The Recession Has Hit Texas Midterm Political Functions and my wine recommedations....

All of these are good basic Pinot Noir... at Recession Prices.

Bicycle Pinot Noir 2009

Dressed in fresh purple red colour, this is a voluptuous Pinot Noir with rich fruit notes of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry – a red fruit party! – enhanced by subtle smoked hints. In mouth sweet fruit notes stand out, and its fine tannins give it a great texture and a mouth filling structure. Balanced and New World styled, this is a wine of personality and elegance.

100% Pinot Noir, pure and simple, it’s a young and refreshing.



http://www.alastairbathgate.com/2009/04/01/cono-sur-pinot-noir-2008/

Here is a review of the 2008 Vinetage....

I’ve got my comeuppance for slagging off Mark Hughes. Man City announced that the UEFA Cup quarter final home leg would be a “reward for the fans” and tickets were priced at only £5 so “ordinary fans” could come and watch. I am obviously not an ordinary fan since, despite numerous calls to the ticket office (engaged tone) the match is sold out and I have to watch on some backwater internet channel. Shame – I am in Manchester on 16 April when the town turns into a Hamburger for a night.

So perhaps I should be more complimentary about people I have never met.

Everyone knows that it is impossible to mass produce and mass market a decent wine – especially a Pinot Noir. Trouble is, nobody told Alfred Hurtado. His Chilean Cono Sur brand is taking over the world and rightly so.


http://cheapwineratings.com/2009/02/01/cono-sur-organic-pinot-noir/

A review of the 2007 Vinetage found on this blog....

A couple months ago I hosted a Wine Blogging Wednesday about red wines from Chile and wine bloggers all over the world wrote about different Chilean wines. One that caught my eye was an organic Pinot Noir from Cono Sur (Kevin, at Under the Grape Tree wrote that review). Cono Sur made a number of reviews that day, and with good reason since they are one of the best producers from Chile when it comes to quality to price ratio. And they are an innovative winery, producing a huge portfolio of different wines.

Cono Sur was established in 1993 and is part of the Concha y Toro wine group—a giant in Chilean wine. Cono Sur is based in Colchagua Valley, but produces wine from all regions in Chile.

Occasionally when I mention Chilean wine to those who aren’t very familiar with it they say that they avoid it because of all the chemicals used in producing grapes in Chile. I’m not sure where this perception comes from. I’m not aware of any excessive use of agricultural chemicals in Chilean winemaking. Regardless, I’m glad to see producers like Cono Sur bringing organically produced wines to the market as it helps change that perception of Chilean wine. I’m sure that the fact that Wine Spectator gave a Chilean wine its top honors in 2008 also helps elevate the perception of Chilean wine.

Although this wine is part of the Cono Sur organic line, it’s not technically 100% organic—yet. It is made from grapes in “conversion to organic” agriculture, as certified by BCS Oeko Garantie GmBH. This is a designation given for a period of time when organic practices are first employed on land that was previously farmed with non-organic techniques.



I should note that if you go looking for this wine, look closely. Cono Sur has at least five different Pinot Noir labels that they sell. I haven’t tried the others yet, but I can tell you that this one is good.

Earth and fruit blend together to provide a dynamic nose to this wine. On the earthy side there are notes of barnyard, moss and leather. The fruit brings cherry, strawberry and raspberry. There’s a rather floral aroma as well. Obviously, there’s quite a bit going on here. The palate is slightly off balance to the acid side, but I’d rather have too much acid than not enough… and it’s not excessively over acidic. Flavor-wise it has lots of cherry, plus some cranberry and raspberry. There’s quite a bit of heat on the finish. This wine could use some refinement, but it’s not bad at all for the price.

Wine: Cono Sur – Organic
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 87
Price: $9.49





And it lead me to a great blog on wine for you to read as well:

http://michaelvancise.com/index.php/wine-rex-goliath-pinot-noir-vin-de-pays


I am slightly dissapointed that my first wine blog post is for an inexpensive, mass-produced vintage, but it's what I'm drinking, and I would guess a lot of other people are drinking it too.

I first learned about the Rex-Goliath Vin De Pays D'Oc Pinot Noir from my wife's aunt. She is studying to be a sommelier, currently works in a wine shop, and hopes to run a travel service that conducts tours of the Italian wine country. In other words, she has an appreciation for wines and a more refined palate than mine. She described a memorable experience for her. She and her husband picked up the Rex-Goliath Pinot Noir for it's normal $7. They took it home and found it was not the same as past bottles. They couldn't sort out what the difference was at first, but then they discovered that they had picked up the Rex-Goliath California Pinot Noir. In their experience, the Rex-Goliath California Pinot was not very good, but that the Vin De Pays D'Oc Pinot was excellent at the price point.

My wife and I are not wine experts and do not have a large cellar of wine. Even so, we enjoy drinking a good wine with dinner and we've been helped along in appreciating wine by my in-laws, particularly my father-in-law, who has developed a real penchant for fermented grape juice. We tended to lean toward Zinfandel (the red kind) or Cabernet Savignon over a Pinot Noir when choosing a red.

For whatever reason, as time has passed, I've learned to really enjoy a good Pinot Noir. Admittedly, the Rex-Goliath is not the best wine I have ever tasted, but for the price it is quite good. Regarding price, if you can find it on sale, you can buy a 750 ml bottle for as little as five dollars. A more typical price is between 7 and 9 dollars retail.

This Vin de Pays is not sweet, not dry. It's not overly fruity, but has a good balanced flavor. Try it.




The Lindemans Bin Series wines are made with the modern lifestyle in mind, produced in an easy-drinking, contemporary style that offers wine lovers outstanding quality, substance and consistency at an everyday price. The generous flavours of these wines combine easily with food and most social occasions delivering maximum enjoyment from the first glass to the last. .

Tasting notes
Colour: Vibrant, ripe, cherry red.
Nose: Inviting aromas of sweet raspberry, dark cherry and bramble leaf on the nose.

Palate: A delicate soft layer of sweet, red berry fruits overlays a subtle savoury layer of olives and bramble leaf. On the palate, this wine is medium weight with soft tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is of medium length with a clean, rich fruit finish. A great tasting Pinot!


Wine maker notes
Vineyard Region: A multi-regional blend, primarily from Adelaide Hills with significant proportions from Padthaway and Partalunga.
Vintage Conditions: The very cool spring and summer conditions were relieved to an extent by the long Indian summer, but there is no doubt the vintage was a challenge in cool-climate regions such as the Adelaide Hills. The low yielding, well maintained company vineyards ripened perfectly and produced a crop that whilst reduced in size was of excellent quality.

Grape Variety: Pinot Noir

Serving and Cellaring Suggestions: Drink Now to 2005. Ideally suited to Asian, pasta and vegetarian dishes.

Wine Analysis: Alc/Vol: 14.0%


Other text
2002 Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir Lindemans wines promise more than the partnering of quality grapes and craftsmanship. Every wine also contains the spirit and passion of our founder – Dr Henry J Lindeman. The Lindemans Bin Series wines are made with fruit sourced from key grape growing regions in Australia. This ability of Lindemans to source and blend wines from different regions produces wine of a consistently outstanding quality regardless of varying vintage conditions. The generous flavours and contemporary, easy-drinking style of Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir combines easily with food and most social occasions to deliver maximum enjoyment from the first glass to the last.

Is wine good for you?

YES it is good for you:
http://www.winepros.org/wine101/wine-health.htm

There is NO Vitamin C in Wine ... or even in grapes.
http://www.theallineed.com/chemistry/06040602.htm

I have been playing with the Genache Grape this past month, but I found a nice Pinot Noir to share....

In truth, I was offered the 2008 tonight. A nice drinking wine... a true Pinot Noir! if you try the 2009, tell me what you think of it.

http://www.eccodomani.com/italian-wine/pinot-noir.asp

Ecco Domani 2009 Pinot Noir
Growing Region
Pinot Noir in Sicily has found the perfect home, thanks to the Sicilian sun and the fresh night breezes that sweep across the island. These factors create soft and mature tannins that enhance the structure of our Pinot Noir. Grapes for our Pinot Noir come from two different areas. On the southeast part of the island near the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, sandy soil and climate create grapes with great maturation and vibrant aromas and flavors. On the southwest part of the island close to the Valley of the Temples is a mountainous growing environment with heavy clay soil. Grapes mature slower here, resulting in deep color, extremely rich mouthfeel, and soft tannins.

Viticultural Notes
2009 was a fairly typical year for Sicily, with regular spring rainfall and warm, dry weather through the summer, culminating in a hot August. Crisp nights contributed to large grape bunches with deep colour. Shortly before harvest, the warm days were accompanied with a slight shortage of rain. However, our grower cooperatives use modern cultivation techniques that include water storage and estate water wells, which overcame the challenge of low rainfall.

Thanks to the ideal harvest conditions and modern technology, 2009 promises to be a strong vintage for Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Notes
The 2009 Pinot Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes, which were harvested at full maturity near the end of August. They were then macerated for ten days in small stainless steel tanks to increase the surface contact between the juice and the skins, at a temperature of 25°C. After separation from the must and alcoholic fermentation, the wine remained on the lees until the end of malolactic fermentation. Finally, the wine was refined in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fruit flavors that are characteristic of this varietal.

Tasting Notes
Ecco Domani 2009 Pinot Noir displays a deep red color tinged with ruby-red reflections. It expresses ripe cherry aromas and a soft, plush blackberry palate with supporting structure.

Pinot Noir is a perfect match for a wide range of foods, particularly tomato-based pasta dishes, poultry and grilled meats.

Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: IGT Sicilia
Alcohol Level: 12.7%
Residual Sugar: 0.59g/100ml
Total Acidity: 0.61g/100ml
pH: 3.53

Tasted two reds this week. One was so dark you could not see light through it... The other one is a new light, cheap Pinot Noir from the Gallo Group.

Trademarks
The Naked Grape and the The Naked Grape logo are registered trademarks of E. & J. Gallo Winery. California Table Wine, © 2010 Grape Valley Wine Company, Modesto, CA. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.thenakedgrapewine.com/

As one Naked Grape ad put it:
Naked Grape wines boldly reveal themselves as they really are. Our winemaker’s choice against oak aging ensures freshness and allows our crisp fruit flavours to shine through without being masked by the flavour of oak barrels. It takes confidence to go unoaked.

Like the Bare Foot Wines that preceded it, Gallo has started another NO GALLO NAME wine selection for lower cost wines.

I will keep it simple:
Try them. I liked their unoaked, light Pinot Noir.
And I was not paying for it... or being paid to say it.






A smooth, easy drinking, and full bodied wine; a perfect match for BEEF.
Looking back over my postings, this one shows up TWICE: Trapiche, Oak Cask, Malbec, Mendoza 2008... interesting wine. The color of blood in the glass.

Tasting Notes:
The wine has a rich, red color with violet highlights, with plum and cherry aromas. In the mouth, the fruit is round and supple, with a note of truffle and vanilla.

Producer Background:
Established in 1883, Trapiche is the most widely recognized Argentinean wine producer in the world. Located in Mendoza at the foothills of the Andes mountains, Trapiche has some of the most extensive landholdings in the area, with over 2,500 acres of its own vineyards.

Under the guidance of Chief Winemaker, Daniel Pi, Trapiche has consolidated all of its winemaking and viticulture, creating a synergy between winemaking and agriculture. Along with his team of winemakers and Marcelo Belmonte, Director of Viticulture, Daniel Pi’s vision for Trapiche is to express the richness of diversity of the terroir in Argentina.

An innovative and forward thinking winery, Trapiche is always looking for new ways to for their wines to express their passion for the land and its people. Realizing that Argentina is the best place in the world to grow Malbec, Trapiche embarked on a project to showcase what they consider to be the three best malbecs of any given year. The project pays homage to the grape growers and features their names prominently on the label. With the first vintage, 2003, the three single vineyard Malbecs have already won worldwide acclaim.

All Trapiche wines are hand-harvested, hand-sorted and vinified at their winery. The wines have a new international style, fruit-driven and consumer friendly, and representing the best of what Argentina has to offer. Trapiche’s goal is to exceed expectations at every level.

Lettie Teague on Wine by the Glass - WSJ.com

Lettie Teague on Wine by the Glass - WSJ.com: "And yet no one seems to be protesting. In fact, there are more and more places that focus on wines by the glass. Take the number of wine bars that have opened in this country in recent years. (Wine bars are all about selling wine by the glass.) In New York alone, 69 new wine bars opened in 2010 as of late summer, making a total of 237 in the city. Many restaurants feature very large by-the-glass offerings, like Fleming's Steakhouse, which famously touts its '100 wines by the glass' program at all 64 locations in 28 states. Fleming's has even trademarked the amount, calling it 'The New Fleming's 100' (which sounds to me like a Nascar event).
My sister in Dallas loves this sort of program. She loves to order wine by the glass because 'you can try a bunch of different ones and if you don't like one you can throw it out—or finish it off—and try another.' When I informed her that every glass she consumed—fully or otherwise—was actually funding the entire cost of the bottle, she affected a level of indifference that could best be described as Texas-sized. 'I don't care. I would never bother to add it up,' she said.
This is no doubt an attitude that restaurateurs hope all their customers will adopt. I suspect that the same people who aren't considering the cost of a glass aren't thinking much about the condition of the bottle either. They're unlikely to ask the waiter or bartender how long it was open, or for that matter, how it was stored. Yet both of these facts are tremendously important. An open bottle of wine on a warm bar deteriorates more rapidly than a bottle stored on a refrigerator shelf, while a wine open for five days or a week will taste very different than one just opened that day."

Since I live in Texas and have sisters here, I thought this was a very good argument for not buying wine by the glass in bars... but if you buy the bottle you are paying a 100% mark-up over the RETAIL PRICE of the wine...

Rating Airlines' Wines in First-Class and Business-Class | Lettie Teague on Wine - WSJ.com

Rating Airlines' Wines in First-Class and Business-Class Lettie Teague on Wine - WSJ.com: "But of all the wines that I tasted, those chosen by Air Zealand were the most remarkable in terms of selection, both in business and coach (the airline has no first class). The panelists encourage all New Zealand wineries to submit wines (they choose only domestic wines), and remarkably, they ask the wineries to self-designate whether their wines belong in business or coach. Further, the panelists aren't told the prices of the wines, which Mr. Barrie said was also unusual: 'I have friends who are involved with other airlines and they all have a price tag per bottle,' he noted.
Indeed, I couldn't distinguish the Pinot Noirs or Sauvignon Blancs by class. The two coach-class Sauvignons, the 2009 Mudhouse and 2009 Spy Valley, were vibrant and lively (both about $15), while the 2008 Deep Cove Pinot Noir (coach) was every bit as delicious as the deeply flavored 2008 Framingham Pinot from business—both are around $20 a bottle. In fact, the only critical difference between the two classes was that business received a much wider selection and some more serious reds, such as the 2008 Craggy Range Te Kahu ($20), a Bordeaux-style blend.
By the end of my tastings, I'd acquired valuable insight into the selection (and storage) of airline wines—to say nothing of all their rules and regulations. I'd also reached a few class-specific conclusions: I'd fly Singapore for first class, United for business and I'd be happy on Air New Zealand drinking in coach. What of those coach wines anyway? As Doug Frost had said, 'Coach is the big question for every airline.' Perhaps it's a question I'll pose soon. I can even conduct some in-flight research"

KERA | Public Television, Radio and Online Media for North Texas | Think

KERA Public Television, Radio and Online Media for North Texas Think: "Wednesday, 02.24.10
SECOND HOUR
Topic
An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine
Guest
Max Watman
Description
What does your choice of beverage say about you? We'll explore the arcane world of personal distilling, legal and otherwise with journalist and Guggenheim recipient Max Watman. His new book is 'Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine' (Simon & Schuster, 2010).


Publications/Recordings
'Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine' (Simon & Schuster, 2010)"