Monday, May 24, 2010
International Monetary Policy at Work for You!
Our friends at Woodland Hills Wine Co., upon whose expertise I rely for timely information on international monetary policy, assure me that because of the dramatic surge in the dollar vs. the euro over the last six months, we are reaping the benefits of wines we ordered out of Europe months ago that we are just now paying for. You wouldn't know it to look at him, but Kyle Smith could be the next Secretary of the IMF.
Exhibit A: Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf du Pape 2007 @ $31.95
Exhibit A: Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf du Pape 2007 @ $31.95
Parker says it is “seriously endowed…huge…rich…massive…a sleeper of the vintage, it is one of the region's best bargains if measuring dollars per points,” of which it got 93. FWIW: I, too, am seriously endowed.
Email Special $31.95 (enter code SOLCDP07 to receive special discount)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Eternal Question, part 1
The most frequently asked question in my corner of the wine world, the corner that deals with the business-end of the glass, is: "What should I drink with dinner tonight?"
I have a friend who made a fortune developing business software, which he invested in an enormous wine collection of nearly 8000 bottles. He applied his programming skills to help determine which bottle of wine he should open on any given night. Into this equation he entered several weighted factors, including: Are you dining alone or with guests? What’s for dinner? Do you feel like trying something new? What night of the week is it? Do you prefer an older or a younger wine? Red or white? And so on. When he was done he hit “Enter” and you could practically see the tape reels spinning, the lights on the computer bank lighting up, various electronic sounds pinging as the program spit out a list of wines that met the criteria, sometimes an entire page full of suggestions from which to choose the “just right” bottle. Still, it came down to this: What do you feel like?
More to follow
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Greatest Book Ever Written
Okay, maybe that is a slight overstatement.
How about this: "Probably the funniest book ever written on the subject of wine cellars and wine collecting?"
If you have read any of the others, there can be little doubt. I recommend it. I should. I wrote it.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1566252423/qid=1097724348/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1981171-2634225?v=glance&s=books
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Bordeaux is Dead. Long Live Bordeaux.
Eric Asimov in today's NY Times takes down the 2009 Bordeaux vintage in today's column. Among his more salient points, he says it is "a fact that fine Bordeaux has become increasingly irrelevant to many American wine lovers who are not collectors or wine investors."
Asimov points out that in 2009, of the 280.9 million cases of still wine – domestic and foreign — distributed in the United States, only 1.29 million cases came from Bordeaux, a mere 0.46 percent.
Less than 1%! And, of that small amount, a full 45 percent of the wine was generic Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur, according to figures from the Bordeaux Council, a trade group.
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/theres-more-to-the-world-of-fine-wine-than-bordeaux/#more-27661
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Someone Gets the Joke
I had dinner with Christian Moeuix one night. He said that he doesn't think it's possible to grow great Merlot in Napa Valley. He ought to know, right? He didn't say anything about Italy. I think this is one of the best Merlot wines in the world and this is the best price in the world.
From the excellent movie Sideways.
Jack: 'If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot.'
Miles: 'No. If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f***ing Merlot!'
Miles: 'No. If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f***ing Merlot!'
And the movie ended with Miles drinking '61 Cheval Blanc out of a paper cup. It usually has around 50% Merlot in the final blend.
2006 Petrolo Galatrona
Suggested Retail: $125/btl
Grapes Sale Price: $79/btl (SAVE 37%!)
WA 96
"The estate’s 2004 Galatrona (100% Merlot) is a stunner. Dark ruby in hue, it is wonderfully alive, bursting from the glass with an irresistible array of tobacco, smoke, dark cherries, tobacco, menthol, spice and roasted coffee bean nuances that are delicately interwoven in its silky-textured frame. This gorgeous effort is hard to resist today, yet its superb length and finessed tannins indicate it is built to age gracefully. While not inexpensive, Petrolo’s Galatrona offers terrific relative value in today’s marketplace. It is not to be missed. Readers who want to experience the sheer pleasure Galatrona can provide should check out the 2000, which is drinking beautifully now, Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019." Antonio Galloni
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Groucho Marx Was Wrong!
Groucho famously said that "Any club that would have me for a member, I wouldn't want to join." Well, think again. Club Montrachet is an exception to that rule. Worth a look.
According to the press release: Born in the heart of Puligny at the famed hotel Le Montrachet, Club Montrachet was founded on the idea that you need not live in Burgundy in order to celebrate its many pleasures. Now, you can bring the Burgundian experience directly into your home through our personally curated wine selections, access to special events, exclusive auctions, our own sommelier, customized wine excursions, and more.
With your Club Montrachet membership, you will receive members-only pricing on our wine selections, many of which are exclusive to our members. And we never charge for shipping.
Our inaugural wine selections feature three exciting and renowned young producers: Olivier Leflaive, Francois Carillon and Francis Lechauve. Our selections, ranging from villages to grand cru, will be updated regularly.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Get Me Out of Here, I'm a Celebrity
Earlier this week I was interviewed by Charity Winters for Celebrity Wine Review, a website dedicated to making wine more accessible, promoting philanthropy, and making me into a celebrity. The occasion for the interview is the upcoming 8th Annual Wine Aficionado Dinner, benefiting Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. To watch the interview, click on the link below:
http://www.celebritywinereview.tv/bogart/
You can also befriend them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
http://bogartfoundation.org/
Monday, May 03, 2010
Make Wine, Not War
It has often been argued, by me at least, that wine is the most civilized thing in the world.
I don't know if you can argue that places that have wine are more peaceful, but for sure the Muslim world has less wine and is less peaceful. To fully understand this geo-political situation, you must visit the delightful website of one Jenifer "Chotzi" Rosen, The Cork Jester.
http://www.corkjester.com/
The Sweet Smell of Success
Colgin Cellars has introduced a perfume called Essence of IX. According to the email, it is "a stirring, sensuous tribute to the refinement of Colgin winemaking. The perfume echoes the lavender, wild sage and roses found on...the vineyard's unique terroir, the cellar's earthy embrace, and select notes found within the wines themselves."
Call it what you will, it translates to $32,000 for a 750ml bottle, or the equivalent of 100 bottles of 2006 Cariad.
