Back, After a Small Absence.
October 14, 2013
I’m not going to turn this into a “where I’ve been and what I’ve been up-to for the last couple of months” post; mainly because, to get into detail would take too long and wouldn’t provide much of a riveting read. So I’m not going-to. Anyways, I’m back.
In a nutshell, I’ve had a busy couple of months. Super busy. Like working 6-7 days a week busy. Mainly online, building websites, helping a few businesses with their “online visibility,” and also building a small business venture of my own, which took off more than I ever could have imagined. For more info, you can always go to krischislett.com, should you feel so inclined.
My inbox is jammed with wine-related emails, some of which are over 2 months old, but I’m slowly making headway getting things back on track. So, if you’re one of the people who is still waiting to hear back from me, I apologize. I’m slowly getting caught-up.
Last couple of things:
– The problem with working on other clients’ websites is that you tend to neglect your own.
This website needs a redesign, so I’m going to get that going…sooner rather than later…hopefully.
– I can’t promise how frequent my posts will be, since I’m still up-to my neck in work for my clients, but my goal is to focus on quality, not-quantity.
Posted in News | Leave a comment //Bock Kekfrankos, Villany, Hungary
June 27, 2013
Grapes
100% Kekfrankos, otherwise known as Blaufrankisch, which is otherwise known as: “Errrrrmmmm….I have no idea how to pronounce that wine/grape…I’ll just have a glass of Merlot…”
Facts
- Holy hell! There’s very few times when I look at a wine label and think: “Yup! I’ve got no idea what I’m looking at here…” In-fact, the only recognizable thing on this label is Blaufrankisch, which you may-or-may-not have tried via the fairly-widely-distributed: Shooting Star “Blue Franc” by Steele winery.
- As you can probably guess, Kekfrankos aka Blaufrankisch hasn’t made too many successful roads outside its native German, Austrian and Hungarian wine growing regions. The difficulty of pronunciation might be the problem, but personally I relish pronouncing these types of grapes, ESPECIALLY in polite company. This, since I have a particular penchant for adopting a ridiculously-thick-and-angry-sounding German accent when doing so: “KEEEEKFRANKOOOSSSS!!!!”
- The main man, winemaker Jozsef Bock received his 1st “Hungarian Winemaker of the Year” honor in 1997 and “Winery of the Year” in 2007, honors which he has proudly hanging over his fireplace. I made that last part up…
- As tends to be the case with a great number of European wineries, the Bock family has been making wine for multiple generations, since the early 18th century in-fact. The family were actually kicked-out of Hungary and had their land taken away shortly after World War II (since they’re of German descent). But Bock’s father Antal was having none of it! Antal stuck around and bought back a small section of his family’s original vineyard and started to restore the winery to its former glory.
- Today, the Bock family (Jozsef’s daughter, son-in-law, son and wife) are all involved in the business. It always amazes me when I read about these “winery families.” If my family banded-together to form a winery, we would have surely killed each other before we even banged-out our first vintage…
Place
Posted in Reviews | Tagged Blaufrankisch, Bock, Bock Kekfrankos, Hungarian wine, Hungary, Kekfrankos, Villany | Leave a comment //Well this got out of control very quickly…
June 27, 2013
Ogier Clos de L’Oratoire Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, France.
June 1, 2013
Grapes
80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, and 5% Cinsault
Facts
- It’s been a little-while since I last had/reviewed a bottle of CdP (what the cool kids call it…or at least…what I call it). Chateauneuf-du-Pape isn’t for everyone – its intensity and “tertiary” flavors certainly take some getting use to – but I’d probably put it up there as my overall all-time favorite French wine region.
- Seven generations of winegrowers have tended to the vineyards Ogier uses for their grapes, since 1780. The Ogier winery itself was founded in 1859. The one thing you can say about the French, is they know how to “do” history!
- The Clos de L’Oratoire label has remained unchanged since it was designed in 1926.
- The Ogier Clos de L’Oratoire Chateauneuf du Pape spent 12 months of its existence in oak “foudres.” These massive wine barrels are of an undefined size, but usually are between 4000-8000 liters in capacity. Each barrel holds enough to fill 5,000-10,000 bottles of plonk.
- All the wines from Ogier are made from organically grown grapes, but it’s not something they brag about. You’ll find that with a lot of French producers; namely, they aren’t in a big hurry to plaster “ORGANIC!!!” on the front label of their bottles. The polar-opposite of their New World counterparts. For Ogier, they’re just making wine the way they always have, and not simply to cater to Portland-dwelling-carrot-munching-tree-hugging-20-something-hipsters. It’s a small demographic after all…
- 91 points in the Wine Speculator and 93 from the Wine Enthusiast (I haven’t come up with a “creative” way to twist their name yet…but I will)
Posted in Reviews | Tagged Chateauneuf du Pape, Cinsault, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Ogier, Rhone, syrah | Leave a comment //
Big Alcohol Gives Wine Lovers a Headache.
June 1, 2013
Article from The Asian Age (..the source of ALL my wine news..)
Do those New World Cabernets and Zinfandels make your head spin? Fed up with having to stop drinking after just one glass?
Plenty of wine lovers around the world will have noticed their favorite tipples are getting stronger, and many of them are unhappy about the hangovers that come with increased alcohol levels.
But it seems they have only themselves to blame as experts say that changing consumer tastes are mainly responsible for driving the trend. Wine critics and advances in winemaking techniques also shoulder some of the blame for what experts say are unbalanced wines that can cause health risks and safety issues, casting a pall over the pleasure of imbibing.
“The rise in alcohol content of wine is primarily man-made,” reported a working paper by the American Association of Wine Economists in 2011.
Click here for the full article from The Asian Age.
My Thoughts…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There’s a time and a place for high alcohol wines!
I don’t think we’re in any danger of seeing wine stores dominated by wines with 16%+ alcohol wines, but this “high octane trend” does seem to be quickly filtering down to grocery stores and wine lists of chain restaurants.
Maybe I’m getting old, but I myself used to be a big fan of these “monster” wines; but now they give me a hangover after just a few glasses.
As my wine drinking has evolved, I let “subtlety and elegance” take the place of “high alcohol” and “crazy fruit extraction.” I’m not saying that’s the path everyone should take…actually…that’s a lie…that’s EXACTLY what I’m saying! In-fact the sooner drinkers can appreciate wines that don’t “let it all hang out,” the sooner they’ll realize that many of the wines they used to love…well…all taste the same.
With said, the success of brands like Mollydooker and Orin Swift didn’t come because they make subtle and restrained wines. U.S. wine drinkers DO love some “guts” to their juice; at least, that’s what I’ve found, but personally these bottles just don’t float my boat the way they used to.
Posted in News | Tagged High alcohol wines | Leave a comment //Wine Down Every Wednesday in June at III Forks.
June 1, 2013
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