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Champane's Wine Cellar & International Marketplace October 2005 Newsletter |  |
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Greetings! Welcome to Champane Wine Cellar's October Newsletter.
...that a cork tree is stripped of its bark once every nine years. In South Portugal, source for most of the world's wine corks, the trees are first harvested when they become 25 years old. On average, these trees will be used 15 times over the course of their lives.
....How long does it take for a wine grape to ripen? From bud break until harvesting, some grape varietals take as little as 100 days, while others, such as late harvest type, may take up to 190 days.
This month, let's ponder this wine ratings expression. "When a wine has more than 95 points; you can't afford it. When it has 90 to 94 points; you can't find it. When it has 89 points or less; no one wants it." Sometimes true but never so for the savvy wine shopper. Two of the most influential rated things in the world may be movies and wine. Have you ever gone to a movie based soley on its great review, and after viewing, be highly disappointed? You could blame the critic but the problem simply could be that his taste just may not be the same as yours. This lesson learned may cost you only $7 When it comes to fine wine, a great review and an unappealing bottle may end up costing you hundreds of dollars. For this reason, wine ratings should be used as a guide, not scripture. There are many scoring forums used to rate wines in magazines and newsletters. The 1 to 10 scale, the 100 point system, or the 5 star rating to name a few. It is believed that some magazines have a financial interest in giving certain wines high marks on a regular basis. Be cautious of slanted opinions of wines always reviewed by only one person. The consensus rating by a panel of tasting experts is usually a safer bet. Even the best of experts are unlikely to give the same rating score to the same wines. These wines tasted at different times will always receive different scores from the same testers. A highly rated wine may not appeal to you at all, yet a wine that received a lower score may be more to your liking thus, the most reliable rating system in the world should be your own palate. In general, highly rated wines are usually quite expensive, though the price does not always reflect their quality. Many people invest in these wines because of their ratings rather than the track record of quality from the producer. Many also require years of cellaring. Imagine the disappointment when you open one of these wines many years down the road and it does not meet your expectation. Worse yet if it is a corked or infected wine. Hard to take it back for a refund or exchange at that point, resulting in another expensive lesson. Quality gems rated 90 points or better can be found at very affordable prices, often in the $8 to $20 range, but many disappear rapidly. Many are produced in such small quantities or are in such high demand that it is often smart shopping to get in on the action. For this reason, if you are just experimenting and do not want to invest in a full case, I always suggest buying 2 of the same bottle. If you open the first one and enjoy it, you may be lucky enough to purchase a case or a few more bottles before it is out of stock. When you purchase a single bottle and enjoy it to it's fullest, you run the risk of returning to find it no longer available. Fond sadness may be your only memory. Tasting is the key factor. Do yourself a favor and attend any number of wine tastings available where you can sample a number of different wines. It's an inexpensive lesson where you can create your own ratings of the wines you enjoy and possibly save yourself a lot of money by not investing in those you don't. With the ability to make an educated purchase, you become the judge, the jury, and your own critic.
2004 Kim Crawford Dry Reisling If you thought New Zealand Reisling may be the best kept white wine secret in the world, this one may well let the cat out of the bag. With a mix of perfumed tropical fruit, a mild nutmeg spice, and a long clean finish, this wine begs for Thai or Oriental cuisines. Pure, clean flavors and by all means dry, this should be your white wine of choice to toast the end of Summer. 2000 Fiddlehead "Oldville Reserve" Pinot Noir This cult favorite will reward those who believe that good things come to those who wait. Still young and raw, this spicy Pinot is done in the Burgundian style. When first opened, the fruit has a hard time breaking through the alcohol nose, and takes awhile to open up. Light in body and color, it's smoked cherry, strawberry, and current fruit is well structured, nice length, and a pleasant bouquet of fresh roses. On it's second day, the fruit exploded, it's spices a bit softer, this beauty will benefit with a little cellar time or hours of aeration before it can truly shine. Available at Champane's Wine Cellar for $28.99 2000 Bighorn Cellars Cabernet Those who have given up on the 2000 vintage may well be missing out on a few jewels still available in the marketplace. Loaded with juicy Napa fruit with lots of distinctive flavors, it's aromatic scent like a good whiff from a smokey humidor. Slightly tannic but fades after a little exposure. Very friendly with food and also on your wallet. Super value. 2002 Ramspeck Pinot Noir A quality Pinot at a low price makes for a happy consumer. Loaded with blackberry and blueberry fruit, the violet and expresso aroma's lure you in. Full bodied, lightly spiced, a bit grapey with some dusty tannins, with a big earthy finish, this is a nice glass of red wine to welcome in the Fall. Available at Champane's Wine Cellar for $10.99 2004 St. Supery MoscatoQuality, flavor or price; it's always hard to choose which factor impresses me most about this lovely Goddess of a wine. Luscious peach, apricot, orange, and melon fruit seduce your palate with their depth of flavors. With it's light acidity, silky texture, and balanced layer of liquid gold sweetness, it's easy to see why until the last drop, this potion-like sensation is more of a Smart Man's Sauternes at a fraction of it's price. Dessert in a glass. Available at Champane's Wine Cellar for $16.79
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