Every Friday, our local wine store hosts “Friday at Five.” It’s their version of happy hour. They provide several wines by the glass for $5 and a special $10 premium pour. Jonathan and I had never been to a Friday at Five, we usually go to the tastings on Saturday. However, this week’s e-mail stated they would have an ultra premium pour. Wine Spectator’s 2008 wine of the year, Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2005, by the glass for $15. I was sold – I had to taste!
Photo Credit: Greg Griffin
I want to point out an excellent article I discovered on Wine Spectator. It’s called the ABCs of Wine and discusses the characteristics of many common varietals. I’ll definitely reference this article in the future.
On a side note, what did I drink for the Super Bowl? A few things! The little brewery near my hometown is celebrating its 100thanniversary and made a special brew. Jonathan and I were lucky enough to find some in the grocery store. I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I had to sample one. It was quite tasty and I’d recommend Shiner 100 if you can find it! I finished the game with a California Zinfandel called Zoom. I’ll blog about it later in the week.
As a follow-up to an earlier post, “The Top 100 Wines of 2008″ by Wine Spectator are listed on their website. Topping the list this year was Casa Lappostolle’s Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2005, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot blend. This wine retails for around $75 and was awarded 96 points by the editors of Wine Spectator.
In preparing the list, editors review over 19,500 wines from around the world in blind wine tastings. More than 5,000 wines earned 90 points or higher. The list was then narrowed down by four criteria:
*quality (represented by score)
*value (reflected in the price)
*availability (measured by case production or cases imported)
*excitement (the “it” factor)
This year’s list showcases representatives from 14 countries with an average score of 93. The average price for a bottle of wine on the list is $52. Personally, I can’t wait to hit the wine store in searching for some of these wines!
For the complete list, click here.
As 2008 winds down, Wine Spectator prepares to release its “Top 100 Wines of 2008.” This has become an annual tradition started by the magazine in 1988. I, for one, love to see which wines I’ve tried and take note of other wines to try. In preparing the list, editors review over 19,500 wines from around the world in blind wine tastings. More than 5,000 wines earned 90 points or higher. The list was then narrowed down by four criteria:
*quality (represented by score)
*value (reflected in the price)
*availability (measured by case production or cases imported)
*excitement (the “it” factor)
This year’s list showcases representatives from 14 countries with an average score of 93. The average price for a bottle of wine on the list is $52. While the complete list won’t be available until November 17, Wine Spectator is building suspense by highlighting the Top 10. Here are the wines revealed to date:
10. Seghesio
Zinfandel Sonoma County 2007
9. Mollydooker
Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2007
8. Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005
7. Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac 2005
6. Pio Cesare
Barolo 2004
5. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2005
Check out Wine Spectator to learn more about The Top 100 Wines of 2008 and other top wines as they are revealed.
Wine Spectator Free Access
Enjoy free access to winespectator.com until October 1 as they celebrate their 200,000 wine rating. By just entering your e-mail address, guests have full access to the entire site and 20% off a subscription to the magazine for one year. Go ahead and spend a few hours looking up your favorite wines.
Champagne Grapes
Imagine my surprise yesterday at the grocery store when I found Champagne grapes. I completed a post just moments earlier about the Champagne region, and knew it was fate. I grabbed a package to try and even the bagger was intrigued by my purchase. My grapes actually hail from California so they’d be sparkling wine grapes, but they still resemble Champagne grapes. Champagne grapes are small, tiny grapes that pack a punch.
Harvest in Full Swing
It’s that time of the year; wine country is busy harvesting grapes. I’ve found a few articles that give a rundown on the harvest and expected wine production. “Low-quantity, but high-quality,” was how one article described this year’s harvest. The Zinfandel crop is as low as growers have ever seen, but the intense flavors and colors are striking. Winemakers expect the same for most of the grape varietals.
