Vinography: A Wine BlogWine and food adventures in San Francisco and around the worldThe Myth of the Monolithic Wine Palate- June 29, 2008 If you have more than a passing interest in wine, you've no doubt heard some form of this common complaint: wine critic Robert Parker's palate, with it's emphasis for 'hedonistic fruit bombs,' has ruined the wine world, because now everyone makes (unappealingmonstrousone-dimensionalsweetspoofulatedchoose-your-adjective) wines that taste the same and have the singular goal of a high point score from Parker. I have long maintained that this "sky is falling" point of view (perhaps best typified...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/the_myth_of_the_monolithic_win.html Italian Wine Tasting Notes From The Golden Glass 2008- June 27, 2008 These days, with a newborn, I don't get out to many large tasting events, but one I decided I shouldn't miss this year was the annual Golden Glass tasting in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. This tasting is an annual fundraiser for Slow Food USA, and has been called the best single wine tasting event in San Francisco by more than a few wine lovers I know. In addition to having a reputation for pouring a lot of great wine (mostly Italian) the Slow Food focus attracts many of the top artisan..http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/italian_wine_tasting_notes_fro.html 2005 Veramonte "Primus" Red Wine, Casablanca Valley, Chile- June 26, 2008 It's hard to believe that in the early 1990's less than 100 acres of vineyards were planted in Chile's Casablanca valley. In little more than two decades, this region of Chile has surged in growth and popularity, and is currently producing excellent wines that generally represent fantastic values on the world market. The region is currently home to more than 10,000 acres of vineyards. Back when the grape acreage was still in the triple digits Agustin Huneeus decided that the Casablanca...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/2005_veramonte_primus_red_wine.html Kamotsuru "Sokaku" Junmai Daiginjo, Hiroshima Prefecture- June 24, 2008 One of the fascinating and attractive things about sake breweries are their (usually) much longer and storied histories than the wineries of the western world. While there are a few wineries that have been in existence for a few hundred years, there are many more sake breweries that have been doing their thing for many hundreds, some continuously operated by a single family. Kamotsuru Shuzo may not be one of the oldest breweries in Japan, as it can only trace its history back to 1623, and...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/kamotsuru_sokaku_junmai_daigin.html 2005 Star Lane Vineyards "Astral" Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley- June 23, 2008 There are those in the wine world who seek out (and often pay for) the best possible advice they can get. Winemaking and winegrowing are sciences as much as they are arts, and these days, there are plenty of experts to be had in both arenas. And then there are those in the wine world that no matter what the scientists, experts, and even their friends say, choose to follow their instincts. Call them pig-headed, call them eccentric, call them iconoclasts, there are certain people that will...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/2003_star_lane_vineyards_astra.html Taste3 Conference: July 17-19, Napa- June 22, 2008 I know how you think. You're sitting there, scratching your head, wondering, "now what on earth am I going to do here in the middle of the summer to exercise both my brain and my taste buds in a sophisticated way" It's a good thing I caught you early on in your musing, otherwise you might have frittered away the whole summer in frustration, trying to come up with something suitably intellectual and delicious to occupy your time. So instead of sitting there updating your cellar list in Excel,.http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/taste3_conference_july_1719_na.html Vinography Images: Dusty Grapes- June 20, 2008 Dusty Grapes "I spend a lot of time photographing in vineyards, and sometimes the landscape just gets overwhelming. It's too much to look at. So there are times when I get tired of the grand vistas, and instead retreat to smaller things, like the perfect bunch of grapes." -- Michael Regnier INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking (Mac users, click and hold) on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/vinography_images_dusty_grapes.html Terroir vs. Pleasure in Wine- June 19, 2008 How many times have I told myself not to meddle in the world of terroir Having (or starting) discussions about the traditionally French notion of how wines possess unmistakable signatures of their place of origin is not unlike having discussions about religion and sexual orientation: you need to take care who you have them with. But here I am again meddling in the "somewhereness" of wines, to borrow writer Matt Kramer's favorite shorthand for terroir. The question of the day is whether...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/terroir_vs_pleasure_in_wine.html Blogging From Paradise: Day 2 at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic- June 15, 2008 Day two of Aspen's Food and Wine Classic was blessed with the same weather as the first. Crystalline blue skies, 75 degrees and sunny. I gave my second Napa's Next Superstars seminar to a nearly full auditorium at the Given Institute, and after hanging around to chat with some of the attendees about the wines, I was free. With all my seminars behind me I had the opportunity to finally explore the Classic as a spectator instead of a speaker. The first thing I did was head down to the Grand...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/blogging_from_paradise_day_2_a.html Wine Blogging From Paradise: Day One of the Aspen Food & Wine Classic- June 14, 2008 I just finished my first day at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic, and my second day back in my home town for the first time in 14 years. It's been quite an honor to be asked to speak at this year's classic, but so far it has been an incredible pleasure and a deeply nostalgic experience. Returning to the little town where I grew up (most people don't think of Aspen as so small, but in my day there were about 9,000 permanent residents -- my high school class had 72 people in it) is a very...http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/06/wine_blogging_from_my_home_tow.html |