What is Cygnus drinking tonight?
 

2002 Jewel Petite Sirah (only $8.99 from AZ Wines in Carefree).

Wine Enthusiast's description was pretty accurate, though it was more fragrant than expressive on the palate...still...it went well with burgers.

87 -- Here’s a big, dark, peppery wine, rich in plummy blackberry fruit and completely dry. It’s modest in alcohol, with a long, rich finish. Hard to imagine anything better with BBQ ribs slathered in sauce. What a great value.

Cygnus

Hmmmm.... I could kill for a french pinot noire.... even a cote de rhone would be nice.....

I live in a small town where there isn't much of a demand for wine..... our local shop has two types...... red and white.... :confused:


Enjoy!
Paz.

Is Cave Creek that close to Carefree?

BTW, My favorite wine comes from the family vineyard. Zinfandel (red) from Hidden Mountain Ranch in Paso Robles, CA. The Dante Dusi Zinfandel 1999 won a few awards and is by far my favorite. :D

Pity that wine stores and guides are so different across the globe... I DO like the old Sirah (Shiraz?) but I'll never find that one over here.

Still, my favourites are Alsacians (the wines, not the dogs): Pinot gris and the like. I also dig the odd German variant, Riesling (I know it's not the same thing, but in a way they are familiar). Love the peculiar fruity flavours, like "peach" and "melon", as long as they're not overpoweringly artificial.

They don't go well with BBQs though, but then again the weather here doesn't allow for lots of outdoor meals.

I always like reading these discussions - you read people's posts and get an image in your mind about them, then you read some off-topic stuff and it changes the picture....

The most viewed/posted thread in our forum is about fine cigars - nothing to do with the focus of the site. :)

I'm not much of a wine drinker, but throw in an Avo or an Ashton, and I'm there!

Cave Creek and Carefree are practically intertwined...I guess you could just call it north north Scottsdale.

There are some wines from the Paso Robles area that I do like, though my favorite Zinfandel comes from Dry Creek Valley (www.taltyvineyards.com) -- family owned as well.

Wit, Shiraz is the Australian pronounciation (form) of Syrah -- Jacob's Creek made a limited release of Shiraz that I thought was quite good. Otherwise, try to find a Bridlewood Syrah (www.bridlewoodwinery.com).

Arizona's own wine industry is slowly getting better thanks mostly to the work of Callaghan Vineyards -- one of my life goals is to buy up some land in a few of the regions within AZ that are non-hyperthermic in soil conditions and have extreme summer temperature differences so I can grow a few grapes...until then, I'll stick to my yearly trips to Sonoma.

Cygnus

Wine yes, we have that here, they sell it in supermarkets and you put it on your chips (french fries), they call it vinegar...

Now give me a fine malt whiskey ahhhhh......

Tonight we had a couple bottles at dinner with my wife's parents (they got me started on this little wine-tasting adventure).

First bottle - 1997 Dutch Henry Pinot Noir [this went well with the parmasean reggiano (sp), but was definitely better as a pairing wine at this point...it probably should have been consumed a year or two ago]
Second bottle - 2002 David Cofarro Estate Cuvee [I love this guy's wines...he's a maverick and tries radical new methods in order to improve wine quality, while keeping costs low...we had to decant this one for a little while before enjoying with the pork loin].

Since I usually only have wine during dinner Friday-Sunday, I'll have to contemplate what to drink next week. A barbera from Amador County? A big ass cab from Robert Karl that I've been saving? Ooh, the excitement. Wine is like SEO -- the more you know, the more you realize you don't know, and the more fun it is to experiment. The better I get at SEO for my own sites and for my client sites, the more I'll be able to experiment on the wine front...so entangled these elements are.

Cygnus

I had an event to attend tomorrow night, so tonight my wife and I cracked open a bottle of 2001 Terra D' Oro Barbera. It's an old-world style of wine that isn't normally what I look for, but I wanted to try something a little different so that I have a better understanding of which futures I want to purchase from David Cofarro.

My take on it was a rather light nose, with hints of tar and herbs. It has a decent mouthfeel, medium tannins, tobacco on the palate, and a grapey finish.

Don't take my word for it though. What did Wine Enthusiast have to say?

88 -- If you’ve been reluctant to try this old-fashioned varietal, this value-priced release is a good place to start. It’s dark and very dry, with plummy, earth, herb and tobacco flavors relieved by a rich streak of sweet blackcurrant. Beautifully structured, and a great accompaniment to tomato-based dishes.

Cygnus

Hmmm, that sounds a bit on the heavy side. It's a matter of taste I presume, but I can't see the joy in drinking serious Italian reds for instance. They're like molten licorice to me.

Then again I'm hampered by the lack of a decent wine store over here. Have to make do with what the supermarket brings. They have a reasonable no-name Côte du Roussillon though. It's a bit cheap but enjoyable.

Of course whenever I read a good wine report, one that speaks to me (and my taste buds), and if I can get it: I try it. I love a good recommendation :P