Curious about your curiosity…
Greetings from the subterranean wine world of Orlando! My name is Carter and I have the enviable job of working for Stacole Fine Wines, one of the best wine distributors in the state. And what a fun job it is: meeting with interesting clients, presenting and tasting wines, helping customers with wine list development and food/ wine pairings, and doing staff trainings to help retail and restaurant staff members learn more about the wines they are offering.
But today, I’m taking a break from my normal grueling work, to write a few thoughts for Harmoni’s Blog page. I hope my blog entries will not be just something you read once in a while, but instead will be a spring board for a discussion among wine lovers and friends of Harmoni Market. I think I will frame these blog entries in the form of questions, and hopefully we can have some interesting conversations as we share our different viewpoints. I encourage anyone who has an interest in wine to participate, regardless of your level of knowledge – don’t be shy!
I think the first question I’d like to ask is… how do you decide what wine to buy? Are you more influenced by publications like the Wine Spectator, sales staff at wine shops, or recommendations from friends? Perhaps you buy wines simply by their labels, or specifically because you don’t know anything about them and you enjoy the mystery… Maybe you’re the type who finds what you like and sticks with it; or are you always searching for something new? Finally, if you do like to try new and different wines and wineries, by all means, let’s hear about some of your recent discoveries!
I’ll start with my current obsession: Grenache. This grape, which is most commonly found in wines from Spain and the South of France, is really becoming popular, and now we are seeing it in Aussie blends and more recently, from California – especially from the area around Paso Robles. Grenache can range in style from big “fruit bomb” to spicy, peppery and earthy, depending on where it is grown. If you have ever drunk Chateauneuf du Pape or even Cotes du Rhone, you’ve had Grenache. One great thing about this grape is that you can find some truly great examples at very reasonable prices. Perfect example: Borsao, from Spain. This wine is 80% Grenache and 20% Tempranillo, and sells for under $10/ bottle. This wine packs so much flavor into such an inexpensive bottle, it’s just incredible. Featuring black pepper, cherry, strawberry, and raspberry fruit, medium body, smooth tannins, and good ripeness, it’s a perfect wine for the price. Now it’s your turn: let’s hear about your latest discoveries!
Carter Nixon
March 4th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
1. I think the first question I’d like to ask is… how do you decide what wine to buy? . . . .
. . . . I decide to buy wines that are higly rated by professional wine tasters, first. Second by trying new wines that I don’t have to buy a whole bottle of.
2. Are you more influenced by publications like the Wine Spectator, sales staff at wine shops, or recommendations from friends? . . . .
. . . . More likely buy on what wine expects rate a wine on. I like to try new wines that a wine salesman/women will recommend within a certain price-range.
3. Perhaps you buy wines simply by their labels, or specifically because you don’t know anything about them and you enjoy the mystery . . .
. . . . .Labels don’t sway me, I only save the ones from the wines I really enjoy.
4. Maybe you’re the type who finds what you like and sticks with it. . . .
. . . . That’s my wife. I prefer to try new wines and when I find one, I’ll buy 6-12 bottles and store it in my cellar.
5. or are you always searching for something new? . . . .
. . . . Alway seaching ofr a good wine at a reasonable price.
6. Finally, if you do like to try new and different wines and wineries, by all means, let’s hear about some of your recent discoveries! . . . .
. . . when we travel to France, Italy or Napa we always include a wine tour/tasting.
On our recent trip to Napa with friends we stayed with another couple at the Wine Country Inn in St. Helena, Napa Valley. We took the Inn’s Wine Inn-cursion tour in the stretch suburban. It was $215/couple with Tracey, our tour guide, in her 9th year. We left at 10 AM and went to 2 wineries in the AM, then back for lunch and two more in the PM arriving back just in time for the hors d’oeuvres and wine tasting by Chef Guy, Tracey’s brother, from 4:30 to 7 or so. Kelli Loukides is the concierge. The whole staff made the experience so great, everyone was so pleasant and friendly.
One winery we went to was Robinson Family Vineyard 5880 Silverado Trail, Napa, California 94558 http://www.robinsonfamilyvineyards.com/reviews.html. I bought their 2005 Great Legs Cab, the 2003, 2004, 2005 Estate Cabs, and the 2005 Estate Reserve Cab were all very good. This was my favorite winery and wine of the weekend.
We also visited Baldacci Family Vineyards 6236 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558 http://www.baldaccivineyards.com/baldacci/index.jsp. This was our second favorite winery with a very neat cave and Michael Knox taught us a lot. I like their 2005 Black Label Cab, 2006 Elizabeth Pinot Noir, and everyone liked the 2005 Brenda’s Cab. They we in the midst of tearing out 5 acres of their vineyard and were going to have 5 big bon fires later in the fall.
If you want more details of our trip in travelogue form email me at hawkro@gmail.com