What in the hell does this have to do w/ wine, you ask? See I am a r Read more:Vertical
A 1998 Rhone Retrospective, There's Always Room for More Ten Year Anniversary Tastings! 2008-10-06 15:50:00 My wife and I, being the newfound ‘Brooklyn suburbanites’ that we are, headed up to West-chowder this past Saturday evening to spend some time w/ the Great Dane himself, Peter Baekgaard. You could say we were invading the Denmark of New York, sticking out like the Turkish & Portuguese sore thumbs that we are, yet getting drunk is always the perfect remedy for blurring any type of cultural Read more:Anniversary
These Wines are ‘My Sine Qua Non’ 2008-10-02 19:07:00 I’m not going to feign any insight to Robert Parker’s feelings about Manfred Krankl’s wines. I don’t claim to have the most intimate or exhaustive experience w/ the famed ‘cult of cults’ from Ventura, California either….but hey, I’m a geek, and I’d have to be completely oblivious to ignore the ‘Sine Qua Non effect’ that began w/ a few enthusiastic reviews, and now has steamro Read more:Wines
A couple reasons why Loire kicks ass in '05 too! Plus a few other oddities... 2008-09-30 20:23:00 Lucien Crochet La Croix du Roy, 2005This is a brilliant Sancerre, sporting an elegant nose of subtle flowers, freshly bailed hay, pink grapefruit, basil and hot stone notes. The palate is a lesson in precision, pumping out a fresh meadow of herbs along a beam of long, liquid mineral injected flavors that echo w/ ease, 92 points.Francois Chidaine Vouvray les Argiles, 2005A surprisingly forward, opu Read more:couple
2007 Southern Rhone Value Advisory 2008-11-06 08:48:00 In light of the trepidation that Chateauneuf du Pape will become the next 'Bordeaux' in terms of pricing, I have decided to make a weekly '07 Southern
Rhone Value
' tasting note post. While economic turmoil, a strengthening dollar and reduction in consumer confidence will likely contribute to a downfall in 'luxury goods' purchasing, the hype surrounding the '07 vintage in the Southern Rhone has lef Read more:Advisory
To those who don't think Wine Library TV has hit the big time yet.... 2008-10-31 15:36:00 After Randall Grahm came into town, none other than Jancis Robinson graced the dirty Jerze w/ her appearance yesterday on Gary Vaynerchuk's videoblog at Wine Library
. I honestly can't believe it- talk about the GenX phenomenon hitting yet another climax!? Congratulations Gary...it seems your dedication, ludicrous diligence and ADHD infused energy has made yet another splash- and this one strikes m Read more:think
My Favorite Pichon, a Vertical from the Baron 2008-10-29 12:12:00 Why is Pichon Baron
the lesser Pichon? My palate tends to favor the Baron, save for the ’95 & ’96 vintages, and my wallet is all the denser for it. Is my palate wrong? Maybe Pichon Lalande is a nicer Chateau? Maybe the ‘Lalandes’ are a richer family, with more dapper white collars than the ‘Barons?’ In the commercial markets I have to believe that our perception is highly influence Read more:Favorite
, Vertical
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