TN: NYE & New Year's Day, mostly plonk

New Years day we went to two parties. First had a nice spread of quiches, wraps, cheese, salads, and soup. Wines out included:

2003 Montes (70% Cabernet, 30 % Carmenere) Good redcurrant and berry fruit, some light vanilla oak. Slightly awkward tannins, not very complex. If I had, I'd tuck away for a couple years to see if tannins integrate, but I wouldn't look for this. B-

I tried not to eat too much before going to next party, but regretted it when we got there- a potluck with a lot of people who aren't really into food apparently. I did find some curried dishes that weren't bad, and tried a few wines:

2003 Stone Cellars (Beringer) Merlot '03 Now this is plonk. If the Syrah was imitating CalMerlot, this CalMerlot was imitating Ch. ThamesEnbankment. No acidity, some sweetness, light but green tannins. Soft to the point of inconsequence. C/C-

I kept looking at my simple Red Car and '00 Ch. Bel-Air, as well as a bottle of 2000 Barolo from a producer I didn't know & even Borsao, but felt it bad manners to open without hosts' invite when there were several open bottles on table.

Hopefully my vinuous 2006 is better than its start.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Amen, amigo! I went to a New Years Eve party I've been attending for years, thrown by a Taurus friend who really knows her wines and her way around the kitchen. (The lemon bars were to die for.) In the past, her guests have demonstrated an impeccable ability to select and bring above average wines to the festivus. This time around, however, the malaise was palpable.

For the first time in my recollection, there were bottles of Trader Joe wines on the table! Quivira, D'Aquino chianti, one of those horrible Cotes du Rhones in a bottle that looked like it should have held brandy...I mean, it was Plonk City!

Fortunately, I'd brought my usual six-pack, plus a bottle of Laurent Perrier for the midnight burst. Also, a '98 De Renzis Sonnino Vin Santo, in case the opportunity presented itself, and a '99 L'Ecole 41 Semillon, which had somehow gotten lost in the cellar for years. When my best buddy sidled up and whispered, "Isn't there ANYTHING drinkable around here?," I reached for the sixer.

In order of consumption (and yes, we kept these bottles in a restricted area, away from the plonkified hoardes) :

The Rasteau was probably the most impressive, the Travignoli disappointing, even after decanting. As usual, no flies on the Palazzo or the Markham. Never got to the Vin Santo, the semillion or a 2004 Insoglio Campo di Sasso Bibbona. My buddy brought a 2002 Windy Point Yakima Valley Cab that we didn't open, either, but I recently tasted it and gave it a B+ on the Dale Scale. :)

Generally speaking, I bring wines to share, not to hide in a remote corner of the kitchen. But this was one of those times when a very few of us knew what we were drinking. I've been to a few "wine" parties lately that have produced similar results...people with little or no real wine knowledge grabbing cheapies off a supermarket shelf, just so they can show up with a bottle in hand. Then they discover the good wines (like mine), and quickly consume them, leaving behind the plonk. I'm pleased to see wine is gaining in popularity, but we could sure use a little more education to go along with the increased sales.

Cheers, and Happy New Year!

JJ

I always like to palpate a malaise or two this time of year... :)

Tell us more about Brunel. It rings a bell, but I can't place it. Like the vineyard name: "Was pickin some froot down sombiches place." More NY feel than Vaucluse, though.

-E

I wish I'd had a vinuous buddy at second party to justify opening something better, but sharing with a friend is one thing, opening a bottle solely for me was another. Happy 2006, Dale

I rang in the New Yearat a nearby friend's place. His brother brought along Dow's Port (I didn't catch the vintage, if any) which went very well with my friend's wife's thumbprint cookies.

Happy 2006, indeed!

Dan-O (had a fuzzy navel at midnight)

"Tell us more about Brunel. It rings a bell, but I can't place it. "

Andre Brunel is the producer of the Les Cailloux CdP. I haven't had the Rasteau, but the CdPs (regular cuvee and the huge "Cuvée Centenaire") are very nice, in a modern style. I think as Parker has given huge scores prices have gone way up, though.

Happy 2006 to you and Adele.

Didn't he make movies with Dali, sliced eyes and more strangeness--Un Chien Andelou(sp) I hope he makes better wine den his flics.

Andre Brunel is the producer of the Les Cailloux CdP. I haven't had the Rasteau, but the CdPs (regular cuvee and the huge "Cuve Centenaire") are very nice, in a modern style. I think as Parker has given huge scores prices have gone way up, though.

Happy 2006 to you and Adele.

] "Tell us more about Brunel. It rings a bell, but I can't place it. " ] ] Andre Brunel is the producer of the Les Cailloux CdP. I haven't had the ] are very nice, in a modern style. I think as Parker has given huge ] scores prices have gone way up, though. ]

Ah, I thought I recognized the name. I'm a long time fan of Les Cailloux also. When I lived in Boston in the 80s it was the go-to CdP for QPR. Thanks.

] Happy 2006 to you and Adele. ]

To you, Betsy and David, too, Dale! Now if I can only get the damn cards out...

On another note, I seem to be losing text on some posts recently. I've noticed it twice with Anders. I thought you hiccuped, but I see J. Murray picked it up fine. Any other users of news.individual.net notice this, or do I perhaps have a problem locally?

-E

I think you are referring to his brother, Luis... ;-)

Hunt