Comments on: What Were They Thinking, No. 2 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/ Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:26:03 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Benito http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Benito Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:59:15 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-166 Sorry, that link got screwed up: http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2006/06/we_need_more_fr.html Sorry, that link got screwed up:

http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2006/06/we_need_more_fr.html

]]> By: Benito http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Benito Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:44:10 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-165 You know, I had a similar experience with one of the Brothers in Arms Shiraz wines from the Grateful Palate. It clocked in at 15% alcohol and it was hard to get past that heat on the nose. (I still enjoy Philips' wines in general--the S2 ranks as one of the best wines I've ever tasted.) Tom Wark has suggested that wine bloggers and professional writers list alcohol percentages in their reviews: http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2006/06/we_need_more_fr.html">has suggested I generally only do so if it's really high or really low--who really notices the difference between a 12.2% and 12.7% wine? On the other hand, a mild 9% wine can be drunk almost like water, and those above the 14% mark require a bit of caution. You know, I had a similar experience with one of the Brothers in Arms Shiraz wines from the Grateful Palate. It clocked in at 15% alcohol and it was hard to get past that heat on the nose. (I still enjoy Philips’ wines in general–the S2 ranks as one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted.)

Tom Wark has suggested that wine bloggers and professional writers list alcohol percentages in their reviews:

http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2006/06/we_need_more_fr.html“>has suggested

I generally only do so if it’s really high or really low–who really notices the difference between a 12.2% and 12.7% wine? On the other hand, a mild 9% wine can be drunk almost like water, and those above the 14% mark require a bit of caution.

]]> By: Ryan B. http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Ryan B. Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:15:43 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-164 Fredric, Great entry. Could not agree more. At 15.5 percent alcohol, why not just cut some black cherry concentrate with Everclear. What is the point of drinking, and paying handsomely, for a wine so lopsided? Lucky for us fans of balance many of the better wine writers, like you, are hitting this topic. Had a great time in your town, Fredric. Erling Jensens was amazing. Fredric,

Great entry. Could not agree more. At 15.5 percent alcohol, why not just cut some black cherry concentrate with Everclear. What is the point of drinking, and paying handsomely, for a wine so lopsided? Lucky for us fans of balance many of the better wine writers, like you, are hitting this topic.
Had a great time in your town, Fredric. Erling Jensens was amazing.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Fredric Koeppel Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:04:44 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-159 Rebecca, thanks for the kind comments and for responding. I admire your advanced taste in wine for a "young girl;" when I was (presumably) your age, I thought it was a mark of elegance to go from Paisano Red to Chianti in a straw-covered bottle. Sommeliers will ask that question; in a way it's inevitable -- they want to help you order a wine you like -- but it fosters the notion that they think you're simple-minded enough to have one "favorite" wine. It would be like asking if you have one favorite book or painting. The answer, i think, is exactly as you phrased it: "I like wines that are intricate, well-balanced and, if possible, unique, and I'm partial to Burgundy." That will give the sommelier or waiter an idea of your level of taste and sophistication, which seems, already, higher than most American wine consumers. I'll have to borrow that sentence (with credit, I promise) when I'm writing about burgundy: "I love the dustiness and the mustiness that crawl up my nose." Thanks, Mike. It's interesting about Parker. After 20 years or so of advocating big, ripe, toasty fruit bombs and using "elegance" as a pejorative term, he's backing off and beginning to praise more balanced, elegant wines; must be gettin' old. Still, his immense influence won't diminish until he retires (or, you know, whatever) and the generation that worships at his rating system starts to fade. The multiple links between his ratings, the producers and the retail stores (and American auction catalogs) is astonishing, but eventually, this too shall pass. And let's not forget what tremendous good Parker has done for the recognition and acceptance of wine drinking in this country. Rebecca, thanks for the kind comments and for responding. I admire your advanced taste in wine for a “young girl;” when I was (presumably) your age, I thought it was a mark of elegance to go from Paisano Red to Chianti in a straw-covered bottle. Sommeliers will ask that question; in a way it’s inevitable — they want to help you order a wine you like — but it fosters the notion that they think you’re simple-minded enough to have one “favorite” wine. It would be like asking if you have one favorite book or painting. The answer, i think, is exactly as you phrased it: “I like wines that are intricate, well-balanced and, if possible, unique, and I’m partial to Burgundy.” That will give the sommelier or waiter an idea of your level of taste and sophistication, which seems, already, higher than most American wine consumers. I’ll have to borrow that sentence (with credit, I promise) when I’m writing about burgundy: “I love the dustiness and the mustiness that crawl up my nose.”

Thanks, Mike. It’s interesting about Parker. After 20 years or so of advocating big, ripe, toasty fruit bombs and using “elegance” as a pejorative term, he’s backing off and beginning to praise more balanced, elegant wines; must be gettin’ old. Still, his immense influence won’t diminish until he retires (or, you know, whatever) and the generation that worships at his rating system starts to fade. The multiple links between his ratings, the producers and the retail stores (and American auction catalogs) is astonishing, but eventually, this too shall pass. And let’s not forget what tremendous good Parker has done for the recognition and acceptance of wine drinking in this country.

]]> By: Mike http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Mike Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:46:10 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-158 Fredric, Thank you for this post. I have a question for you. Do you think we are nearing the end of the “Parker Period” in production? Mr. Parker seems to love these over done fruit bombs. His scores drive huge prices, as well as sales. This, I think in turn, drives more winemakers to produce these wines. Hopefully, the score shoppers will surely get tired of them soon. Again, great post I wish the producers would pay more attention. Fredric,

Thank you for this post. I have a question for you. Do you think we are nearing the end of the “Parker Period” in production? Mr. Parker seems to love these over done fruit bombs. His scores drive huge prices, as well as sales. This, I think in turn, drives more winemakers to produce these wines. Hopefully, the score shoppers will surely get tired of them soon. Again, great post I wish the producers would pay more attention.

]]> By: Rebecca http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Rebecca Sun, 14 Jan 2007 08:32:20 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/13/what-were-they-thinking-no-2/#comment-154 I am a young girl new to wine knowledge but I do have a few wine blogs I dedicatedly read. Yours and Eric Asimov's. I appreciate your ease with words and your ability to express yourself briefly and yet concisely. I have been reading your blog since you started and this is the first time I have found reason to comment. Sommeliers in restaurants are always asking me what my favorite wine is and I get rather peturbed by this question. I don't have a favorite. If a wine is intricate, well balanced and unique I will love it. Yeah, I'm partial to Burgundy but mostly because I drink more wine without food than I do with food and Burgundy is complex and earthy without being overly tannic or burly. I love the dustiness and the mustiness that crawls up my nose. But, balance is the only answer. Everything must allign. Everything that rises must converge. Hooray for Balance! I am a young girl new to wine knowledge but I do have a few wine blogs I dedicatedly read. Yours and Eric Asimov’s. I appreciate your ease with words and your ability to express yourself briefly and yet concisely. I have been reading your blog since you started and this is the first time I have found reason to comment. Sommeliers in restaurants are always asking me what my favorite wine is and I get rather peturbed by this question. I don’t have a favorite. If a wine is intricate, well balanced and unique I will love it. Yeah, I’m partial to Burgundy but mostly because I drink more wine without food than I do with food and Burgundy is complex and earthy without being overly tannic or burly. I love the dustiness and the mustiness that crawls up my nose. But, balance is the only answer. Everything must allign. Everything that rises must converge. Hooray for Balance!

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