I'm sitting on the train headed home after a long day of tasting the
2008 vintage from Bordeaux. From crisp whites to soaring reds, on to
sweet desert wines, it was quite an adventure. After a day of
sampling some of the finest wines in the world, it's a strange
juxtaposition to be eating a quarter pounder with cheese. Needless to
say it doesn't measure up, but these are the lengths I go to for you,
my dear readers.
I have a book full of notes to enter into cellar tracker which will
ultimately make it to the tasting feed. The best ones I will
highlight in my full report, which will be up as soon as I have a
break to sit down and reflect on the whirlwind I just endured. Don't
ever let anyone tell you tasting wine isn't work. It's rewarding
work, but work nonetheless.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Wine Discount Center
Though probably no secret to most wine drinkers in Chicago, Wine Discount Center recently popped up on my radar. After a Groupon deal for $30 worth of wine for $15, I was alerted to a Highland Park location that I had no idea existed. I had been visiting the Buffalo Grove location way back when it was still there, but after it closed up shop, Wine Discount Center was out of sight and out of mind. I have been attending tastings when I get a chance and have been pleased with what I've been finding there. In addition to random findings, I came across a bottle of '09 Marcel Lapierre Morgon a couple weeks ago. After my experimenting with Beaujolais I knew this particular vintage and producer were getting some serious attention. I took a bottle home for the holidays and it was every bit the joy it was hyped to be. I've found a few other nice bottles there aw well including an '08 Alta Maria Chardonnay, and a soon to be purchased '09 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spatlese.
Anyway, wine recommendations aside, the store always comes in on the cheap side. There are no case discounts, the theory being that the discount is already built into the price. I'm not sure I find it to be 10% cheaper than elsewhere, but I never feel as if I'm being taken for a ride. I highly recommend that if you haven't been, you go check them out. They have locations in Highland Park, Chicago, Barrington and Forrest Park. The staff seems very knowledgable, and always willing to help me hunt for something. Plus they seem to know every wine they have in the store, which is always a plus when you are looking for something new.
Anyway, wine recommendations aside, the store always comes in on the cheap side. There are no case discounts, the theory being that the discount is already built into the price. I'm not sure I find it to be 10% cheaper than elsewhere, but I never feel as if I'm being taken for a ride. I highly recommend that if you haven't been, you go check them out. They have locations in Highland Park, Chicago, Barrington and Forrest Park. The staff seems very knowledgable, and always willing to help me hunt for something. Plus they seem to know every wine they have in the store, which is always a plus when you are looking for something new.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Whats up at Jewel
I haven't made a point of checking the wine section at other Jewel-Osco stores, but I discovered a few weeks ago that my local store has installed a wine cellar, and stocked it with several bottles of very high end California wines. Caymus, Beaulieu, Duckhorn, and others. All of them are in the $60-$100 range, and I just don't get it. I think these bottles are going to sit on the shelf taking up valuable retail space and will have slow turnover. I would be curious to hear from someone with a retail marketing background, who can explain this move. The only thing I can think is that less wine on the shelves means more room for intricate displays, and the hope is that the display will encourage someone to splurge, but it seems an odd move. I'm waiting for the idea to die off and the wines to go on clearance. Then I will hop around to every Jewel in town stocking up. ;) That'll be the day.
Third Coast Wine Turns Thirty
Well at least this author does.
I had the pleasure of opening a 1980 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (note: link is to different year) last night. The bottle was past its prime for sure, but this is the first time I have had a bottle from my birth year, and I hope its not the last. It was a treat to be sure. You can read tasting notes by following the link to the right.
In addition to the Mondavi I found a bottle of 1995 Lagrange on winebid.com. In contrast to the Mondavi, the Lagrange was much too young to have been opened. It took several hours in the decanter, but it finally opened up a bit. Wish I had another bottle to hang onto for another 15 years.
Tonight I'm drinking a nice Macon-Village from Louis Jadot that I picked up at Jewel for less than $10. Its much better than most of the stuff on the shelves at that price. A touch of oak, but nothing outrageous. Good melon and even some grassy sauvignon blanc like notes. I guess I'm hanging onto the fast fading summer, because I've been on quite a White Burgundy kick lately.
To continue with the theme of randomness for the post, I had an interesting time at the Binny's Buffalo Grove French Wine Tasting this weekend. Amongst the sea of wines that weren't very memorable, I found a nice Vouvray and a very interesting white wine that I can't seem t o find a link to anywhere on the Internet. It was some sort of White Rhone wine. Unfortunately my familiarity with the region is not making locating the wine any easier.
There are a few tastings coming up of note. One in Highland Park with over 75 California Reds, another major tasting on November 10 at Binny's South Loop with lots of collectible wines for $40. I'm also planning to attend the ERI pre-auction tasting, which I hope will be a good showing of some really special wines.
If anyone knows how I can get a ticket to the Union Des Grand Cru Tasting in January (I think its trade/press only) I would love to go. Just going to throw that out there in case someone happens to be listening.
I had the pleasure of opening a 1980 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (note: link is to different year) last night. The bottle was past its prime for sure, but this is the first time I have had a bottle from my birth year, and I hope its not the last. It was a treat to be sure. You can read tasting notes by following the link to the right.
In addition to the Mondavi I found a bottle of 1995 Lagrange on winebid.com. In contrast to the Mondavi, the Lagrange was much too young to have been opened. It took several hours in the decanter, but it finally opened up a bit. Wish I had another bottle to hang onto for another 15 years.
Tonight I'm drinking a nice Macon-Village from Louis Jadot that I picked up at Jewel for less than $10. Its much better than most of the stuff on the shelves at that price. A touch of oak, but nothing outrageous. Good melon and even some grassy sauvignon blanc like notes. I guess I'm hanging onto the fast fading summer, because I've been on quite a White Burgundy kick lately.
To continue with the theme of randomness for the post, I had an interesting time at the Binny's Buffalo Grove French Wine Tasting this weekend. Amongst the sea of wines that weren't very memorable, I found a nice Vouvray and a very interesting white wine that I can't seem t o find a link to anywhere on the Internet. It was some sort of White Rhone wine. Unfortunately my familiarity with the region is not making locating the wine any easier.
There are a few tastings coming up of note. One in Highland Park with over 75 California Reds, another major tasting on November 10 at Binny's South Loop with lots of collectible wines for $40. I'm also planning to attend the ERI pre-auction tasting, which I hope will be a good showing of some really special wines.
If anyone knows how I can get a ticket to the Union Des Grand Cru Tasting in January (I think its trade/press only) I would love to go. Just going to throw that out there in case someone happens to be listening.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wine Shop Discovery
I just got back from Lafayette, IN this weekend where I was visiting my in-laws. I've always brought wine with me when visiting in the past, but this weekend I went out to the Village Bottle Shop on Sagamore Parkway in West Lafayette. I went to Purdue, and so I never made it up this way for liquore purchases, preferring to stop in at the Village Bottle Shop on campus, or occasionally make the trek out to Bar Berry. When I walked in the door I was pleasantly surprised to find a fantastic selection of wines. I remember wondering while taking wine appreciation at Purdue "where does our professor buy his wines". Had I asked, I'm sure he would have said Village Bottle Shop. Its packed full of great wines. Prices were fair, selection was vast, and well curated, and the staff knew their way around it. If you happen to be down in Lafayette for any reason. Maybe you are headed south to watch your Wildcats get trounced by my Boilermakers, then be sure to stop in. The beer selection wasn't half bad either.
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