Further plugging
It's Friday! Hedonism rules!
Over at Slate, Mike Steinberg is bashing California wines, and well may he do so. The vast majority of the California wine I've had recently has been the oenophilic equivalent of Con Air: big, loud, clumsy, vaguely shameful, and a chore to get through.
Recently the taste in the "O" household has run more toward New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and Chile. The cheaper end of the scale from those regions still offers good balance, depth, and interest, and since Chile especially isn't yet well-known, you can get some insane bargains. Goodwife O especially likes the tropical fruit flavors that sometimes come across in the Aussie wines, and I'm a sucker for South American whites for some reason. Better for us a $7 bottle of Yellowtail ("Australian for 'wine'") than a $25 bottle of some overfruity Moulin Rouge California Zin.
But that's not to say that no California wine is worth tasting. The Goodwife and I got a case of Rancho Zabaco 2001 Dancing Bull Zinfandel for our wedding, and it was just... great... and they're from Sonoma.
I'm not getting paid to do this or anything. I just want everyone to enjoy the good things.
But whatever. Tonight it's martini time! Or Reisling time. Depending on whether I make it to the wine store. But martini time sounds more hep. "Throw some Arthur Lyman on the hi-fi! It's martini time!"
on
| § 4
§ 4 Comments
[ You're too late, comments are closed ]
The Buckethead fam has become
The Buckethead fam has become devotees of Australian Shiraz varietals. Hints of blackberry, overtones of chocolate. Nummy, I believe, is the term of art.
Why pay through the nose for overrated French or California wines when all of this grapy goodness is available?
During the power outage, I was hit by a sudden desire for a rum and coke. Seeing as I wasn't going anywhere, I decided to act on my whim. Grabbing the trusty maglite, I descended into the stygian depths of the basement, wherein lies the fifties era, wood panelled bar; and my collection of spirits.
Again, maybe it is because I am in my thirties, but I was shocked, shocked at the sheer amount of intoxicating spirits I posess. I had forgotten the $200 package store run I made before the housewarming party. And the case of airplane bottles inherited from my grandfather. And the gifts of liquor brought by my friends.
If I had received this bounty ten years ago, it would have lasted a week and a half, and I would have a week and a half sized hole in my memory.
I feel so adult that I have large amounts of liquor that I don't drink. So, I think I should invite some people over and drink it all.
NOBODY does snob like Johno.
NOBODY does snob like Johno. Nobody! :)
And I have just noticed the large stock of liquor that I have, that I don't drink either...hmm...
Wines from California are
Wines from California are turning into a problem: everyone wants to get in on the act, and some individuals take a loss just for the privilege of saying that they make wine. Furthermore, the last several years have seen so much California flooding the market that a lot of inferior California has as well.
However, consider this: foreign wines are like world music--the bad stuff never makes it to the US.
Ross, it's like you know me
Ross, it's like you know me too well....
:)