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The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
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Author:  Tim [ Fri May 20, 2011 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Hi,

Kenji Alt has another wonderful idea being introduced today on Serious Eats. Link to Serious Eats Wine Tasting

Every couple of weeks, Kenji or an associate will hold a wine tasting of a varietal or growing regions. The initial tasting will focus on Chardonnay which offer a number of interesting options.

    French Burgandy: Moderate sugar levels, primarily stainless fermentation, a low percentage of malolactic fermentation, some barrrel aging. They will be tasting un-oaked Jadot Chablis. (I think?? barrel fermentation, a higher level of malolactic fermentation & barrel aging is more common in Cote de Nuits.)

    Oaked California Chardonnay: High sugar levels, fermented with oak chips or in charred barrels, variable (imho some times way too much!) malolactic fermentation and barrel aging. They will taste Mondavi Reserve and Cupcake (chips).

    Chilean Chardonnay: He calls their choice as big fruit and light oak indicating stainless fermentation, a lower level of malolactic fermentation and barrel aging. They will taste Cono Sur and Veramonte Reserve.

Prices range from $10 to $40 with results next week. Australia didn't make the cut. This should be fun.

Tim
Author:  easy bake [ Sat May 21, 2011 1:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Thanks. I liked his notes on wine tastings in general.

And the puppy - a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.
Author:  Tim [ Fri May 27, 2011 8:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Hi,

Here's the follow-up on Kenji Alt's Chardonnay tasting. (Where's Wino when we need some wine tasting opinions?)

    Jadot Un-Oaked French Chablis: Tasters described the wine as "light on the palate" and "weak". This is expected given lower brix grapes (lower alcohol), minimal or later malolactic fermentation and stainless fermentation/aging. These factors limit body and allow the minerality, crispness, acidity and tartness to dominate. Tasters wanted more body and complexity for a $23 wine.

    Chilean Veramonte Reserva Chardonnay: "Lush and tropical, all mango and papaya—sweet and ripe; syrupy, almost sticky on the palate." Sounds like underfermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation.

    Chilean Cono Sur 2009 Chardonnay: "Many of the same tropical notes but less of a pronounced, overripe sweetness." Preferred by most tasters but "some of those who didn't felt as if it wasn't what they associated with Chardonnay. (??) For $10, I want to try a bottle!

    Oaked Cupcake Cupcake Vineyard 2009 California Chardonnay: "The least preferred wine in the tasting; it was oaked in a way that imparted unpleasant, almost artificial-tasting vanilla notes....sweet and processed-tasting." Sounds like un-aged oak chips in stainless.

    Oaked Robert Mondavi 2007 Chardonnay Reserve: This wine was similar but better balanced. Full fermentation added malolactic fermentaion added silky texture but it was not heavy or syrupy. Nice complexity and body. Everybody's first or second choice but not an expected purchase at $40 a bottle.

It would have been nice to include some Australian chardonnay in this tasting. It would also be interesting to have closer price points on the options. The Mondavi should have been compared to a Mearsault. Nevertheless, this was an excellent start and the Cono Sur looks like a winner.

Any thoughts out there? Are there any Wino's willing to jump in here?

Tim
Author:  wino [ Fri May 27, 2011 2:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Hidin' in da weeds... :roll:

Generally, I don't drink lower quality wines anymore. Note, I am not equating lower quality with lower price. Wineries have to make a profit and to do that they have to make a wine that will sell. There's a big difference between what most will drink and what I will drink given what I know a wine maker can really do with the grapes if profit doesn't have to run the show. There comes a point where it doesn't add to my knowledge base enough to make the expenditure of time or money worthwhile. After 40+ years of doing this on many levels (literally 1,000s of bottles), it's gotta have something to say that truly speaks to the terroir, the wine maker's abilities, or to the varietal(s) involved enough to make a difference - a WOW! if you will. My curiosity has been slaked and now it's time for the tongue to rock&roll (and the nose...).

I base a lot of my new tastings on reviews from about 20 sources I keep in touch with. Living in Canada quite limits my exposure to many new products. When we are in the States or elsewhere we never stop tasting but purchases, especially for the cellars (we have 2), are infrequent.

Generally, I find that these kinds of comments just stir up the hornet's nest with others trying to label me this or that or go on to justify what they do or think. I really don't care for those confrontations. I'm happy that people are happy with what they have in their glass. I just wish they would attempt to keep trying better product to increase their knowledge so they will have a better measuring tool. I started somewhere and I somewhere else now. My wife and I often laugh at what we used to extoll. We served 300 bottles of Cooks California 'Champagne' at our wedding 20 years ago... Everybody loved it and it's not a bad product at $8-10. But we have Veuve Cliquot with our popcorn now... :lol:

It's a crazy world... :o :roll: :D
Author:  Amy [ Fri May 27, 2011 3:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
wino wrote:
But we have Veuve Cliquot with our popcorn now.

Now you're just showing off. ;)
Author:  wino [ Fri May 27, 2011 3:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
NOT THE VINTAGE, just the NV :roll: :shock: :o
Author:  Amy [ Fri May 27, 2011 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Uh huh...
Author:  Tim [ Fri May 27, 2011 4:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
Wino,

I do understand but you do live in Canada. Doesn't Gallo Hearty Burgandy go for $15/bottle?

I think there are some of us who would really appreciate your recommendation by price point, varietal, style and color. My favorite $1.79 price point wine was Chateau Margeaux's Pavillon Blanc, very nice for an Economics student.

One of my Rotary friends proclaimed that there was no such thing as a good wine for under $100. (That's why my dental implant was so expensive.) I lamented his loss of vianello, verdejo, insolia, carmenere, primitivo and malbec.

Tim
Author:  Paul Kierstead [ Fri May 27, 2011 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
wino wrote:
But we have Veuve Cliquot with our popcorn now... :lol:


Been there, done that. More then once :) Also, not the vintage!!!!

Ever since hearing the ontario wines guy on CBC tell someone take there expensive bottle of champagne that they had been hoarding and have it with some popcorn (he was extolling to enjoy your drink and don't keep it forever) we've have Champagne several times with popcorn; it just appeals to our sensibilities. And it tastes good! I usually go wild and actually butter the popcorn.
Author:  wino [ Fri May 27, 2011 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Serious Eats Amateur Wine Taste-Along by Kenji Alt
The 'best' that I could find here in Saskatchewan was $9.49 for the Gallo Family Cabernet Sauvignon!!

Paul - YOU GO MAN! Was that Costco butter or ????????
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