WEINGARTEN
WEINGARTEN FEBRUARY 2013
1. WINE NEWS & TRENDS
2. WINE & FINANCE
3. WINE 101
4. WINE CALENDAR
5. WINE TASTINGS & EVENTS
6. WINE BOOK REVIEWS
7. THIS AND THAT
8 WINE QUIZ
1. Male and Female Wine Drinkers
-- Are They Really That Different?
10 best wine destinations for
2013
2. How to invest in wine
Why Wine is a Lousy
Investment
3. How to Really Taste Wine
Wine Myths That Need Shattering
4. February 9 4th Annual New York City Winter
Wine Fest
Feb 22 BurdiGala NYC:
Once-In-a-Lifetime Event feat: Bordeaux & Chef Alain Ducasse
5. 50 Great Portuguese Wines by Doug Frost hosted by the
Wines of Portugal at the Pratt House on East 68th was my first
tasting at this elegant venue. We were first treated to a fine
tasty lunch with a selection of the top 10 wines of the 50 tasting. Food
tidbits were well matched and this should be done at all wine tasting
events.
Doug did a wonderful job in his annual selection but of course
we commiserated over his difficult work- tasting 700 preselected
wines in only 4 days.
All
the white Alvarinho Vinho Verde choices were very pleasant to drink, e.g.
Armindo Fernandes Vianna 2011 Loureiro 100%. For a single varietal Touriga Nacional I recommend the Quinta
Do Pinto 2009.
Note: The Portuguese prefer blends to single varietals.
My cheeky lunch mate said that this tastes better like “group sex” is
better than...” :)
The clear winner and obvious stand out best of the top 10 was a red
Quinta DO Poeira 2009 Old vines (60 years plus) from the
Douro. Which mixed old “unidentified” vines beyond the Portuguese
national grape Touriga Nacional the winemaker couldn’t say- just “mixed in
whatever was there”. Simply delicious and everyone I met who tasted
it agreed.
Union Des Grands Crus De Bordeaux
French winemakers are extolling the 2010 vintage e.g. “I have no
doubt that like the great vintages of the 1980s, we will still be
discussing these wines thirty - or even fifty - years from now.’”
These wines are different from the 2009s. 2010s were more
concentrated and have more structure and acidity than 2009 but should
require more aging.
My favorites were the elegant Chateau La Conseillante from Pomerol
and the powerful Chateau Rauzan-Segla from Margaux.
Of the sweet wines, Chateau Bastor Lamontagne Sauternes was the
most enticing - not overly sweet and a very fine balance.
Irene also liked this Sauterne along with La Tour Blanche (sweet
white) but Chateau Pape Clement was her favorite for a second year in a
row: “Complex and textured on the palate, with delicious sweet red fruit
on the nose.”
The 1865 Wine Tasting Vina San Pedro
at Puro Chile
One standout was their single vineyard 1865 Sauvignon Blanc 2011
$18 from the San Antonio Valley—They are hoping Chile becomes
another “New Zealand” for Sauvignon Blanc. This fresh yet complex wine is
a promising and very tasty start.
PINOT DAYS New York City
Many Bay Area pinots were obviously pleasant to drink, but my
standout favorite pinot was from New Zealand - Churton, a
delightful Biodynamic from Marlborough. I am looking forward
to retasting it at the May 13 New Zealand Wine Fair.
6. THE COMPENDIUM Tasting the World’s Finest Wines Vol 1 John
Kapon
“To me, there is nothing better than aged wine.” John
Kapon CEO Acker Merrall & Condit
These tasting notes of many of the world’s finest wines are a real
treat for the serious oenophile/wine collector to share memories.
They may also serve as a valuable guide/inspiration for future wine
tastings/purchases.
THE CURIOUS WORLD OF WINE Richard Vine
“Men are like wine—some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with
age.
Pope John XXIII
Best quote of the book but little of meat or should I say high
quality CAB to satisfy me here.
HOW TO LOVE WINE Eric Asimov
Unless you are a fan and want to know how Eric learned to love
wine, this memoir, while well written, is not breaking new ground. I
presume WEINGARTEN readers always know that wine tasting notes and ratings
out of drinking context are not the end all of wine writing and like this
writer prefer to know the story, history and purpose of wine.
However, I realize the author is quite literate and entertaining so
here is a link to a favorable review:
THE JUICE Vinous Veritas Jay Mcinerney Random House
Like a fine wine tasting, this selection of short vignettes is
a oenophile’s delight. All serious wine lovers will enjoy reading
this!
7.
A Peek Into the Exclusive World
of Wine Societies
The Quest for Wine's Origins
8. T/F According to Francis Ford Coppola, the celebrated film director and owner
of the Coppola California winery, the difference between making a
film and making wine:
"The two professions are almost the same and that each depends on
source material and takes a lot of time to perfect. The big difference:
Today’s winemakers still worry about quality."
T/F To dream of breaking bottles of wine, foretells that your
love and passion will border on excess.
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