At 11.30 pm, Mads Kleppe, the Norwegian sommelier at Noma, Copenhagen, currently the world's most talked about restaurant, clinked one of the many empty wine bottles he had expertly served and eventually silenced our party of 14 in their private dining room. Before dessert, he wanted to take us on.

See my tasting notes on 70+ Grands Crus du Languedoc. Oh dear. Will wine and local politics ever blend into one harmonious cuvée? I fear not, and certainly not on the basis of the latest attempt to forge a financially sustainable future for France's biggest wine region, the Languedoc. No one.

Find prices and retail availability for Reynella Grenache.

By way of background: McLaren Vale, Australia, is well-known for its offerings of shiraz.  Today, however, I am trying something different - a grenache from that region.  To boot, this is a grenache which has been aged nine years from vintage date.  We'll see what that may do to the classic, bright grenache flavors...

Initial review : This is Chateau Reynella Basket Pressed Grenache, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2002, finished at 13.4% alcohol, extremely shy and conservative by south Australia standards.

In the glass:  Reynella Grenache is deep magenta, opaque from about a half inch in from the edge of the glass.  The rim shows red with just hints of brick.

On the nose: Poured cool with a brief decant and swirled vigorously, shows sweet and bright deep fruit, laced with cinnamon and touched with oak.  From the aroma, seems like this will be rich, soft, full-throttle, maybe spicy.

On the palate: The primary elements on the palate are in fact a deep luscious blackberry, touched by highlights of bright raspberry. It is a mouth-filling experience, bringing far more power than implied by its modest alcohol level.   Light pepper comes on as the sip fades.  The fruit gently gives way to light acids and a clean finish that seems to make your whole mouth sparkle. 

In summary: Overall, rates three stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale, with a big plus for its bright red layers.  Good value.  Just shy of four stars.

Following long decant, three hours at room temperature in flat-bottomed decanter:  On the nose, sweet and classic deep fruit.  The palate is blueberry and blackberry, nicely balanced and consistent with the experience directly from the bottle. 

(c) Copyright 2011 Spirit of Wine, all rights reserved.  (If you are reading this full posting on any site other than Spirit of Wine, chances are it is a copyright violation.)  

Find prices and retail availability for Reynella Grenache.

In one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, the Los Angeles Lakers are now down 0-3 against the Dallas Mavericks after the Mavs won Game 3 by a final score of 98-92. Going into this series, nobody thought the Mavs had a chance. Dallas has a playoff history of ... More »

Post from: EveryJoe

One wonders: If Detroit had played like they did in the 1st period the first three games, surely this would look like a different series.

Source: Ansa.it.

A recipe for Osso Buco-Style Turkey Necks.

A recipe for roast turkey breast with fig-olive tapenade.

A recipe for Turkey Ragù.

The chef is also a racehorse owner with a filly in today's Kentucky Oaks.

Join us and help ensure that our CHEFS program remains strong and continues to provide education and support to homeless adults in San Francisco.

In my quest to try wines from different nations, my tasting trip takes me to Slovenia, and two wines from a company called Quercus.  Apparently, Quercus means 'oak', with at least a small percentage of all of their wines going into wooden barrels, with their philosophy of "without oak there is neither a good wine cellar not a good wine". (I'd debate that, but won't here!)  The grapes are grown just over the border from Marco Felluga's Collio vineyards in the Goriška Brda region - which is Slovenian for Collio Goriziano and with consultant Angel Muir MW on board, I had hope for these wines that cost between £9 and £10 per bottle.  I tried two of these wines, liked one and wasn't impressed by the other.

2007 Quercus Pinot Bianco
Smells like it has been a white wine left open for two days at room temperature.  A bit of bacon fat, caramel and a little apple Smirnoff!  The palate is initially ok, some alcohol coming off the front, with some lemon pith, a bit of citrus juice on the back end but with a fuller texture.  It is ok, but not a great wine and I'd be struggling to justify this at £9. 4/10

2009 Quercus Pinot Grigio
Some light, minerally elements on the nose, a bit of lemon rind and some lemon pith.  Some mineral notes coming off with a light, fresh zing of lemon and yellow grapefruit.  Some bitter elements on the palate, with some sandstone too.  A bit of alcohol coming off, but pretty well integrated.  The finish is long, zesty, with a nice freshness.  Pretty good and would put a lot of Italian Pinot Grigio at the same price point to shame.  6.5/10

There is always the problem when trying a more obscure country's wines that you may allow them flaws that you wouldn't forgive in an Italian or French wine.  I think that the Pinot Bianco needs work, but the Grigio is a good wine and well priced.  It reminds me of the Zagreus wines from Bulgaria, or the Grace Wines from Japan - they are good wines that are worth the money regardless of where they come from.

Find Colombo Les Abeilles pricing and retail availability.

 By way of background, original review, November, 2009: Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Cotes du Rhone, 2007, is from the increasingly-well-known Cornas-based winemaker and negociant, Jean-Luc Colombo. He is known for producing traditional French grapes with a bit more "new world" flair. "Les Abeilles" - meaning "bees" in French - is a blend of southern Rhone red grapes from quarter-century old vines. This year's blend is 50% grenache, 30% syrah and 20% mourvedre - what is often called a "CdR", a "Rhone blend" or sometimes "GSM".


In the glass: Les Abeilles is deep magenta red in the glass. It moves to opaque only about a half-inch in from the edge.

On the nose: The aromas of Les Abeilles are subtle and restrained, yet quite enticing. They are deep, slightly forest-y, with overtones of fresh plums.

On the palate: On the sip, full-front rich plum flavors touch the tip of your tongue and the front of your mouth - almost your teeth. The robe of deep red fruit flavor moves backwards then, along the sides of your mouth. It carries an element of acidity and spiciness, but that is just one component of an overall bolder blend. A bit of older world earthiness also settles in as the tannins cloak things.

And the finish: Solid, clean and medium in length, it does twist your upper cheeks up just at the finish, with one last acid zinger.

In summary: Excellent overall experience, one to be repeated. That's three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale, and makes this an outstanding value wine at its price point.
-------------------------------

Updated review, about a year and a half later, May, 2011:  Still deep magenta red in the glass, but not moving to opaque, even in the center.  Sandy sweet deep red nose with hint of plums.  Sweet, full red berries flood your mouth, bringing insanely succulent yet still bright red fruit everywhere.  Still some acids and tannins to shuttle the fruit around.  The finish builds with brightness, and lingers with little traces of fruit in your cheeks.  This is a pleasant lighter-bodied red wine experience.   Gets a plus for the pleasantness, and becomes an awesome best value at its crazy low price.  Seems to be a testament of the quality of the 2007 vintage in the Cote de Rhone region of France.  

Find Colombo Les Abeilles pricing and retail availability.

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor The Long Island wine community often overflows with more of the same -- vineyard walks, mediocre music acts, tenuous food/chocolate pairing events, and the like. These activities clearly attract customers -- wineries wouldn't spend the...

Muscadet gives pleasure when it is freshly squeezed. But aging the best examples can be worth the wait. Muscadet gains richness with time spent on the lees. Lees are neither Confederate generals nor blue jeans but rather spent yeast cells that fall to the bottom of the barrel or tank when their work is done. [...]

A place to get quirky, responsibly sourced Chinese food, on Mission Street in San Francisco.

Food-related events in New York this weekend.

It feels like 1998 again.

Includes Bay Area premiere of David Mamet’s Broadway hit Race.

Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris Region: Oregon – USA Cost: $15 My Review: I don’t drink too much Pinot Gris, so when the Good Works Wine Club included a bottle in a recent sample pack they sent to me I was certainly interested to try it. If you don’t remember my previous mention of the Good [...]

Everyone once in a while I get an E-mail I've been waiting a long time for and knock out a blog post immediately. Just now I received this press release from Free the Grapes about an important hearing this coming Tuesday in Massachusetts.

MA HB 1029 would finally, mercifully, allow direct shipment of wine from out of state wineries to Massachusetts residents.

Three things you can do right now if you want to help see this through:

• Have a look at my prior posts on MA shipping laws for more information on this subject
• Contact your state representative and encourage them to support this bill
• Attend the hearing on Tuesday if you're available

More information forthcoming...

From Free the Grapes:

May 6, 2011, Napa, CA –  On Tuesday, May 10 the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure will hold a public hearing to discuss House Bill 1029. Passage of this bill would mark an end to the state’s archaic ban on wine shipments from licensed wineries directly to Massachusetts consumers, according to Free the Grapes!, the national coalition of consumers, wineries and retailers. www.freethegrapes.org

Hearing Details:

What: House Bill 1029
Who: Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011; 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Location: Massachusetts State House, Room A-1, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108
Bill Information: http://www.malegislature.gov/bills/187/house/h01029

HB 1029 conforms to the ruling Family Winemakers of California v. Jenkins, which was upheld by the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in January 2010. The lawsuit successfully challenged a 2006 Massachusetts statute banning winery-to-consumer shipments from wineries and wine companies producing more than 30,000 gallons per year, and who retain a wholesaler. The 30,000 gallon capacity cap was ruled to be discriminatory and the legislature was tasked with developing a remedy.

Introduced in February by Representative David M. Torrisi, HB 1029 is similar to the model direct shipping bill that is the foundation for statutes in the majority of U.S. states, providing legal, regulated direct shipping to consumers. Among other provisions, HB 1029 requires wineries to purchase a state-issued shipping license, to mark boxes as requiring an adult signature at delivery, and limits the quantity of wine shipped to individuals to 24 cases per year. The basis for HB 1029, the model direct shipping bill, was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and supported by the Federal Trade Commission.

Thirty-seven states and Washington D.C. – but not Massachusetts – allow licensed wineries to ship directly to consumers – those states account for 83% of US wine consumption. Massachusetts is the seventh largest wine consumption state in the U.S. however it is one of 17 states that continue to ban winery-to-consumer direct shipments. Maryland Governor O’Malley is scheduled to sign House and Senate Bills later this month to allow winery direct shipping, which will make Maryland the 38th state to allow winery direct shipping.

Please join Wine Magazine for an informative seated tasting of the top-scoring wines from the 2011 Pinotage category tasting. The tastings will be presented by De Wet Viljoen from Neethlingshof Wine Estate. Wines included in the line-up: Boland Cellar Reserve No 1 2009 Durbanville Hills Rhinofields 2009 Neethlingshof 2005 Neethlingshof The Short Story Collection The Owl Post 2009 Pella Thomas Se Dolland [...]

(Afrikaanse persverklaring volg na die Engels) Cape Town:  Thursday, 11 August 2011 / Johannesburg: Thursday, 1 September 2011 Experience exceptional wines with a creative edge and great diversity of styles at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase in Cape Town on Thursday, 11 August and Johannesburg on Thursday, 1 September, when members of the Guild present [...]

The organisers of The Wine Show this week announced that they have signed a media sponsorship agreement with Avusa Media.  This media partnership will see the publishing giant supporting both The Wine Show Jo’burg and The Wine Show Road Show Nelson Mandela Bay across six of their titles. According to show director John Woodward, the deal [...]

Waterkloof Retaurant, the spectacular winelands eatery towering on the outskirts of Somerset West with its priceless mountain and sea views, is reaching out to locals this winter with a sizzling deal to encourage food lovers who visit this epicurean hotspot during May to return for seconds in June. Everyone who dines at Waterkloof Restaurant during May [...]

SAWi, a private initiative, which was initially established to research the field of wine judging and its pitfalls here and abroad, introduced a new wine quality index for South African wine. A system based on several new wine quality indicators and value points, developed to make more sense from having all the different results from [...]

An Australian study finds red wine consumption decreases bone loss in men over 50

From Victoria Moore at The Guaridan: Sounds good, no? Well, it can be amazing. Some of the wines I have enjoyed most would be categorised as natural wines; they taste alive and honest, like a lungful of country air versus the stale aeroplane-cabin air of a poor brand. But there is a catch. Natural wines [...]

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor What's better than maibock season after a long winter and a late-bloomer spring? This one from Flying Bison Brewing Company is a deep, bloody orange-amber color with a delicate one-finger head and faint lacing. The...

Thanks to Candelaria, authentic Mexican food can now be found in the Marais.

Heaven Hill distillers comes out with five different versions of unaged whiskeys.

A collection of links by the reporters and editors of the Dining section.

The lobster roll chain will be serving lunch on Midtown sidewalks and stopping at late-night spots.

The Greatest American Hero “Believe it or not, it’s just meeeeeeee!” Has a show ever had a catchier, poppier theme song? Has there ever been a hero quite as inept as Mr. H? Running for just three seasons from 1981-1983, The Greatest American Hero was the tale of Ralph Hinkley/Hanley/Hunkley (more on that later), a [...]

During a recent twitter taste live (TTL) event, I had the pleasure of tasting a lineup of wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards. This winery has been around since ’59, which means they have had plenty of time to perfect their... [Read the full story] Read more

Heaven Hill distillers comes out with five different versions of unaged whiskeys.

Mother’s Day It only seems fair that as Mother’s   Day approaches that I write a little story about my mother (and business partner) Linda Tyrer. One of the great joys in life is to sit down at the dinner table with great food and wine and listen to stories. I have listened to ... blog entry by Galafrey Wines on BoozeMonkey

April Showers bring May Flowers… Take your camera and go shoot flowers in wine country. Happy Friday. addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wine-blog.org%2Findex.php%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fthings-to-do-in-wine-country-non-wine-sorta-related-friday-fotos-part-ii%2F'; addthis_title = 'Things+To+Do+in+Wine+Country+%7E+Non+Wine+Related+%7E+Go+On+a+Flower+Shoot'; addthis_pub = '';

It must be said the Royals have really married well. They have chosen a superbly classy family to marry into. If anything I think the reputations of the royals will no doubt improve after the wedding. The Middletons bring taste, wine knowledge and a palate for fantastic South African Chenin to the Royal Household. How [...]

Start with a white, continue with a red, finish with a sticky. It's the classic night of wine drinking for many. So this week we follow the pattern and start with a Chardonnay from Oakridge, a producer from the Yarra Valley with big chatter about their whites right now. We continue with onto a red, staying in the Yarra Valley. The Mac Forbes Cabernet impressed Brad with its style and polish. To end the episode we hook into a sticky, in this case a Rutherglen Muscat from local stalwarts Chambers.

The Wine Show Road Show Nelson Mandela Bay is returning to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth from Friday, 10 June 2011 until Sunday, 12 June 2011.  After the huge response the inaugural event received in 2010, this year’s edition promises to wow wine lovers with the same informal and fun introduction to [...]

Learn the essence of creating a master piece along with Durbanville Hills’ red winemaker Wilhelm Coetzee as he shares the technique of blending red wines. Discover first-hand the components and nuances in crafting the best Bordeaux- and Cape-style blends. Teams of four people will be creating their own signature style red wine blend and Wilhelm will [...]

The Durbanville Hills cellar has opened its doors for local artists to exhibit their work and by doing so, the Durbanville Hills Share Purchase Trust, the social investment arm of the cellar, will receive much needed funds for projects within the community. Artists Petro Vermaak Lotriet, Debra Rousseau, Magda le Roux and Jenny Nothard’s exquisite work [...]

Wine enthusiasts were in for a treat on Monday, May 2, when Sommelier India Wine magazine organised a special Riesling tasting at the residence of the German Ambassador. Sommelier India...

INHAFE: I now have acronyms for everything. They have resulted from my attempts to formulate a system for tackling the tasting paper. Until now, I have adopted a scattergun approach to the answers, relying more on luck than design for my marks. And it showed, since my last assessed tasting paper.

The 2011 vintage in the northern hemisphere already seems to be acquiring a strong character of its own. Central Coast vineyards in southern California were very badly affected by frost in early April, as you can read here . And the unusually warm, dry early spring in Europe has resulted in much.