TN: SB & Barbera, with question re cooking wines

a couple of clarifications:

For our international members, the Superbowl is the championship for the professional version of American football. An occasion for many parties, though this year we stayed home..

My definitions might be a little confusing. For my term "assertive", maybe replace with "floral/aromatic". I tend to cook with the less flowery grape varietals.

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Hey, I though B/B+ was pretty good for an $11 wine. :) I thought it the equivalent of the similarly priced Babich, and a step behind say Craggy Range or Cloudy Bay. Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Hey, if its a 1/2 cup I'll pull and we'll enjoy the rest. But in this case I needed about 1/2 bottle (double recipe), and didn't want open a $25 Burg.

I love cooking with vermouth, but would think the aromatics might cause the same kind of issues Viognier, Gewurztraminer, etc cause. But will keep in mind.

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Yes, I should just give up on the idea of having the wine be something I'd enjoy, and just stock a house cooking wine (neutral and cheap). But that's no fun!

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Hi there,

I am intrigued that you had this problem with the menetou-salon:

as I showed a bottle of this at a tasting last weekend (2001 vintage) from Majestic and it was likewise off. I didn't see a real corky smell but the wine was dull in colour and smelt 'flat' and tasted - well, awful.

Are you in the UK? If this is a many-country problem then they have an issue!

The tasting note from Majestic is:

This example exhibits a pungent, herbaceous nose followed by rich, crisp, grassy flavours

but alas it was not!

Johnners

//>...so opened a Fournier Menetou- Salon. Ack! TCA reigns supreme.

I'm in US. I've never noticed a problem with Fournier's wines, but then I haven't had many recently (I used to be fond of their old vines Sancerre but haven't bought in a while). In any case my tasting wouldn't be extensive enough to be statistically relevant. But it is indeed possible for TCA to be a winery issue as opposed to only a cork issue, witness BV in the states.

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

thankyou

well, if they are reading - take note!

Johnners

Awatere is quite separate from the main growing area in the Wairau Valley. A different valley, different river, different climate. The two valleys run parallel about 20km apart.

--brian

Brian,

thanks for the clarification. I've seen the Wairau name a few times, though

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Yes, it depends mainly on the specific wine. My typical sauvignons are from Friuli (Collio or COF) and they usually have a marked aromatic character, with the usual predominant green pepper-leaf nose. I still have to try Sauv's from outside of Italy, apart some bottles of Pouilly Fume'.

Vilco