Comments for The Amateur Wino http://www.amateurwino.com Wine for Regular People Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:10:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on A blind tasting for the ages! by The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » The perfect storm, vino version http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=404&cpage=1#comment-946 The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » The perfect storm, vino version Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:10:52 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=404#comment-946 [...] bad really – ribolla gialla) It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Gravner I had from my March 10 Tasting for the Ages- a little bit golden-orange colored, in an artisanal and unusual style, and it’s genius when [...] [...] bad really – ribolla gialla) It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Gravner I had from my March 10 Tasting for the Ages- a little bit golden-orange colored, in an artisanal and unusual style, and it’s genius when [...]

]]> Comment on Wines from Argentina: my top malbecs, and some whites worth a look by Alan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=469&cpage=1#comment-786 Alan Sun, 02 May 2010 20:54:39 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=469#comment-786 I guess I'd have to say no... but it wasn't quite undrinkable either. If you'd like to link to the Trader Joe's episode, you might want to use this link: http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=183 Thanks for the pingback! -Alan I guess I’d have to say no… but it wasn’t quite undrinkable either. If you’d like to link to the Trader Joe’s episode, you might want to use this link: http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=183

Thanks for the pingback! -Alan

]]> Comment on Wines from Argentina: my top malbecs, and some whites worth a look by Is the Charles Shaw Chardonnay wine really better than $200 wine bottles? http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=469&cpage=1#comment-785 Is the Charles Shaw Chardonnay wine really better than $200 wine bottles? Sun, 02 May 2010 20:15:51 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=469#comment-785 [...] The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » Wines from Argentina: m&#... [...] [...] The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » Wines from Argentina: m&#… [...]

]]> Comment on The kind of wine that should get 100 points from the critics, but doesn’t by Alan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=455&cpage=1#comment-719 Alan Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:36:08 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=455#comment-719 A very fair point, Ryan. I've included it just as a marker of my level of enthusiasm for those who do find scores helpful, sort of a 'score one for the good guys' thing - but you're right, I could very well have left it out. And I have thought about writing a critique about scoring in general, but I think I'll leave that for another day's post. Given that reliance on scores is an established part of consumer behavior these days, I wanted my focus this time to be on whether there is a bias of sorts against giving top scores to lighter or subtler wines of great beauty. Thanks for the astute comment and thanks for reading! By the way, I have really liked your site for a long time - great source on Spanish wines! A very fair point, Ryan. I’ve included it just as a marker of my level of enthusiasm for those who do find scores helpful, sort of a ‘score one for the good guys’ thing – but you’re right, I could very well have left it out. And I have thought about writing a critique about scoring in general, but I think I’ll leave that for another day’s post. Given that reliance on scores is an established part of consumer behavior these days, I wanted my focus this time to be on whether there is a bias of sorts against giving top scores to lighter or subtler wines of great beauty. Thanks for the astute comment and thanks for reading! By the way, I have really liked your site for a long time – great source on Spanish wines!

]]> Comment on The kind of wine that should get 100 points from the critics, but doesn’t by ryan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=455&cpage=1#comment-718 ryan Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:21:31 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=455#comment-718 Great post, though why not just not score it. If as you say and I believe 'because it implies that the score is a precise and immutable characteristic of the wine- which it is not" then why ruin perfection with bothering to kow tow to this artificial idea of points=experience/value Love the wine for what it is, a moment in time. And as far as I'm concerned most if not all Tondonia's are close to perfection! :) Great post, though why not just not score it. If as you say and I believe ‘because it implies that the score is a precise and immutable characteristic of the wine- which it is not”

then why ruin perfection with bothering to kow tow to this artificial idea of points=experience/value

Love the wine for what it is, a moment in time. And as far as I’m concerned most if not all Tondonia’s are close to perfection! :)

]]> Comment on Discovering blaufrankisch; and when has a wine critic gone too far? by The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » The kind of wine that should get 100 points from the critics, but doesn’t http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350&cpage=1#comment-716 The Amateur Wino » Blog Archive » The kind of wine that should get 100 points from the critics, but doesn’t Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:43:41 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350#comment-716 [...] fair to the critics though, Eric Asimov (who I took to task for his take on some blaufrankisches in this post from Feb 9) has written indispensable pieces about the virtues of Lopez de Heredia wines here and here, for [...] [...] fair to the critics though, Eric Asimov (who I took to task for his take on some blaufrankisches in this post from Feb 9) has written indispensable pieces about the virtues of Lopez de Heredia wines here and here, for [...]

]]> Comment on First look: does 2009 Bordeaux live up to the hype? by Alan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=425&cpage=1#comment-607 Alan Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:37:39 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=425#comment-607 Dear Mme. Decoster, Thank you so much for visiting my blog. It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday and to taste both the 2006 Fleur Cardinale and the 2009 Fleur Cardinale. Both were drinking beautifully and I expect to have my full tasting notes on my website within the next day or two. Keep up the great work with your wines and I hope we meet again soon! Warm regards, Alan Dear Mme. Decoster,

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday and to taste both the 2006 Fleur Cardinale and the 2009 Fleur Cardinale. Both were drinking beautifully and I expect to have my full tasting notes on my website within the next day or two. Keep up the great work with your wines and I hope we meet again soon! Warm regards,

Alan

]]> Comment on First look: does 2009 Bordeaux live up to the hype? by Florence DecosterChateau Fleur cardinale http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=425&cpage=1#comment-606 Florence DecosterChateau Fleur cardinale Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:26:17 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=425#comment-606 I'm very pleased you enjoyed Fleur Cardinale. Please, get in touch with us if you need some more informations. Web site : chateau-fleurcardinale.com Best regards Florence Decoster I’m very pleased you enjoyed Fleur Cardinale.
Please, get in touch with us if you need some more informations.
Web site : chateau-fleurcardinale.com
Best regards
Florence Decoster

]]> Comment on Discovering blaufrankisch; and when has a wine critic gone too far? by Alan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350&cpage=1#comment-530 Alan Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:42:23 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350#comment-530 Also, about your sauvignon blanc example, that's a good one... I've certainly had some Sancerres that would merit a really high rating, based on the wine having wonderful balance and complexity. I had one that may be very close to as good as a sauv blanc could be, but I probably rated it in my personal notes as a 94 or so. Maybe if I ever have a Silex the top end of the scale would be in trouble (though I've never rated anything above a 97)! But I didn't rate it on a 'sauv blanc scale' - same scale as all other wines. Though perhaps different criteria - I'd never expect a sauv blanc to be hedonistic, but would look for pleasing fruit, acidity, minerality, balance, freshness/crispness, etc. By the way Tyler, as a winemaker, what are the things you'd like to see a critic take (and not take) into account in reviewing wines? Also, about your sauvignon blanc example, that’s a good one… I’ve certainly had some Sancerres that would merit a really high rating, based on the wine having wonderful balance and complexity. I had one that may be very close to as good as a sauv blanc could be, but I probably rated it in my personal notes as a 94 or so. Maybe if I ever have a Silex the top end of the scale would be in trouble (though I’ve never rated anything above a 97)! But I didn’t rate it on a ‘sauv blanc scale’ – same scale as all other wines. Though perhaps different criteria – I’d never expect a sauv blanc to be hedonistic, but would look for pleasing fruit, acidity, minerality, balance, freshness/crispness, etc.

By the way Tyler, as a winemaker, what are the things you’d like to see a critic take (and not take) into account in reviewing wines?

]]> Comment on Discovering blaufrankisch; and when has a wine critic gone too far? by Alan http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350&cpage=1#comment-529 Alan Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:10:20 +0000 http://www.amateurwino.com/?p=350#comment-529 Those are some really good points you bring up, Tyler - I sometimes find myself wrestling with how to judge a wine, especially in areas that I really tend to love (e.g. burgundy) or areas that I've never quite loved. I definitely think it makes sense for critics to take typicity, terroir, etc. into mind when they review, but as for myself, when I write notes I try to keep an open mind. In other words, if a wine lacks typicity and seems characterless, certainly that lowers the wine's merit in my mind. However, if a wine shows something original, some element of risk-taking, I don't downgrade it in my mind just because it lacks "typicity". After all, why should wine styles remain hewed to some vague notion of what a variety is "supposed to" taste like? As for this case, I guess the thing that set it apart for me from the usual case of a critic taking into account typicity or terroir was the "properly treated" wording. I may be reading too much into it (though he did go as far as to explain what he meant by 'properly'), but that really sounded to me like Asimov was implying that wines made in a style that he doesn't prefer lacked validity as a choice of the winemaker's expression. Or, to oversimplify for a moment for purposes of illustration, it felt like a pinot guy was saying the cab-like style was not only not good, but an improper choice somehow; for me, I'm both a pinot and a cab guy, and I appreciated both ends of the spectrum in the blaufrankisch - it's not like the darker-fruited wines were not good for the style they were trying to be. (I don't really believe that Asimov doesn't like any cab - but I hope you get my point). Thanks for the comments, please keep them coming! Cheers, Alan Those are some really good points you bring up, Tyler – I sometimes find myself wrestling with how to judge a wine, especially in areas that I really tend to love (e.g. burgundy) or areas that I’ve never quite loved. I definitely think it makes sense for critics to take typicity, terroir, etc. into mind when they review, but as for myself, when I write notes I try to keep an open mind. In other words, if a wine lacks typicity and seems characterless, certainly that lowers the wine’s merit in my mind. However, if a wine shows something original, some element of risk-taking, I don’t downgrade it in my mind just because it lacks “typicity”. After all, why should wine styles remain hewed to some vague notion of what a variety is “supposed to” taste like?

As for this case, I guess the thing that set it apart for me from the usual case of a critic taking into account typicity or terroir was the “properly treated” wording. I may be reading too much into it (though he did go as far as to explain what he meant by ‘properly’), but that really sounded to me like Asimov was implying that wines made in a style that he doesn’t prefer lacked validity as a choice of the winemaker’s expression. Or, to oversimplify for a moment for purposes of illustration, it felt like a pinot guy was saying the cab-like style was not only not good, but an improper choice somehow; for me, I’m both a pinot and a cab guy, and I appreciated both ends of the spectrum in the blaufrankisch – it’s not like the darker-fruited wines were not good for the style they were trying to be. (I don’t really believe that Asimov doesn’t like any cab – but I hope you get my point).

Thanks for the comments, please keep them coming! Cheers,

Alan

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