August 20, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
I know… Its about time I told you about my fabulous day trip to the Good Food and Wine Show this year. The best year yet – because I nolonger “work” in the wine industry in the traditional sense – and I got to participate as a patron.
And participating as a patron has taught me that the organisers have neglected to think of one think that serious wine drinkers /tasters need: Spittoons. Now guys if you only learn one thing from my blog, let it be this:
Spitting wine out is polite. Of course, we don’t do this at home, but Wine tasting etiquette in a sales room demands you to start spitting. Why? Because you start getting inebriated. If you are getting tiddly and trying 20 wines, you won’t be able to remember your day and the sales person will not be interested in you seriously. You will not get to try the good stuff. Why else? A Cellar Door is in no way friday afternoon free drinks. I am pro-charging for wine tastings. Boo Hoo. What is $5 to try a $100 bottle of wine?
Too embarassed? Personally I am more judgemental of a non-spitter than someone who has tried and managed to get a trophy of red wine spilled down their front. It doesnt have to be classy. Just lean over and spit it in. Or if a small bucket, pick it up by the rim if you have to and discreetly spit. A good cellar door will keep emptying it to save you the protein splash backs. [Shudders]
To appear serious to another wineo you should complete in ORDER:
- Look at the glass. Colour of wine can tell you alot more than you know. Colour comes from age, the skins, oak… The “legs” or the clear running film of wine thats slow to fall will tell you about the level of alcohol in the wine.
- Swill the wine. If you can’t manage to keep the contents inside your glass put the base on a flat surface and swill in circular motions keeping the base flat. You’ll look like a pro. Swilling opens up wine to air, oxygenation releases flavour as air excites the molecules in the wine. Its like wine porn.
- Stick your nose in. One thing that irked me is when customers bypassed the nose. If our taste is through our nose, then 80% of the enjoyment in a great wine for me is in the nose. I can spend more time wanking on about the features of the wine’s “bouquet” more than I can it’s flavour at times. The other thing is, I literally mean “stick your nose in”. Aim to get as close to the wine without touching it with your nose. To be honest and to scare you, I isolate my right nostril and only take it in with one. (I am a righty, but I can also swing to the left). I think this clarifies my sense of smell… but to be honest I have no idea if its of better benefit to anyone else but me.
- Sip. The worst part about non-wineos is when they gulp it like beer. Wine is all about mouth feel, so don’t rush it. Sip, keeping it on the front of your palate and then pull the wine through your mouth. Sucking air through the wine as it allows the layers show show different flavours. Its not a gargle but a subtle “inhale” by almost whilstling backwards.
- Spit. Don’t need to do it at home. Hell the best of us smash heads are wineos. But seriously, if you are at a winery, you look like a fool if you don’t. It has nothing to do with being a driver or having a good time. It is actually rude to swallow everything.
- Lastly, if you liked something. Buy it. If you tried everything but didnt like anything, buy something*. Its like trying on every dress in the shop and looking great in everything, flashing your credit card and not buying anything.
*The above section was changed to reflect my intended meaning not the one that came out when I rushed to the {submit} button.
At the Good Food and Wine Show, the only spittons around were the small overflowing buckets. Its disappointing that they want to be taken seriously as Australias Biggest Food and Wine Show and only offer a tiny little bucket that quickly overflows. To be honest, I was spitting in silo rubbish bins. Attractive thought…
So…. the last question of the night is – do you spit or swallow? 
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty?, Wine Knowledge | Tagged wine industry, people, bar, cellar door, customers, wine, on the nose, bouquet, colour, nose, spitting, spit, swallow, tasting, wine tasting, Good Food and Wine Show, Spittoon, Wine tasting etiquette, etiquette, polite, classy, swill, buy | 4 Comments »
August 13, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
I saw this in a bottle shop, and honestly I’ve been a bit fed up with Riesling lately. As you know, last month I went to the Good Food and Wine Show I tried a few Rieslings here and there. Overall, too young to be consumed without food. I found nothing where I thought, “wow thats interesting” or “the depth in that wine is stunning”. All citrusy and dull.
Statement: Petaluma Chardy is the bomb. Instantly a reliable wine.
I saw this, a Petaluma Riesling $33 in a bottle shop. I figured I would give Riesling one last try. Afterall every palate changes, as do styles over the years. After all – you wouldn’t be seen dead with your mothers 80′s perm today would you? But maybe our kids will “die for it”.
Maybe my relationship with Riesling is just over. Its not you its me. MY palate has changed and there is no longer room in my cellar for you. Sure, we’ll meet again from time to time – with mutal friends and at work events and functions and we’ll be polite to each other. But it just won’t be the same. You’re back on the market, and I’ll put you back on the shelf.
But I decided that Riesling can still be a romantic at times. Not just monosyllabic like my partner can be. Just like Dave has shown me over the years, Riesling can be dual toned, deep, personal and long lasting. Hell, there are times when we can disagree but maybe its just a phase. Riesling surely couldnt be a phase?
So I grabbed it, lovingly Dave paid for it (love you), and I cracked it. Literally of course this time, because its a stelvin seal.
Lovely Golden colour. I know I’m flirting with danger here, I don’t like to cheat on Chardonnay with another intense wine unless I will be truely satisfied. And looks do matter.
The nose is subtle, yet delicate and flawless. Its a rounded bouquet with pear, slight citrus texture and lemon blossoms. Hint of spiciness follows through reminding me of cinnamon toast in the morning.
Cumquats on the palate – and not just because of the euphemism! Mixed Citrus including lemons dance all over the front of the palate. This is broadened by the breadth of acidity on offer – which I am already noticing is discipating with bottle age- but well balanced by generous fruit. There is a minerally/flinty/chalky character – but I don’t think most would notice.
This wine needs to continue to be cellared by those who could tame it!! Lie it down, and awake it when you’re ready for a full styled, generous Riesling that can steal your heart all over again.
And before the complaints set in I haven’t even said how it felt on my tongue! LOL
This wine has rejuvinated my love of Riesling. Its a pity that there are too many flowery models out there only interested in your money.
12.5% al/vol, screw cap, available in bottleshops
Posted in Wine Knowledge, Wine Reviews | Tagged South Australia, varieties, wine, rich, palate, acidity, 2008, Chardy, Riesling, Dave, citrus, cumquats, minerally, flinty, chalky, cinnamon toast | 1 Comment »
July 28, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
So I went to Sydney Good Food and Wine Show – tasted many wines (yet to come on here) and came home with a shopping spree of goodies from Paddies Markets, some food showbags and the worst flu virus of all time. Seriously, “I don’t get sick” and I was Fully Sick. Down with the Sickness. So Sick. SICK SICK SICK. (In the styles of Disturbed, NE-YO and Queens of the Stone Age – with better hair).
I couldn’t taste, smell, talk, see, function. I had to go to the doctors. I don’t GO to the doctors. What is the doctors? In summary, it was the flu that felt like death. And thus, my blog had to be temporary abandoned. For this, I apologise.
Currently, I still wheeze and kind of head into losing my voice. But my nose is currently unblocked and I can TASTE. I’ll be absolutely honest and say after 7 days of being sick, I was missing my frequent intake of wine and tried to substitute this with Contreau. Devastating.
Okay, my point… tonight my very sick mother surprised me. She bought me a present. A $2.99 bottle of Chardonnay. No Thats not a Typo. $2.99 – On Fridays apparently. Saturdays -Thursdays its still only $5.99.
I’m no wine snob. But I do have bottles in my measly collection that retail over $120 per bottle. I have purchased wines that are more expensive than most of my shoes. And OH do I LIKE Shoes. But hey – I will try anything. Some things are palateable. Mostly the barely “palateable” wines leave you with a not so palateable hangover. (Yes I am saying the quality of wine will affect your hangover.)
$2.99 is within my price range. I’m a risk taker. I’ve felt sick all week, and my palate is not yet ready to graduate so what better to right about first off the cusp?
So… Stonegate 2008 *Limited Edition* Chardonnay. South Australian. Renmark – sort of where my family come from.
I hate to be cynical…. No I lie. I love to be cynical. How limited edition can a $2.99 bottle of wine be?
Hey – its not terrible. I am so judgemental to expect it to be terrible. But in my favour it is more expensive to have a glass of Chardonnay filled to the brim at my local bowling club than to have a bottle of this in my jim jams and uggs in the privacy of my own home.
Ok… this wine actually tastes like a chardonnay. I mean, it has varietal character – stone fruits, melon and good balance. The finish is that of a $2.99 wine – fine with cleaner acidity. I believe it is slightly oaked but more likely oak chipped. But who am I to judge? Its pleasant. The fruits are all in the front and discipate quickly. But with food, most people wouldn’t even take notice.
A mild and lean wine, surpassing all expectations and very affordable (on a Friday). Would I buy it again? Hell yes. Would I cook with it? Probably. Would I drink it again? Very likely. Would I share with friends? To be honest, yes. Its perfectly acceptable and really great value.
I am now a loud and proud $2.99 bottle drinker. [Yeah I went there.]
Oh and, hopefully this week I will go through all my illegible notes and try and ‘interpretive dance’ my way through the Good Food and Wine Show experience that was 2 weeks ago.
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty?, Wine Reviews | 1 Comment »
July 16, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
Some people don’t correlate the relationship between sugar, yeast and alcohol.
In Australia the only legal permissable use of cane sugar in wine is for “dosage” in Methode Champenoise or Sparkling Wines. (This is one reason Sparkling Wines have more calories ladies…). Thus, the only legal way (in Australia) to get sugar in your fruit (grapes) is to make sure they ripen – natural sugars are glucose and fructose.
We are allowed to add alternate means of acid and tannin as well as preservative. This is a good thing:
Consider some other kind of fruit growing in your back yard. If you picked a tomato when it was green, there is a higher amount of acid than there is sugar. The longer you leave it on the vine, the more this balance sways the opposite way – less acid to higher sugar.
Same thing goes for grape vines, we need more sugar in our grapes than acid for the average wine. Keeping in mind this is natural sugars that build up through photosynthesis in the grape vine. (Sunlight + leaves = ripe fruit) But if we harvest too ripe, we can then back up the balance with extra acid/ tannin. If we harvest too early its going to taste tart and acidic and will probably have to be used for Sparkling Wines.
Why is all this important? What I am about to demonstrate is a science lesson.
In order to make wine, we use the basic principal called fermentation. Fermentation works like this:
Sugar +Yeast = Carbon dioxide + Alcohol
Yeast can naturally be found on the skin of the grape, so traditionally none needs to be added. However, as later described, “super” yeasts have been grown in order to be more resistant as well as consistent. Yeast will also affect the flavour.
Yeast is a living thing. Consider this: “Yeast Man”
“Yeast Man” eats sugar, and through this process, Alcohol and Carbon Dioxide are released. This is why wine is alcoholic, and also why Champagne has bubbles. (More on this another day).
But “Yeast Man’s” Kryptonite is: eating and shitting in the same place. Hes a greedy little bugger and creates a sort of toxicity that even he can’t survive. Yeasts will keep going through this fermentation process until:
- He runs out of sugar
- The temperature gets too high and he dies
- The temperature gets too low and he goes to sleep
- Too much alcohol takes over in the early stages of the wine and he drowns in his own piss
The amount of sugar in the fruit will depend on the amount of alcohol in the wine – unless the yeast is killed and residual sugar is left over. This often produces a fruity or sweet wine.
Some yeasts are more resistant than others but on the most part – too much alcohol or the wrong temperature will kill a normal yeast. This is when “Yeast Man” gets a makeover and they reinvent him as a da da da da…. SUPER YEAST MAN!
Super Yeast Man laughs in the face of danger. (Well not really, but they can build yeasts that don’t die so easily).
But it has not been identified whether Super Yeast Man’s Clark Kent is named Brett (after Brettanomyces) or Lee (as Lees is the name given to dead yeast cells).
So now you understand (or are even more confused than before) about Yeast and Fermentation, take a moment to consider all the living yeast cells that had to die for your glass of wine. Casualties of consumption.
Cheers!
Posted in Wine Knowledge | Tagged vineyard, wine, tradition, Methode Champenoise, Cheers!, bottle fermentation, fermentation, Yeast Man, Yeast, Super Yeast, grapes, grapevines, yeast cells, tomato, glucose, fructose, Brettanomyces, acidity, sugar, photosynthesis, Sparkling Wines, carbon dioxide, alcohol, science | 5 Comments »
July 15, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
I was so excited this week. I’ll get to this in a second.
I am a huge supporter of Facebook for Business marketing. I started Petersons Wines off when I worked there and it now is in the thousands in both friends and fans. Its been brilliant with lots of rewards for wine drinkers including notification of events, novelty of applications, new releases and general interaction with your favourite winery INSTANTLY.
When I started the use of Facebook I was hit with criticism. From other colleagues ( to whom I am blowing a big fat raspberry of phooey); other wineries (who ironically now also “have” to use it to remain competitive which I lOVE), from marketers and from others. But overall the response what beyond expectations, so much so other wineries and businesses followed suit. I even did some consultancy work to establish the same for other wineries. FIGJAM.
But enough on this. I WAS SO EXCITED THIS WEEK… because last week I was able to offer a winery advice on how they could increase hits to their Facebook page. They posted asking for advice from consumers and I thought… I can do this…
So I rattled off some quick (but extensive) list of what I know all about social networking marketing.
And this week I got a message from that winery saying I’d won a twin pack of wine for offering advice. I would have done it for free! So in return I’ve decided to give them a plug on my blog. (I hope they don’t mind)
I received in the post today, a bottle of Deen De Bortoli Vat 7 Chardonnay (and a Durif TBA). I believe “South Eastern Australia” is a euphemism for Griffith (Australia’s largest chunk of wine growing). This is also obvious because De Bortoli are also known for their Noble One (very very good) and Griffith is perfect locale for growing Botrytised fruit. But could indicate anywhere else within the vicinity of South Eastern Australia.
I was provided with tasting notes but chucked these out. Wine is subjective and this is what I thought of it:
A bright, yet pale lemony straw colour without that heavy oaky colour. An oaked Chardonnay with a nice leaness about it. Its there but if you weren’t totally looking for it you might forget you don’t drink oaked chardonnay. Its definately NOT new oak. But its got a nice rounded palate with full display of peach, and mandarin and a hint of rock melon. True varietal characters. A nice level of residual sugar remains on the palate – something sure to please the masses, and works really quite well for this wine as its backed up by pleasant acidity.
I enjoy the complexity of the bouquet here – again Yellow Peach, almonds/nuttiness, and really reminicent of… Chardonnay. Its suffice, exactly what I would expect. Very pleasant. Enjoyable.
I ideally, would match with spicy seafood including Thai Chilli Prawns, or something with an Asian spicy slant. Anything kind of fruity goes great with spice – and as a solid wineo, this is why I don’t totally reject fruity wines. Don’t get me wrong – its not fruity for a supermarket wine, its fruity for a cellar door wine. I also LOVE spicy foods. BUT… for me Anything Goes with Chardonnay. If I had a movie about my life, that would be the title.
Posted in Wine Knowledge, Wine Reviews | Tagged Australia, business marketing, chardonnay, Cheers!, de bortoli, deen de bortoli, Durif, facebook, griffth, leaness, mandarin, noble one, nose, oaked, oakey, palate, peach, Petersons Wines, rich, social networking, South Australia, south eastern Australia, stone fruits, varieties | Leave a Comment »
July 15, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
For those of you who know me, you would know that I love Chardonnay. Call me old fashioned – BUT in my favour I am a product of the 80′s, and I am very similar to my mum who also loves Chardonnay. I might talk wine all day, and enjoy a large plethora of varieties, but after hours I want to go home and have a glass bottle of Chardonnay. But I do draw the line on a few options.
Unlike most of you ABC’s (Anything But Chardonnay), I do enjoy Oaked Chardonnay. I think there are so many poorly made Chardonnays out there that it got a bad name – much like all the rubbish Sauv Blancs available now. It happens when something becomes fashionable. We see a trend with Chanel or Burberry and next week Target’s got a very acceptable but poorly made version that doesn’t fit as well and the fabrics are cheap. Same goes for wine.
The other thing about Fashion Trends is that they parallel with … Wine Trends:
Chardonnay / Shoulder Pads in the 80′s-90′s.
Rose /Midrift-lowrise and the 90′s
Sauvignon Blanc /Skinny Jeans are making their way out in the Noughties …
to be replaced (I believe) by Lady Gaga Futuristico and Pinot Gris.
Back on Topic – those of you who say they hate oaked chardonnay – PLEASE try a style like Petersons Shirley Chardonnay, Petaluma, Peacock Hill or Scarborough White Label. You cannot possibly hate toffee, butterscotch, cream, vanilla and toast. OMG it is UNBELIEVABLE. (If you still hate it, go with the right foods. I can even drink Sauvignon Blanc with the right seafood). And if you refuse to drink it because its not trendy to “still wear the shoulder pads” – its more for me! Actually… come to think of it… please don’t buy my favourite Chardonnays. They sell out quickly and that leaves none for me. And I can’t afford for prices to go up.
Another way around the heavy oaked styles is to go for LIGHTLY oaked styles such as Petersons Wines Cuvee Chardonnay, and Scarborough Yellow Label. They tend to be fruiter, safer, lighter, consistent and easy drinking. A stepping stone to my favourite variety. If you can’t even go there – don’t bother with unoaked Chardonnay – go to a varietal such as Viognier which is sometimes blended with Chardonnay and when oaked can also be awesomely rich and luscious. When unoaked it still carries the lovely stone fruits.
One thing I don’t understand is unoaked wild yeast Chardonnay. It reminds me of mud and biological waste. Sorry. I DON’T Get it. But feel free to email me at pookiemonster@gmail.com and send me samples. I’ll write the tasting notes and let you know. But no promises.
Hate to love you and leave you but I have Chardonnay to tend to!!
P.S Considering Visiting 2010 Good Food and Wine Show this weekend. See you at the Petersons Wines Stand.
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty? | Tagged Chardies, chardonnay, Cuvee, fashion, lady gaga, oak, palate, people, Petaluma, Petersons Wines, rich, Sauvignon Blanc, Scarborough, unoaked, Viognier, wild yeast, wine | 2 Comments »
July 10, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
Not really a wine focused blog entry, but thought I would share it with you anyways… We just took a night off from everything and spent a lovely night in North Sydney. The Views from our room were spectacular.
We started in the afternoon with a complimentary easy drinking Charmat “Cuvee” Bubbles provided by the Hotel, shared a few great oaked Chardies (and one bad one) at dinner and finished it off with some more lovely Petersons 2005 Mudgee Durif that we brought from home. A night of eating, drinking and relaxation.
How good are the views?
Had a great time, wished you were there!
BUT Great to be home – back in the Hunter Valley and relieved I only have to face 2 sets of traffic lights on the way to work!! :p
Cheers!
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty? | Tagged hunter valley, Australia, wine, bubbly, Cheers!, Charmat, Durif, Sydney, North Sydney, Sydney Harbour, Sydney Harbour Bridge, eating, drinking, Harbourview, Chardies, Cuvee, views | 1 Comment »
July 5, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
Durif… A hybridised variety, named after the gentleman who founded this cross pollination of Syrah (Shiraz) and Peloursin. I know about Shiraz so Peloursin must be some damned dark black grape with a super thick skin and it’s own theme song. Also known by the pseudonym of Petite Sirah. If you want to know more about hybrids, see my previous article “What’s in a Name? Mules of the Wine World.“
Most Durif’s are intense to say the least. Most widespreadly planted in Victoria and most revered from Rutherglen, Durif is one of the few varietals that absolutely benefits from 10 Years + cellaring in Australia. Say what you like about Australian red wine, but Australia is hot. (Duh.) Heat ripens fruit, ripe fruit is full of sugar. Sugar converts to alcohol when a yeast gets involved. And in Australia we have no problem ripening unless we have a freak hail storm and leaves get damaged. So – quite often, because of the riper fruit and in-turn softer tannins/ less acidity, our red wines are generally more approachable at a younger age – with Durif being an exception.
Petersons Wines have been producing a Mudgee grown Durif since the early 2000′s. Don’t think Rutherglen – Glass of Cherries here. Whilst these characters are underlying, the “Mudgee Mud” seeps through nicely – often lending to an earthier and interestingly intense style. I love Mudgee for reds and for many years, Mudgee has been underrated.
Looking at the colour, its dark and brooding. The wine sticks to the glass with these sexy long legs that look like they go on forever. Even though it is 2005 Vintage the colour still displays a hint of youth with this purple tint amongst the black. In the light, it shines luminous ruby. Gary Reed’s reds are always dark, full fruit flavoured, lovely textured and carry a signature of cedary oak. This is no exception.
On first approach, the palate is rich and grippy. I am loving the saturated berry/ plummy fruits that coat the palate. There is a spiciness seeping through on the palate, and black pepper on the nose. The texture is of chalky tannins dancing with American Oak. The bouquet is vibrant with Black Cherries (fresh and tinned!) and Black Forest crumble. The biscuity feel is definately there - and the whole wine is reminicient of Cherry Ripe: cherries, dark chocolate and sweet coconut.
What to eat it with? Well the peppery value means any kind of beef would definately work, but there is enough tannin alongside intense flavoured fruit that it could cut through the fattiness of lamb. Durif also works tremendously with Vintage Cheddar or strong flavoured cheeses.
This is the kind of big red that rules out brushing the teeth, I can feel the red wine tattoo coming on! Let it set for 2 hours before brushing! But even my hubby thinks that this Durif is worth fuzzy teeth for one night!!
14.5% al/vol, Cork seal. Cellar door and online sales. $26 per bottle.
Posted in Wine Knowledge, Wine Reviews | Tagged Australia, cellar door, wine, Shiraz, dark, rich, palate, Petite Sirah, Durif, Peloursin, Mudgee Region, Mudgee, 2005, online wine shop, Gary Reed, Rutherglen, long legs, Vintage, youth, berry, plummy, spiciness, black pepper, chalky tannins, American Oak, Black Cherries, Black Forest, Cherry Ripe, dark chocolate, coconut | Leave a Comment »
June 22, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
Recently, I visited my local Bowling Club. Don’t judge me. Yes I know where my local club is, yes I’m a member.
I ordered a glass of Chardonnay absent mindedly. Then I realised this could be fatal and sharply added *From a Bottle!* as a stipulation to my order.
Until this moment, I had no idea how high my standards were -and how judgemental I was. (Despite being at a Bowling Club…) Now, my $4 glass of Stony Peak Chardonnay *From a Bottle!* was worth every cent… depending on which way you look at it. 
For a brief moment, I was bothered by my realisations of panic about my crappy Chardonnay. My brain momentarily convinced itself that it would be the end of the world if I forgot to mention *From a Bottle!* But would there be much difference between the quality of two vessels at a Bowling Club?
Ashamedly, even I can drink a posturised glass beaker of oak chipped, highly sulphured and questionable* Chardy. (*Questionable because I wonder what proportion of Muscatel juice is used in supermarket wines to sweeten us up – likely the legal dose without needing to legally mention on the label – 15%. I don’t usually like my Chardonnay Unleaded E10).
So standing in line with my Chardonnay, I remembered a fantastic evening I had once spent dining at the then-new Hunter Valley Crowne Plaza. Amongst the group was Hunter Valley legend, Karl Stockhausen (a winemaker in the Hunter Valley for over 50 years). He probably wouldn’t even remember me, but I recall the huge honour I believed it was to be in his company. After all – hes a bit of a Hunter Valley Celebrity.
On this night, I ordered my favourite Peacock Hill Chardonnay, *From a Bottle!* and everyone in the group had a wine of some sort. Karl asked for a glass of Sparkling Wine. Naively, the young girl behind the bar offered this huge wineo the “house” sparkling. It was some tragic, energetic, blushing, barely Charmat styled sweety. Gasps and horror from the crowd. Crickets sang.
There was also a Methode Champenoise Bubbles on the wine list, more appropriate for a figure like Karl. It was luxuriously dressed in black and gold, the Bently of wine.
Surprisingly, Karl accepted the cheap bubbly. He took it for a test drive, and I had to take a step back and put on my seat-belt. He began to engage the flute in serious appraisal. He looked at the colour, questioned the mode of Sparkling Production, described the bouquet and made a judgement on which varietals might comprise to give the flowery, candied flavours. He even ate the *Shudder* strawberry that was precariously positioned on the lip of the glass. (Don’t put fruit in your wine unless you’re making Sangrea, it interferes with the wine and makes you look stupid).
Karl took it all with a pinch of salt. I had to pinch myself. Karl was truely a good sport. Living Legend. Literally.
So here I am, back at the daggy local bowling club. I’m in line paying for my $4 Chardonnay *From a Bottle!* that is fit for a Blue Rinse and a game of Bingo, and I’m thinking to myself – I hope I’m insured in case I crash. Here goes… Colour = good, golden hues.
Bouquet = who knows in this glass?
Palate = saturated in residual sugar without being “sweet”, but satisfyingly sound – stone fruits and something reminicent of oak in there.
Price Point = competitive.
Great Mileage, quiet engine, not a Rolls Royce, not even a Corolla… but passes the REVs Check, (Now you’ll love this one… REVs = Rhiannon’s Everyday Vino.. LOL) and not quite a bomb.
Yes, its hard not to be happy with a $4 glass of wine *From a Bottle!*.
At this point I was waiting for my change, distracted by my Chardonnay and almost didn’t notice the elderly man next to me who was placing his order. He excused his way past me as he ordered “Two Glasses of Dry Red”, then sharply added *From the Fridge* as his stipulation. “Cask ok?”, She queried. “What else is there?” he revelled.
Tempting to shudder, but instead I shrugged. Although – I wasn’t game to ask what kind of car he drove. It’s probably not even registered… because he’s definately unlicenced.
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty? | Tagged varieties, hunter valley, winemaker, wine, Methode Champenoise, bubbly, stone fruits, chardonnay, oak, Charmat, palate, Stony Peak, From a Bottle, Bowling Club, Karl Stockhausen, Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, cheap, oak chipped, Muscatel, supermarket wines, Peacock Hill, Sparkling Wine, flute, bouquet, Legend, Blue Rinse, Bingo, colour, Dry red, Cask | 2 Comments »
June 20, 2010 by Rhiannon, iWINEo
Pinot Noir is a pain in the arse.
Why?
Small tight little bunches.
Low yielding.
Thin Skin = susceptible to fungal disease, bunch rot, skins splitting.
Thin Skin = Sometimes leads to a crap colour.
Needs a cold climate.
Sentitive to light.
Sensitive to everything (needy).
Loves air. Loves it so much it will Over Dose on air during fermentation (addictive personality).
Dies younger than average than other varieties.
Pinot Noir has a complex and will easily suffer a crisis. How can such a soft, delicate and subtle wine have such robust, fruit -forward intentions? Try-Hard.
Why do the French use it in Champagne? Because they can harvest it green before it becomes too much of a pain in the arse.
Genetically unstable: Pinot Noir likes to mutate. Even it doesn’t like who it is, so it tries to change itself. Pinot Noir sometimes pulls a Michael Jackson and “swaps” to producing a white grape. Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are thought to be Pinot Noir mutations. But it doesn’t even mutate whole heartedly – sometimes its only a point mutation where only one cane produces white fruit and the other canes bear red fruit. Weird.
Only one thing more painful in the arse than Pinot Noir, is Sideways.
Posted in Half Full or Half Empty?, Wine Knowledge | Tagged varieties, vineyard, Sideways, pain in the arse, fermentation, thin skin, cold climate, robust, complex, Champagne, genetically unstable, Pinot Noir, mutate, red fruit, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, bunches | 1 Comment »
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