After working and living in Europe for the last 36 years I've come home to retire!
Now tell me....What are some of the very best wines from California? I'm open to suggestions here people!
So far its been a BIG letdown!...I've been to winetastings here in New York and in California and discussed it with a lot of people that act like they know whats going on....But when I sip of their highly recommended California wine I wanna puke!
So far I'm still importing wines but would like to buy American if there is something worth drinking??
Europe is cool temperature climate for grape growing. The wines of cool climates tend toward acidic. Now southern California is a warm climate and the grapes have a higher sugar content and are less acid.
If you are determined to find a California wine that mimics Europe than search out a northern California producer where the climate more closely resembles the European growing conditions and the resultant wine has a higher acid content.
Try a Washington State wine. I do not know North California and Washington State Labels, however stay tuned. I am sure others could tell you.
You could try a New York wine from the Finger Lakes Region. This is a cool climate growing area closer to the European conditions as well.
Having said all this. One should learn to enjoy and celebrate the diferences. It is not a good and bad thing! It is an appreciation of how the grapes and resultant wines differ based on regional conditions.
Your question is basically unanswerable unless you tell us what kinds of European wines you like. That being said, it's rare to find CA wines that completely emulate their European counterparts, largely because of the hotter growing season, but some do come close. Off the top of my head, hear are some "look-a-likes":
Bordeaux: Phelps Insignia, Dominus Burgundy (red&white): Gary Farrell, Kistler, Au Bon Climat Rhone Valley: Tablas Creek, Domaine de la Terre Rouge Alsace: Navarro
AFAIC, there are no CA deadringers for the wines of Germany or Italy, but there are a few wineries who try. Also, FWIW, you're more likely to find Burgudian wines from Oregon than from CA.
in article qtQnd.104$ snipped-for-privacy@fe39.usenetserver.com, Ernie at snipped-for-privacy@home.net wrote on 11/20/04 3:31 PM:
Assuming, for the moment anyway, that you are serious and not just a picking a fight here........ it might also be helpful if you could name some of the 'highly recommended' wines that made you want to puke. That might put things in better perspective.
The first question is difficult to deal with since there is no indication of what ol' Ernie is seeking. Is it Bordeaux, Burgs, Beaujolais, CdP, or maybe Barolo, Barberesco, Chianti Classico, or Montepulcianos, or conceivably something like Mosel, Rhein, or Alsace, or maybe Rioja, etc. etc--I do ramble on.
If we narrowed to red or white as a start, we could be more helpful. But then we might want to ask what Ern has found so disappointing to this point. Does he like Aussie and NZ offerings, or are they equally worthless?
Personally (YMMV) I like New World wines a bit more because:
1.) I live in the US and they are more readily available
2.) They cost me less.
3.) They are usually immediately accessible so I don't have to assume twenty more years of life before I can enjoy.
4.) There is more variety.
5.) US law allows shipping to my state directly from the vineyard.
6.) I'm fascinated by the search for new quality producers who seem to be proliferating like the latest version of influenza.
7.) Euro wines occasionally seem intent on confusing with their arcane classifications and convoluted titles, negociants, DOCs, AOCs, QdPs, etc. (If you've been brought up with it, I'm sure its' easier, but even after having lived in Europe for 8 years and traveling through most of the major regions I'm still often confused and headed to the bookshelf to find out what is what.)
That being said, I've found that I can usually find some pretty worthwhile wines if I pick from Russian River Valley, Carneros, Williamette, Paso Robles, and relate the locale to the desired varietal, e.g. PN from RRV, etc.
Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled"
Hey, you're really starting to sound like a broken record and you're giving Columbus a bad name with this kind of behaviour. By now, everybody knows that you like inexpensive Italian wines and you detest tastings. SO GIVE IT A REST! Bi!!
Hey Ernie, You've been living in Europe for, at least, half your life? After all this time you might need to become acclimated to some of the wines available in the USA. Please keep an open mind and let your palate be your guide. We do have some very good wines here!
I like expensive Italian wines too. Participation in 'tastings' is indicative of a complete lack of knowledge about the PURPOSE of wine. I never participate in 'tastings', as I consider such to be a complete waste of valuable time and of the wine.
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