Monday, December 19, 2011
A Wine Publicist's Vow of What He'll Never Do
First Impressions of Virginia Wine ? Wine Bloggers Conference
Continue reading
The Perfect Wine ?App?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/G6Ekl4oQQqw/
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Snoozing, wine list advice, Porsche, Cal ABC ? sipped & spit
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/_R4gq1EiCuw/
Monday, November 21, 2011
Academy of Wine Communications:Twitter Basics Immersion for Wineries
Announcing WBW 71: Rhones Not From The Rh�ne
Announcing WBW 71: Rhones Not From The Rh�ne originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/jrDA0wzAgrw/
Tasting notes - Berlin Tasting
No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux)
Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100.
No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany)
Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/40/tasting-notes-berlin-tasting/
Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell Jennifer Scholle Jennifer Sky
Tasting Report and Free Shipping: Current Releases at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Right now, they're offering free shipping to Massachusetts on orders over $100 with Promotional Code "wwp". Have a look at the list below and take a look at their other selections on their website. And remember - there's no tax on wine in Massaschusetts. Free shipping, no tax, online shopping, and great prices. I like it.
2006 Cade Cabernet $39.99 ($68 release)
94/100 WWP: Oustanding
A beautiful Napa Cab that takes my definition of what I'm looking for in this category and pushes forward with a little extra. Drinking beautifully at this stage if you like your wine as it's just exiting its youthful stage - but hasn't yet settled into mid-life. I've had this wine at tastings before and have been impressed - but this was my first chance to sit down and get to know it.
Visually it's opaque dark red/purple. As I swirl it in the glass some mild sediment is revealed on the edge of the glass.
The aromatics were evident immediately upon opening, but reveals more with time. So much going on. Blackberry, black currant - deep dark fruit. Eucalyptus too, but in a mild supporting role. Savory notes. This wine is classic Napa/Howell Mountain fruit.
Very satisfying on the palate with ample acidity, chalky cocoa powder tannins, and a million-mile finish.
Don't see how I can rate this any lower. It's so well done. Wow - a beautiful wine.
2009 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.99 ($42 release)
93/100 WWP: Oustanding
Medium-full bodied magenta. Aromatically beautiful with rich strawberry, red raspberry, and fresh clean earth which translates brilliantly to the palate. Silky texture balanced nearly perfectly with acidity and just a touch of tannic grip.
A benchmark California Pinot Noir from and iconic pruducer. Highly recommended.
2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah $39.99 (95+ RP/$60 release)
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
A tremendous wine at a fantastic price here. I prefer the Petite Sirah and Merlot for near term consumption over the much more expensive Claret. They also have magnums of the 2007 Merlot for $79.99 - also outstanding. Super-high alcohol (16.2%! - but well concealed) powerful fruit-forward California wines.
2009 Miner Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir $39.99 (90WS/$60 release)
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Light, elegant and layers of complexity. But somehow I was hoping for a little more at this price point. A plummy note feels out of place in a CA Pinot. Would love it at $25 but since it's more I doubt I'll be buying more. The wine is outstanding in my view but in this price range you can have some of the best CA Pinot Noir.
2006 Nicholas Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes $24.99 (88WS/$46 release)
90/100 WWP: Oustanding
What a pretty wine. Light ruby in color and mostly transparent. Austere by new world standards but with food it shines. Sufficient round fruit on the nose that turns more tart on the palate. Wonderful mineral flavors with considerable acidity and a touch of tannic bite. Would like to check in on this wine in a couple years but even now - very elegant.
2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir $16.99
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Very dark for a Pinot Noir. Darker than prior vintages of this wine I believe.
Almost brooding. Still tastes very primary but I have a feeling this will evolve quite well.
90+ for now. We'll see where this one goes. I'll be buying more. It's a great value, especially when you see it in the $16 range.
2008 Saint-Cosme Cote-Rotie $29.99 (90WS/$95 release)
89/100 WWP: Very Good
60% opaque but light on its feet. The aromas on this are so distinctive - white pepper, earth, red fruit, and minerality. Quite elegant. The mouthfeel is light and it could give a little bit more of a punch without betraying its origin. That said, I do believe this provides a viable window into the pricey category Cote Rotie is.
An off vintage for Syrah-driven Northern Rhone so you can catch this one on a deal
2009 The Dreaming Tree Cabernet $11.99 (Dave Matthews collaboration wine)
87/100 WWP: Very Good
Medium to full bodied dark ruby red. Opens with substantial fresh plum and black currant aromas with supporting toasty oak notes. Enjoyable mouthfeel with a touch of acidity and blackberry flavors. A touch of sweet spice. A nice enjoyable wine.
2009 Conundrum Red $16.99 (First release of a red Conundrum - produced by Wagner Family/Caymus)
86/100 WWP: Very Good
Aromas aren't pronounced but are vaguely pleasant generic "red wine" markers. Significant black currant. Some Rhone-like/Syrah aromas in the background. On the palate it feels brambly. A reasonably enjoyable slightly sweet/early aspect. But it taste a lot like grape juice. I don't think there's any Pinot Noir nor Cabernet in this wine. If I had to guess the composition I'd say Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and possible Zinfandel.
Interesting. Not sure I'm ready to back up the truck on this one just yet.
If you poke around in person or on their website I think you'll see good values at every price point. Drop me an email or ping them on Twitter (@WineCellarsMA) for more buying suggestions.
Unfortunately, like all Massachusetts retailers they can't ship out of state. We'll need MA House Bill 1030 to repair that. Until then this deal is Massachusetts only.
Click here to visit their site and use the code "wwp" for free shipping to MA on $100 orders
Disclosure: The Wine Cellar is a WWP advertiser.
Question of the Day: What are some of the best deals you see at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham right now?
Chateau Montelena Winery: A California Icon
Chateau Montelena Winery: A California Icon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Digital Marketing Edition
Every year, and sometimes more frequently, I write a post about what’s happening in digital and what’s coming next, looking through the lens of the domestic wine business, based on my work in digital marketing outside of the wine business. This is that post.
Most everybody reading this understands the value of digital marketing (or “engaging” to use an overworked phrase) with platforms like blogging, Twitter and Facebook. While not all wineries are utilizing these tools, enough in the wine business are. Despite the growing imperative, we are in the midst of another cycle of advancement. New platforms are emerging that are likewise centric to community-building and/ or a mobile device, either a smartphone or a tablet computer.
Life gets more complicated and one man’s use of Twitter is another man’s opportunity to get ahead of “what’s next.”
On Social Media
The “Social Media Expert” of 2009 is now, officially, a dinosaur. The game isn’t about Twitter or Facebook, it’s about effective use of platforms, a myriad of platforms that happens to include Twitter and Facebook. As always, be wary of the consultant who borrows your watch in order to tell you what time it is.
On Google+
Google+ is more likely to be a danger to LinkedIN than it is Facebook. I would keep an eye on it, but its value is still very much in the definition phase and even hardcore early adopters don’t know what to do with it. Accordingly, I wouldn’t spend much energy on it until it gets categorized into a definable niche.
On Flash wine sales sites
As these sites mature, the fact that they offer a discounted price is going to become tangential to the fact that they make purchasing wine reasonably simple and easy. There are too many wines for the average consumer to navigate when, at the end of the day, all they want is a good bottle of wine without a lot of problems in choosing. Flash sites solve this by curation, which will become more important as the short-term oversupply issues resolve themselves. They’re not going away anytime soon.
On Tumblr
In April, when Gary Vaynerchuk exhorted the crowd at the Nomacorc Marketing Symposium to pay serious attention to Tumblr, the easy to use blogging platform, I understood the “what” and “why” of his recommendation, but I also mentally counter-balanced what he said with the understanding that he also had an investment in Tumblr.
Sometimes it’s hard to *listen* to the message (“Every person in this room will have a Tumblr account for their winery in 24 months”) when you think you *hear* something self-serving. Yet, recent statistics bear out his commendation of Tumblr.
According to recent Silicon Valley Insider statistics, Tumblr traffic is growing at astronomical rates—up 218% from July 2010 to July 2011.
The “why” of this requires a bit more context and Tumblr’s growth puts several trends in play:
• Wordpress, now the de facto blog platform, continues to lard itself with capabilities, morphing into a robust content management system and professional publishing platform in the process, becoming less and less the simple, easy-to-use, no-brainer tool that it was a couple of years ago.
• People that are active on Twitter and Facebook may want to write more expansively than what those platforms support, but less than the 400 – 600 words of a “normal” blog post. In doing so, they want to “curate” other news and other people’s content and comment on it creating a sort of ongoing digital ephemera stream, a sort of digital scrapbook and archive of their life. Tumblr and its competitor Posterous makes doing this super simple and optimized for mobile usage, as well.
• Tumblr and its ilk skews much younger demographically than Wordpress and Blogger. It’s hard to imagine thinking of Blogger as your Mom’s blog platform, but it’s true.
• Web sites like Wix and Weebly allow individuals to create a web site/personal brand hub and then social channels/platforms become the metaphorical arms and legs off their personal brand hub – Facebook for friends, LinkedIN for professional pursuits, Twitter for communicating, quick links and watching news headlines, Tumblr for activities and longer thought, Facebook for personal networking, etc.
My overall point is that wineries shouldn’t sleep on Tumblr – where blogs are morphing into a winery PR channel and Twitter and Facebook are fast becoming marketing channels, Tumblr is likely to morph into a more personal communication channel.
Speaking of Not Sleeping…
Wineries are officially remiss if they don’t pay attention to Pinterest. You probably haven’t heard of it, but you will. It skews dramatically young, female and educated and it’s all about curating pictures of stuff that users like online.
In my opinion, Pinterest is a direct result of the community niches that organized around subject areas in Flickr. The community aspect in Flickr, it should be noted, has long been under-acknowledged by marketing types, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as matters of personal taste can be explored unfettered…
Being into wine is a statement of personal taste and Pinterest is all about expressing personal taste through imagery that is, “pinned” to a user’s board. The fact that Pinterest is growing fast and organically will keep it cool and insider-ish for a good long while. The winery that starts a Pinterest board that resonates with a large female audience will have a marketing leg-up. I’m very bullish on Pinterest.
Online Wine Sales
The three best wine shopping experiences that I’ve seen online in 2011 are Dean & Deluca, Plonk Wine Merchants and Lot 18. I’ve purchased from Plonk and Lot 18.
Interestingly, none of these “best” online wine shopping experiences, in my opinion, have anything to do with price, or selection – they have everything to do with user experience. Clean, elegant, easy to use and information rich, each of these sites gives a drop of knowledge alongside an intuitive web browsing experience. This is what wineries are competing against and we’re not too far away from current winery web sites and their legacy platforms supported by Inertia, eWinery Solutions and others being woefully out of date from a user experience perspective.
Oh, by the way, wine ecommerce is still very, very early in its growth. That blip on the sales radar won’t be a blip forever…
#Hashtag Days
The Hallmark holiday of the new millennium. Let’s have a “Cabernet Day” or “Pinot Grigio Day” or any of the various permutations that have happened over the last two years. Snooze. Wake me when it’s over. Overall, I’m terribly ambivalent about these arbitrary days just as I’m ambivalent about “Sweetest Day.”
It’s great for marketers because I think it does have an impact (however slight), but, they are unimaginatively tactical and not sustainable because participants gain absolutely nothing from participating and, users, if nothing else, are self-motivated.
Generally speaking, these are even more faddish than the QR codes that I mentioned earlier this week.
Gen Y. Focused Wines
Wine brands that are focused on Gen. Y (HobNob, Project Paso, Tamas and others) are missing something that I think is integral to being in your 20s – connecting your wine brand to an emotion. Encapsulated by JWT research – it’s got to be a, “Fear of Missing Out” (see here and here).
On ROI
ROI or return on investment is important, but not nearly as important as having the simple ability to measure what you’re doing. The return will present itself if you can measure. Figure out the measurement and analytics first.
What I believe about Digital Marketing In a Nutshell
Organized customer relationship management (CRM) is everything. Every Twitter follower and Facebook fan page “like” should be in a CRM program associated to an email address and, ideally, a mailing address. The information is available.
Content is most important after that. Brands are publishers. Ideally, both CRM and content marketing is underpinned by a strategy of some duration that plans content for various platforms. Plan your work and work your plan.
Note: PR is one aspect of content marketing and strategy, but it’s not the entire strategy.
One-off tactics that don’t fit within an overall strategy (i.e. QR codes) are a waste of time, effort and money. Likewise, a mobile strategy need not be complicated so long as the platforms used within your strategy are mobile optimized.
Also note, paralysis by analysis is a peril. There’s so much out there and so much that you *can* know that over-thinking is as dangerous as doing nothing.
If all else fails, listen to Miles from Risky Business.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_digital_marketing_edition/
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Don?t Believe the Hype: QR Codes are the Pet Rocks of 2011
Cyril Penn does a fantastic job as head editorial honcho for one of the wine industry’s two principal trade magazines – Wine Business Monthly (the other is Wine & Vines led by Jim Gordon). WBM’s editorial filter is an influential arbiter of prioritization in the industry and a bulwark against noise and distraction.
Given that, I was surprised when the August issue of Wine Business Monthly arrived with a large QR code on the cover. In the realm of digital marketing, precious little is more representative of “noise” and “distraction” then QR codes – a fad more perishable than a gallon of milk with a shelf life to match.
While the article (written by Paul Franson who writes for both trade magazines) is exceedingly informed and balanced, the reality is, in my opinion, QR codes act as an inexpensive panacea for the innovative disruption that is being wrought in the consumer technology market with smart phones and tablet computers and are not an effective marketing tactic for the wine business.
As a 15-year professional in technology marketing (Jeez, has it been 15 years?), I’ve had the chance to watch and participate in every chapter of Internet marketing dating to 1996. And, despite my better judgment, I’m currently involved in two QR campaigns—one with a major mobile phone carrier engaged in niche audience marketing and another with a leading spirits brand. Because of this, I have a front row seat to execution, usage and value with an eye on the future.
When QRs burst onto the technology and wine industry scene last summer, they represented two aspects of potential value:
• Something tangible and understandable in the realm of the digital hot topic of the day – mobile marketing
• Something reasonably inexpensive, less complex and widely usable on the heels of phone apps which were white hot in 2009, but reasonably expensive, complex and impractical for most wineries.
Despite the momentum in mindshare from wine industry marketers, the numbers don’t bear out a need to implement usage of QR codes in marketing activities.
Consider: According to recent ComScore (Digital research and measurement firm) research, a mere 14 million mobile users scanned a QR code in June of this year. When considering that there are 78.5 million smart phone users in the U.S., less than one in five owners have used a QR code – and this is the leading edge of technology adopting consumers!
The numbers get a lot worse when you compare usage against the total number of cell phone users in the U.S. –303 million. Not exactly resounding validation based on adoption and usage against the potential population.
Perhaps more damning is the fact that in technology marketing, momentum is everything. We want to do the things that our peers are doing. In this case, they’re largely ignoring QR codes.
Now, I can already hear the cries of defense –“QRs are still early in their lifecycle,” or “Our campaign is successful…” so, let me ask a couple of questions:
• Can you explain how to use QR codes in under 60 seconds?
• When was the last time you used a QR code in the store?
If you can answer the first two queries with a straight face, then…
• When was the last time you used a QR in the store and the content provided by the brand was worthwhile?
If you can answer the first three queries with a straight face, then…
• When was the last time you used a QR and the content provided incented your purchase decision?
That’s what I thought. The principal challenge with QRs is that marketers are creating them for an audience and for consumers that they think exist based on a cresting wave, but for whom the numbers don’t back it up. It’s the worst kind of vacuum-oriented marketing when people create something for people to use that they themselves don’t use.
And, secondarily, the consumer value provided by the marketer’s content is often bad, really bad. So, even if consumers do scan the code, the value is often dubious at best.
However, even more challenging to QR adoption and usage is the hungry maw of technology advancement that isn’t going to stop apace for QRs.
The next wave of mobile technology is right around the corner.
While the Wine Business Monthly article cites “label photo recognition” as a possible advancement – the process of taking a picture of the label that will return relevant information, this is likely to join a couple of other technologies and one that is poised to be dominant: Near Field Communication (NFC).
Near field communication is a technology protocol that will allow for wireless payments via your mobile phone. Your phone is linked to your bank account and when processing a transaction at a store, you wave your phone at the reader at checkout and presto change-o it’s a transaction without swiping our ATM card.
The same capability will soon exist with NFC tags that can be placed on products, and instead of trying to read a QR code, you’ll be able to wave your phone at a tag and a video (or a brand-oriented piece of content) will automatically load.
NFC removes the important bit of challenge that exists with QR codes – humans. You have to understand what a code is, you have to get and keep an app. to read the code and then you have to use it. If all that works, then hopefully the content that’s served the consumer isn’t a letdown.
Eliminating as many steps as possible and keeping it stupid simple with a high degree of value is the key to user behavior.
In sum, I’m a big supporter of the convergence of wine and technology. Technology will re-define the domestic wine world, both consumer facing and in the industry value-chain, but along the way there will continue to be a number of technology marketing tools that are more hype than reality and parsing the difference between the two sure isn’t easy. Unfortunately, QR codes happen to have a grip on the wine business and they’re definitely hype.
Later this week I’ll cover several other fleeting bits of technology marketing fluffiness including the wine industry’s equivalent to Hallmark holidays.
Additional background reading on QR codes and Near Field Communications:
Top 14 Things Marketers Need to Know About QR Codes
NFC Marketing and promotions round-up
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/dont_believe_the_hype_qr_codes_are_the_pet_rocks_of_2011/
Cameron Diaz Cameron Richardson Camilla Belle Carla Campbell
QPR Wines of Distinction
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/Z7WQ4IQNJn4/qpr-wines-of-distinction
Wine Gift Baskets
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/656
Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
2007 Pomerol
NYT: wine consumers ?brainwashed? into thinking they need education
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/LJe6MFGDqio/
Ivana Bozilovic Ivanka Trump Izabella Miko Izabella Scorupco
Six from the Perrin Family
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/hXD9xMxEdaY/six-from-perrin
Monday, October 10, 2011
SWAT For Wine Disasters
SWAT For Wine Disasters originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/5PgwBvFVmkw/
FSU Cowgirls Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy
Pinot On The River and the Great 2009 Pinot Vintage
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Wine Word of the Week: Topping up
Wine Word of the Week: Topping up was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/xy8VrN9doI0/
Royalty and elegance; the true factors of Colonial Manors
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/m9eC4yePnVI/
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wine Clubs
Hitler yelling
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/lyhDPwlctIY/
Emilio Lustau, Sherry Dry Amontillado, ?Los Arcos? NV
Emilio Lustau, Sherry Dry Amontillado, “Los Arcos” NV originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/nOPwDNjwl78/
Wine Word of the Week: Bung
Wine Word of the Week: Bung was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/uEIujWDbD6o/
Crushing at CrossRoads in Frisco, Tx
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/07/24/crushing-at-crossroads-in-frisco-tx/
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/3AYWUw7ly_w/
The Capital Grille Offers: A Generous Pour
With locations across the country, The Capital Grille is offering a unique wine tasting opportunity - The Generous Pour. From July 12th - September 4th, 2011 you can enjoy 9 different wines from around the world with your meal for $25. In the Boston area there are a couple of additional events this month that conspire to make this offer even more compelling. More on that in a moment...To kick off the event, Capital Grille locations invited bloggers and members of the media for a preview. Master Sommelier George Miliotes hosted the event via live simulcast and then answered questions via Twitter (you can follow him @TheWineExpert). Click on the image below to get a feel for the event:
The evening started out with a taste of hors d'oeuvres accompanied by a white sparkling wine from the Loire Valley - the Marquis de la Tour Cremant de Loire Brut. I'm not much of a sparkling wine drinker so for me the wine set the tone for the event. The wines chosen provide an opportunity to taste delicious, high quality wines you'll enjoy from categories you don't normally explore alongside wines you're likely more familiar with. I thought this wine was outstanding - clean crisp apple, melon, and peach. It accompanied the food amazingly. Highly recommended.
Wellesley Wine Press: You have a knack for finding wines that appeal to wine enthusiasts interested in discovering delicious new wines without stretching too far out of their comfort zone. In a nutshell, what?s your philosophy for choosing wines by the glass for The Capital Grille or for events like this one?
George Milotes: "For me, it is all about wines that are well-made and taste good. As solid winemaking practices have spread around the globe, there is a greater pool of diverse and tasty wines to choose from. We love to find areas or wines that are overlooked or underappreciated. Hence, the Tarima Hill Monastrell is part of The Generous Pour Wine Event this year. Monastrell is the greatest underappreciated red in the world today from a growing area (Alicante) that is barely known in Spain, let alone here in the US. We feel privileged to introduce the wine to the U.S. while showing our guests something new and delicious."
From there we moved on to a dining room table for a sit-down appetizer course. Their Pan-Fried Calimari and Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella were served with a classic California Chardonnay (Chateau St. Jean) alongside a 2010 La Cana Albarino from Rias Baixas Spain.
Here too we see a characteristic of the event worth mentioning - comparison opportunities. While the California Chardonnay was rich and full-bodied, the Albarino revealed a clean palate-cleansing nature I appreciated. The Prosciutto was salty, and the Albarino accompanied it brilliantly. Green apples, mango, kiwi, and lemon-lime with soft edges yet apparent acid. quite nice:
From there we moved on to the main course for a choice of Filet Mignon, Salmon, or their Bone-In Kona Crusted Dry Aged Sirloin with Shallot Buttter. The first time I heard of a coffee-encrusted steak I was concerned it would be overly sweet. However, I've had this steak a half dozen times over the years and I can safely say it's the best treatment I've ever tasted. They offer the Kona rub on other cuts but I've found it plays best on the sirloin. Unconditionally recommended:
The big dogs - two Cabernet Sauvignons - were the 2006 Chalk Hill Estate Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2003 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche Rutherford (pronounced "bow-shea"). I thought the Chalk Hill was tasty but bright and a little young...especially compared to the 2003 Freemark Abbey which was a beautiful wine. At 8 years I thought the Freemark was drinking at its peak with rich, round fruit, a little leather and nice supporting structure. For pure enjoyment this was probably my wine of the night.
WWP: You?ve run a similar event the past couple years in the form of the Master Wine Tasting Event. What have you learned from putting together those lists that went into the wines selected for The Generous Pour Wine Event?
George Miliotes: "The main thing we learned is to have a fun mix of familiar and new wines that all taste really, really good. For example, we aim to keep a Cabernet drinker interested with Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche 2003, but also give that drinker a chance to break out and try a Vistorta Merlot 2006 (from the Friuli region of Italy). This way, every guest has the chance to experience the best of both worlds.
The other exciting thing that we have learned is that guests will enjoy any wine that tastes good, especially if our team educates them about it. Two years ago, we introduced Bonarda (a popular red varietal in Argentina) to our guests. We were sure we would sell minimal amounts. To our surprise, that was not the case, as guests were more than excited about tasting this tannic red with our dry aged steaks. As a result, each year I try to find something completely new or different."
Right behind these big reds were a couple of wines a little more off the beaten path. Like the 2006 Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot Friuli-Venezia Giulia. I thought it was distinctly old world yet still approachable.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated wine of the evening, based on George's earlier description of Monastrell as being the most under-appreciated grape variety in the world, was the 2009 Tarima Hill Monastrell from Alicante, Spain. Refreshingly fruit-forward after the Cabernets. Kind of reminded me of the 2008 Betts & Scholl Grenache I tried at the Wine Spectator event a couple months ago. I definitely need to try more Monastrell and Grenache.
Rounding out the evening along with dessert was RL Buller "The Portly Gentleman" from Australia. I'm not much of a port guy but I liked the way this one avoided the medicinal flavors sometimes present in Port and offered an interesting does of blueberry flavors which I enjoyed. The table was divided on their opinion of this wine.
I attended the event at the Capital Grille's Newbury Street location in Boston but this offer is available at locations across the country.
George Miliotes: "We certainly see red wine consumption go up when cold weather settles in, and there is a smaller movement towards white during the summer. Our guests tend to gravitate towards reds, due to our dry aged steaks. As one would think, there is plenty of white enjoyed at our West Coast locations, due to the higher temperatures and light dishes such as our fresh seafood."
Bottom Line: This event provides an opportunity to try wines you otherwise might not be willing to take a risk on at an affordable price point with excellent food and service.
Further Reading:
- Inside the Brand: A Review of the 2010 Master Wine Tasting Event at The Capital Grille
- Auctioned Chef's Table Dinners: Deal or No Deal?
- A Review of The Generous Pour from eat drink RI
I mentioned that in Boston there are a couple of other events that coincide with this offer that make this year's Generous Pour even more compelling. The first is Boston Restaurant Week which runs August 14-19 and 21-26, 2011. According to http://www.restaurantweekboston.com the Chestnut Hill and Burlington locations are participating this year. Stack a three course meal for $33.11 along with this wine offer for $25 and you have one of the best bargains in steakhouse history.
A second compelling event is that the Newbury Street location is relocating to a new location nearby (900 Boylston Street in the Hynes Convention Center not far from Towne Stove & Spirits) on August 24th, 2011. Having celebrated so many special occasions at the current location I'm sad to see it go, but the new decked-out location is going to be twice as big with a bar area that opens onto the street for warm summer evenings. Stay tuned for more information on the new location but in the mean time take this opportunity to visit the classic Newbury Street restaurant one last time. It will be missed.
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite Capital Grille memories? If you've never been, what are some of your favorite steakhouses in the country?
Gina Philips Gisele B¸ndchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez
Silver Oak Winery in the Napa Valley ? For Cabernet Sauvignon Fans
Event Report: 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Boston
Prior to the event I wrote down a cheat sheet of wines I wanted to taste. I didn't think I'd actually get a chance to try all the wines especially after reading Wine Spectator Tim Fish's blog post from the Las Vegas event. At tastings like these lines usually get long and I end up going wherever the crowds aren't. However I was pleasantly surprised the lines for even the marquee wines weren't too long at all. I was able to try everything on my list and then some.
The event provided an excellent opportunity to taste some of the great wines of the world. I bumped into Phil Minervo from Lower Falls Wine Co who coached me to taste through wines in their peer group rather than jumping around.
Bordeaux
What better place to start with a fresh palate than Bordeaux?
With my souvenir Riedel tasting glass in hand I made my first stop at the 2004 Chateau Margaux table (93WS/$220 release price). I thought the wine had incredible texture, was made in a serious style, and had a long finish. Next up: 2004 Cos d'Estournel (94WS/$80). I've always eyed that wine as attainable top-quality Bordeaux. I thought it was very elegant in style:
Side note: The size of the pours, even for these expensive wines, provided an ample opportunity for assessment. In Massachusetts, a sample of wine poured at a tasting cannot legally exceed 1 ounce and most vendors were pouring right at that mark.
Italy
Next up was Italy to taste some Barolo and Tuscan reds. The 2006 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Torriglione (92WS/$265) was beautiful - and stunningly aromatic:
Pinot Noir
Even though I was spitting as much as I possibly could, I was parched after tasting so many Bordeaux and Italian wines.
I took a break then made a bee line for the Kosta Browne table where Managing Director of Marketing & Sales Sam Lando was pouring. Perhaps more than any domestic winery I was pleased to see them there. They seem to have little trouble selling through their wines and it was a pleasure to taste the 2009 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (NYR). Beautiful stuff - my wine of the night. At 14.5% alcohol they seem to have found ways to bring the alcohol levels down slightly while maintaining their rich mouth feel and delicious flavor profile.
Nearby, Adam Lee was pouring his 2009 Siduri Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir (92WS/$29). I liked this wine quite a bit more than his 2009 Russian River Valley bottling I tried earlier this year and will seek out the SLH for future purchase. It's a winner.
Oregon was also well represented. Sokol Blosser was pouring their 2008 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills (90 WS/$38). I love how distinctly vibrant their wines are across every recent vintage and bottling - fabulous. The 2008 Bergstrom Pinot Noir (93WS/$78) showed how you're rewarded for spending more in Oregon Pinot Noir.
Napa Cabernet
Looking back I can't believe some of the Napa Cabs I passed up. The 2007 Robert Mondavi Reserve was there and I didn't make it a priority to taste it. What was I thinking? I very much enjoyed the 2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon (94WS/$130). It was only outdone by the 2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia (94WS/$200). Love everything about that Insignia with its rich mouth feel and generous fruit-driven flavor profile. For my palate, it's absolutely delicious without going over the top. Cliff Lede was pouring their 2007 Poetry (91WS/$150). Beautiful bottle. Nice wine.
Wandering Around
The wineries were generous with their selections. Michael Twelftree from Two Hands was pouring their 2007 "Zippy's Block" Single Vineyard Shiraz (91WS/$110). Catena Zapata brought their 2007 Nicasia Vineyard Malbec (96WS/$120). For wineries like these (which I've heard of tasted their wines before) it was nice to be able to try some of their lower production bottlings.
What was advertised as a light buffet turned out to be quite substantial. Buffet stations and seating areas outside the ballroom provided a break from the action. Plenty of bottles of Acqua Panna and Pelligrino aided in hydration.
More than anything the tasting provided a way to taste some of the great wines of the world and get a feel for their flavor profiles. I can read tasting notes all day but until I get a chance to experience wines myself it's hard to know what I'll like. Because of this I find tastings like this really valuable. I learn a lot and can focus my wine exploration in new directions.
Further Reading: A review of the event from The Passionate Foodie
