Basic Juice - the wine blog for my generation

Fame/Infamy: 1976

I made this comment to Kate @ Accidental Hedonist regarding her link and posting about the famous (or infamous; depending on your perspective) 1976 Wine Tasting Event in France.

Kate,

I've discovered an interesting phenomenon in the wine classes I teach:  When the class is wine only (i.e. no food, just tasting), students nearly always prefer bold new world wines like a Cali Cab or Aussie Shiraz.  However, when food is added to the mix (e.g. cheese, tapas, etc.), most students prefer the more subtle, balanced old world wines from Spain, France, etc.

The moral of the story?  Most of us don't drink wine alone, in a vacuum.  we drink it with dinner.  As such, bigger aint always better...

Cheers,

Beau

W.W.I.H.

Two wine words I hate (W.W.I.H.):

1. Quaff, quaffable, quaffer*
2. Cloying

*Although I must admit to being guilty of using it in the past.  I'm working on some replacement words: gulp, swill, imbibe, guzzle, DRINK.

So tell me what wine words do you hate??

Past its Prime? II

I've been hitting the wine shop's bargain bin lately in an attempt to discover how value-priced wine ages.  Thus far I'm two for two in pleasant experiences/discoveries.

The latest candidate is from South Africa.  It's Migration Pinotage, 2001, priced at ten bucks.

Pinotage is a pretty gnarly grape.  To some it's interesting.  To others it's a next door neighbor to Brussels Sprouts.  I happen to like a wine that throws scent & flavor curve-balls.

The Skinny
Migration Pinotage, '01 ($10)

• Grapes 'migrated' and mixed from several regions:  Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Swartland
• Deep purple in color with a thin, pink rim
• Funk, funk, and more funk: scents of bacon, cedar, cigar, blackberry, and pepper
• Medium-body with a distinctive flavor, and lasting finish.  The flavors, while unique, are not overpowering

***.5 (3.5 stars out of 5)

I gave this wine an extra 1/2-star because it offers something that most ten-dollar wines can't: ultra unique character.  Try it with the gamiest of gamey dishes.  It was dandy with my favorite delivery pizza (the Mt. Wolverine).

WBW#11: A Gentle Reminder

Just a reminder for any and all who want to participate in WBW#11:  It's time to choose your wine..

The institution that has become WineBloggingWednesday returns on 6 July, 2005 and will be hosted by little 'ol me.  Get ready to Get Off! (dry).  You may select a red, white, rosé, or bubbly.  Your selection can be from anywhere on the planet.  However, it must meet one criteria; it must be neither dry nor sweet.  In other words, your wine must be off-dry.  What does this mean?  Click below for a helpful 'dryness scale.'

The Assman

It doesn't get any better than Weingut Assman (The name I mean.  The wine; apparently not so much.).  I wonder if there's a Weingut Kramer?

Check out Vines&Wines.  It's a good blog

S is for Shameless

Tuesday.  Brought to you by the letter S; as in Shameless - Shameless Commerce that is.

Visit the Basic Juice Wine Schwag Shop.  We've got all the essentials:  T-shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, trucker hats, and bumper stickers.  Of course what's a wine schwag shop without these exclusive items:

The Wine Zapatista Boxer & Thong.  Because you can never have enough wine-themed undies...

 

Cork Oak

Cork Oak in rain - near Evora, Portugal

Ambient w/a Little Extra

When listening to ambient music it's often easy to drift in and out.  Four Tet is one band that adds surprise and whimsy to the mix.  Have a listen to the track, "Slow Jam" from the Album Rounds.  Who knew squeaky toys could contribute to such a compelling composition?

White Graves II

This is the second white Bordeaux from the Graves Appellation reviewed in a week.

The Skinny
Benjamin de Vieux Chateau Gaubert, '01 ($18)

• 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc from the Graves appellation in Bordeaux, France
• Straw-yellow in color with a distinct, yet watery rim
• Pear and citrus scents mixed with a definite vanilla accent due to oak barrel soakin'
• Medium-bodied with enough acidity to balance the heavy-ish alcohol content and oaky weight.  A pleasant, lingering finish

*** (3 stars out of 5)

This is a well-made wine.  However, to my taste, the vanilla-cream character, from oak barrel fermentation, crowds out the fruit scents and flavors.  Some might like this, others; perhaps not.  It wasn't too intense for food.  In fact it was fine with roasted turkey breast.

Robola of Cephalonia

2003 Gentilini Robola of Cephalonia ($15)   
Clear, pale lemon core fading to a pale watery rim. Clean, medium-intense, youthful nose of creamy pear, citrus, and a zingy, floral note. No oak detectable. Dry, with crisp acidity, full body, and an intense palate of spicy citrus, creamy pear and minerals. Medium alcohol with medium-long length. A fresh, very good quality wine made from the Robola grape on the island of Cephalonia (Greece). Drink now and over the next 3 years.

For more WG tasting notes, click here.