J Cuvee 20, pt. 2

I previously review the J Cuvee 20 over eight months ago. Opening another bottle this evening, I was struck by how strongly aromas of green apple poured from the bottle. The nose also still hinted of yeast or dough -- all together reminding me of apple pie. The body contained excellent zest, with a rich, creamy finish. Still drinking strong. Three and a half stars out of five.

Rachel Ray.

Ok, she's not really wine related, but the good professor took an amusing swipe at Rachel Ray (and the Food Network). Among the many reasons to find her annoying, he added:

The incessant, almost frenetic, inane chatter drives me nuts. Why inane? Consider her catchphrase: “EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil.” Why does she abbreviate it? And, having abbreviated it, why does she then repeat it in full? Every single damn time?

Heh.

Hitcens on wine service.

Christopher Hitchens unleashes his acidic pen on wine service at restaurants. Read it here.

News about Joseph Phelps Winery.

James Laube reports:

Craig Williams and Tom Shelton, winemaker and president/CEO, respectively, of Joseph Phelps Vineyards, resigned from the Napa winery on Friday afternoon, according to their attorney.
***
Williams, who joined the winery 32 years ago, has been closely tied to the winery for years, not only as its winemaker, but also its spokesman in many matters. He oversaw winemaking, including the 2002 Phelps Insignia (96 points, $150, 15,000 cases), Wine Spectator’s 2005 Wine of the Year. He was not available for comment.

It is no surprise that I love Insignia; I have discussed this wine here, here (and the lovely young lady may be enjoying this bottle very soon), here, and here. I will be curious to see what happens with Mr. Williams's departure -- but, given the high prices that Insignia has reached since it won Wine of the Year for 2002, I wonder if I will splurge on later vintages given the inevitable changes in style (even if slight) that a new winemaker will bring.

Chehalem Ribon Ridge Ridgecrest Vineyards Reserve 2004

An Oregon Pinot Noir with clear sour cherry and spice notes on the nose. The palate added hints of jam, licorice and zest from the acidity. However, the finish was very hot, leaving a burning sensation in the mouth from all of the alcohol (almost 15%). This wine starts out at three stars and "finishes" at two and a half out of five.

Robert Mondavi, R.I.P.

Robert Mondavi has died at 94.

Fair warning.

A fair warning and reminder from Vinography:

See what happens when you drink wine? Let this be a lesson to you. A few good nights with a few good bottles, and nine months later? Pop. Just like a cork.

Obviously, major congratulations are due!

Knowing is half the battle.

Apparently, May is "Allocation Month," during which all the wineries want their prospective customers to place their orders on each customer's wine allotment.

Ouch.

The lovely young lady will not be happy.

There is something about this quote in this New York Times article that is both funny and true:

Most people in the wine trade understand that consumers have any number of reasons for their buying decisions, whatever their psychological and financial state. Some are reassured by easy-to-understand labels with friendly animals. Others want only naturally produced wines or bottles with a modest carbon footprint. Some are status-seekers and score-chasers, while others are contrarians, or only drink red wine.

But, ignoring the humor, the article later adds this very profound discussion:

What have [wine consumers] done to be singled out from other consumers who might equally be portrayed as knuckling under to hype and salesmanship, like connoisseurs of clothes, handbags or shoes, car aficionados or golf fanatics, food or film lovers?

The answer rests, I think, both in the insecure and uncomfortable attitudes that Americans hold toward wine and in the difficulty of bringing some sort of objective and universal criteria to the fleeting and obscure realms of aroma, taste and texture. . . . [D]rinking more hasn’t made Americans more comfortable with wine. People with little interest in wine tend to see it as somehow foreign and threatening. Even among the curious, fears abound, of being embarrassed or appearing unsophisticated, of choosing the wrong wine, or of liking the wrong one.

Too true. So, how does one better understand, evaluate and appreciate wine?

The trick is to distinguish between the harmful or disingenuous — the marketing come-ons, the point chasing, what the guy next to you thinks — from the beneficial: the food, the company, the environment. Even in a blind tasting situation, wine is evaluated in the company of other wines, which is a different sort of context but a context nonetheless. Perhaps they’ve chosen the best wines to be sipped and spat out, but not the best wines for dinner.

I will post some thoughts on this point later. Until then, I'd recommend reading the whole article.

Joseph Phelps Insignia 1992 (pt. 2)

I first had this wine a few months ago, and it was spectacular. So, last night, when the lovely young lady and I joined a couple at Gary Danko for dinner, this wine seemed like a perfect choice to have with the meal.

And it was.

Cherry, mocha, tobacco, and eucalyptus on the nose, with even stronger hints of mint on the palate. The tannins were smooth and silky, and the wine lingered for minutes. An exceptional wine, and one I would love to get more bottles of. Has many, many years of life left to it. Four and a half stars out of five.

Hubris in the wine market.

Check out this excellent post from Vinography on the hubris of at least one cult winemaker.

Kingston Family Vinetards "Tobiano" Syrah 2005

Dark purple color with jammy dark fruits, clove and black pepper on the nose. Mouth coating tannins and more jam on the palate shift to a bit of heat on the finish. Could benefit from a little aging, but not much. 2 and a half stars out of five.