Is J. Lohr for Real?

That is too bad. I like J Lohr as an every day drinking wine. In fact recently I had the 99 Hillside at a restaurant in Las Vegas as the wine list was fairly picked over at Gallaghers Steak House in the NY NY Casino and it drank quite well.

It is not a blockbuster but at a retail of about $22 for the Hillside I don't think you should expect Chateau Margaux either.

That's a little harsh, I'd say.

While they don't make anything that can compete with the best in France (or California), their wines are pretty solid as far as QPR goes.

Hey, what do you expect for ~$20US/btl?

Tom S

Salut/Hi Tom S,

le/on Tue, 04 May 2004 04:08:46 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Luc de Conti's top Moulin des Dames. Even a good village Burgundy from a top producer, since you ask.

Smirk.

Nice Cheap wine. The only real reason to live and visit France:-)

Saved by the smiley! :^/

I'm looking forward to my next trip to France. Been twice and found it very beautiful in May. Good food and wine is only part of it. Even the people are mostly nice if one is polite.

One thing that's different from the USA that you have to be aware of: The left lane on the freeway is _only_ for passing. Drive in it for long and you get a lot of angry glares and yelling. :^(

Tom S

*laughs* don't forget to mention that a lot of french people can't or won't drive properly so keep alert at all times ;)

Hmm...

] I'm looking forward to my next trip to France. Been twice and found it very ] beautiful in May. Good food and wine is only part of it. Even the people ] are mostly nice if one is polite. ]

Tom, will you be up around here at all? Or even in Paris? I'd love to get a gander at some of the famous Ch. Burbank!

] One thing that's different from the USA that you have to be aware of: The ] left lane on the freeway is _only_ for passing. Drive in it for long and ] you get a lot of angry glares and yelling. :^( ]

Used to be that way in the US, long ago. In most states I believe that the left lane is still recommended for passing, but in France it is a violation to travel in it.

-E

Ouch, no fair! :^(

Besides, a "good village Burgundy from a top producer" would _easily_ be $5US more than that here - assuming you can reliably _find_ such a beast here, that is...

Tom S

Nope, Normandy. But I do get in to Paris regularly enough, if you were to be there I could schedule to meet you.

] As for the wine, I'd be happy to send you some, but that hasn't gone too ] well lately for me. Sea mail used to work, but the post office has been ] getting very picky about what they will ship lately. ]

Really. Certainly wouldn't be a problem for the french P.O., they even sell bottle and mag shippers in every branch! I'd love to try it, if you're willing...

] I'm hopeful that the AFW get-together that was tentatively scheduled for ] this year will happen next year. I'll be sure to bring some coals to ] Newcastle, as it were. ;^) ]

Not too much of your style here, I don't gather! :) But the get-together is bound to be chez Ian, and unfortunately a trip down there is simply not possible at this time.

-E

Hi, Emery - Just where _is_ "around here"? Somewhere in France? Somehow I had the idea you lived in Australia.

As for the wine, I'd be happy to send you some, but that hasn't gone too well lately for me. Sea mail used to work, but the post office has been getting very picky about what they will ship lately.

I'm hopeful that the AFW get-together that was tentatively scheduled for this year will happen next year. I'll be sure to bring some coals to Newcastle, as it were. ;^)

Tom S

I'm going in June to Paris and Champagne. The other driving issue is the priority from the right which takes some getting used to on country roads! Bi!!

Please explain "priority from the right". Is that different from here in the USA?

Tom S

Unless otherwise marked, the car on the right has the priority. This is often but not always the case in the country, but people can be a little aggressive about asserting their priority.

On the other hand, in Paris, every roundabout follows this rule, which means that you speed into the circle at full tilt, then slam on the breaks to allow the next fellow his turn. Clever! :)

If you have an accident here, the insurance company will almost never pay if the dent is on the right side of your car. On the other hand, dents on the left are usually paid without question!

-E

Yes. At a roundabout for instance (unless otherwise marked) cars entering the roundabout have priority over those in the roundabout so if you're in the roundabout you must yield to a car entering as opposed to the car entering the roundabout yeilding to oncoming traffic. Another example is imagine travelling down a country road and coming upon an interesction devoid of stop signs. The car on the right has priority so you get a little gun shy when driving down the road and you see a car approaching the intersection even if you are at a high enough speed that you have to lock up the brakes to allow him to enter. You have to experience it to understand it but it works on your mind all of the time until you get used to it....then it scares the hell out of you! Bi!!

] >Please explain "priority from the right". Is that different from here in ] >] the USA? ] ] Yes. At a roundabout for instance (unless otherwise marked) cars entering the ] roundabout have priority over those in the roundabout so if you're in the ] roundabout you must yield to a car entering as opposed to the car entering the ] roundabout yeilding to oncoming traffic. Another example is imagine travelling

Bill, if it makes you feel any better, all roundabouts outside of Paris (and perhaps another major city?) are supposed to be marked giving priority to the person already in the roundabout.

Took me a long time to get used to the Peripherique, the Paris ring highway. There's always heavy traffic, and the person coming in on the entrance ramp always has priority -- and uses it! :)

-E

J. Lohr has been around for many years. One of the more unusual California wines I have had came from them. It was J. Lohr Monterey Selected Clusters Lonoak Vineyard 1978. It is long past the peak and should have been finished many years ago. It was a rather sweet dessert wine, but had plenty of acidity and alcohol. It was somewhat in the style of a Sauternes in sweetness, alcohol content, and weight. Of course, being made from Chardonnay, it had little in common with Sauternes in terms of taste.

This is the same in the USA. Though Roundabouts are rare and I suppose not many people drive on country roads.

In Texas it is a violation. I have never heard of or seen anyone get a ticket for it. I suspect it is that way in most states.