tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post1428213362818792258..comments2024-03-08T21:37:38.443-08:00Comments on VinoFictions: The Proper Placement of WordsThomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322028233207741737noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-37918324588686380882010-03-06T10:13:50.122-08:002010-03-06T10:13:50.122-08:00Sam,
In New York, even after decades of Vitis vin...Sam,<br /><br />In New York, even after decades of Vitis vinifera wines,w e still have a discussion ongoing about the conflict between those who produce from hybrid and so-called native American grapes (most of the ones we have here are hardly native).<br /><br />In any case, we once had a winemaker who was taught in California, worked in California and also in Alsace and then came to the Finger Lakes. He used to frequently rail against "those hybrid" grapes.<br /><br />At our regular monthly winemaker gatherings, where we tasted wines blind and discussed them, someone brought a Chambourcin (a hybrid) that was produced in Pennsylvania. It was quite a nice wine, and after tasting it blind, the winemaker who railed against "those hybrids" proclaimed that particular wine one of the best Bordeaux that he had tasted in a while.<br /><br />Everyone's a critic. But few are any good at guessing.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07322028233207741737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-29372138937300854372010-03-06T07:39:07.916-08:002010-03-06T07:39:07.916-08:00Ah, the "Name That Wine Game"...French w...Ah, the "Name That Wine Game"...French winemakers love this game. Cannot tell you how many times I've been standing in a freezing cold cellar with some French dude grinning at me as I try to either guess what kind of wine it is, (if he pulled it from his personal cellar) or which vintage of his wine. This game more often than not makes me feel like a tard.Samantha Duganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214278596698698245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-31276614481805570142010-03-06T05:26:39.632-08:002010-03-06T05:26:39.632-08:00Yeah, well, most of wine evaluating is a guess.Yeah, well, most of wine evaluating is a guess.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07322028233207741737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-16877570195955244322010-03-05T15:48:25.779-08:002010-03-05T15:48:25.779-08:00Yes, "100% Wine"...probably already on s...Yes, "100% Wine"...probably already on some Bonny Doon labels (if Mr. Grahm got the COLA for it! LOL)<br /><br />Guessing the varietal? One of my favorite wine shops downtown does blind tastings 1st Thursday of the month. I've been too scared to go back since the 1st go-round. <br /><br />You had to guess (of course) varietal. But he also wanted everyone to take a stab at guessing vintage and appellation. (Not so hard for HMW/MS types.) But for us non-spitters (per se), it's a bit more difficult....<br /><br />Now, I don't mind the blind tastings planned by the owner (not on Thursdays) 'cuz he chooses wisely and does not repeat varietals within the half dozen options for the night; and he tries to pick more 'definitive' representations of each varietal.<br /><br />But these '1st Thursday' things are much trickier: they are BYOW. So you can have 5 cabs and 10 pinots floating in a sea of upwards of 30 bottles brought in by guests.<br /><br />My only consolation was that all the pro's there---the cellarmasters, winemakers, M.S. candidates, etc.---many of them only got half or more of the varietals correctly guessed too. Then I didn't feel so bad. ...At least they were ALL "100% Wine." :-)Marcia Macomberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07237764449953259939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-50928700388439666442010-03-05T14:17:21.971-08:002010-03-05T14:17:21.971-08:00Marcia,
Food (and wine) labeling regs are a gener...Marcia,<br /><br />Food (and wine) labeling regs are a general abomination, but what else is new???<br /><br />I love the "100% Juice" concept. Maybe the wine industry can dispense with the misleading 75% varietal labeling rule and just plainly state on all bottles "100% Wine." Let the consumer figure out which wine. <br /><br />Better still, let the wine critics taste the 100% Wine and figure out what it is; then, they can tell consumers which wine is in each bottle and of course, which ones to like.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07322028233207741737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128271396089958050.post-74908663501914223572010-03-05T14:02:50.607-08:002010-03-05T14:02:50.607-08:00Thomas, thanks for the ice wine education. I'v...Thomas, thanks for the ice wine education. I've always been suspicious of food/beverage labeling variations. It is not unlike seeing '...with chocolate flavoring' or something similar in very, very small print on a product. So I take it with a grain of salt when buying.<br /><br />When I worked briefly at a very large beverage company, I was surprised to learn that while their cherry juice or kiwi-strawberry juice <i>could</i> be labeled "100% Juice," it was <i>not</i> 100% of the actual fruit juice shown on the bottle. Anywhere from 90% to 99% of the fruit juice was apple with the remainder comprised of (preservatives, of course) and the specific fruit extract it was to taste like. (Kiwi extract is pricey!)<br /><br />Someone will always exploit labeling regulations to try to pull the wool over consumers' eyes, like 'Iced Wine' as 'Ice Wine.' Let's hope consumers learn the difference!Marcia Macomberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07237764449953259939noreply@blogger.com