The Last Word On ‘08 (Not Really) As most folks are turning the page over, putting 2008 into the dustbin of history, you won’t find that kind of ungrateful behavior in the Wine World.
Truth of the matter, when it comes to wine, years live on….for years.
We continue to refer back to every year well into the future. We won’t even be seeing most wines made from grapes harvested in 2008 until 2010, or even 2011. And three years from now, we will be talking about the Harvest of 2008 like it happened the day before yesterday.
Wine is enjoyed and studied in the present, but it is a memory of the past. What was the weather like? Did the fruit achieve the proper levels of sugars and acids? Was Harvest a smooth, one-pass through the vineyard experience? Or were several efforts required, allowing un-ripe berries to reach their optimum condition?(More)
Wonderful Wines
Wood You? It’s odd that the debate rages on. This whole topic should have been put on the shelf long ago.
Oak-y Chardonnays are still under great debate, and great disagreement. Why is that?
Simply because some consumers like the taste of oak in their Chardonnay. And others detest it.
That’s fine. That should settle it. If you like white wines with plenty of wood, buy some. If not, avoid those. But there is a reason for the “Topic That Refuses to Die,” and wine professionals are decidedly in one camp, with a large percentage of the wine-purchasing consumers in another.
What have the winemakers done lately? They’ve, for the most part, dialed down the use of oak, but have not abandoned it completely. Why should they? Medium to heavily oaked Chardonnays are among the most-purchased wines in America. For most winemakers, this type of wine is not what they want to make. (More)
Weekly Harvest
May I Recommend: Foley Pinot Noir
Rancho Santa Rosa is not located in Sonoma Valley near the town of the same name. It's in the Santa Rita Hills just above Santa Barbara, and is another amazing climate in which to grow, not just wine grapes, but Pinot Noir grapes. They are challenging, frustrating, and require lots of attention.
At Foley, they know how to handle these emotions and bring wonderful fruit to the winery. This Pinot Noir can provide great pleasures, whether enjoyed on its own or with a wide-range of prepared foods.
Deep garnet colors, with spicy notes, even hints of mushrooms, teas and black cherries. Drink within 5 years of vintage date. The freshness of the wine is one of its endearing qualities.
Tim McNally really loves wine. Tim’s curiosity about wine began 35 years ago, and he has been learning every day ever since. Tim grew up in Dallas, graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School, majored in Journalism at the University of North Texas, and has worked in the corporate world in marketing, community relations, association management and expansion, as well as Industrial development.He moved to Louisiana, then to New Orleans right our of college and even with a busy professional schedule, Tim has always found time to indulge his passion for wine, taking courses, traveling to wine regions around the world, and attending professional and consumer events centered on the fermented juice of grapes. (More)
