Sounds pretty fab.
Yep, me too! On a side note, what reference guide (apart from your own personal tasting notes, of course) do you use to look up historical tasting notes for particular chateaux/estates?
The Official Christmas Alcohol Thread
- Thread starter Hugo Rune
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Sounds pretty fab.
Yep, me too! On a side note, what reference guide (apart from your own personal tasting notes, of course) do you use to look up historical tasting notes for particular chateaux/estates?
Preferrably something written by Michael Broadbent who has been around for so long his notes actually track the "real-time" evolution of most Bordeaux since the 1960's. His Vintage Wine is basically my wine-evolution bible.
Given we're both on the same page when it comes to wine (poise and elegance over power and structure) then Broadbent's palate should suit you nicely.
Hugo - Broadbent and Robinson over Parker and Suckling...
Given we're both on the same page when it comes to wine (poise and elegance over power and structure) then Broadbent's palate should suit you nicely.
Hugo - Broadbent and Robinson over Parker and Suckling...
I think I have a slight crush on Jancis Robinson. 
I love browsing the World Atlas & the Oxford Companion.
I've heard of Broadbent, of course, but never actually read any of his writing.
How often is there are new edition of Vintage Wine, roughly? The most recent one I can see on Amazon is 2002, so I'm guessing an update is fairly imminent?
No wine for me tonight; just sipping some Hennessey cognac (nothing special, just the VSOP).
I love browsing the World Atlas & the Oxford Companion.
I've heard of Broadbent, of course, but never actually read any of his writing.
How often is there are new edition of Vintage Wine, roughly? The most recent one I can see on Amazon is 2002, so I'm guessing an update is fairly imminent?
No wine for me tonight; just sipping some Hennessey cognac (nothing special, just the VSOP).
I just noticed when getting more cognac from the sideboard, that my dad seems to have acquired a bottle of "vodka cream chocolate & vanilla liqueur" since the last time I was here. I have no idea who he insulted to be given that, but I may open it to facilitiate the post-Christmas dinner nap on the big day. 
I took a closer look. Turns out I lied about the chocolate bit, it's vodka cream and vanilla "only" - it's this stuff. 
I see it's listed as "currently unavailable", so if it's out of production, I suspect dad received it as a recycled gift from someone else!
I see it's listed as "currently unavailable", so if it's out of production, I suspect dad received it as a recycled gift from someone else!
For some reason known only to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, I cannot buy Hennessy VSOP here in Sudbury.
I can buy Hennessy VS. I can buy Hennessy XO. And I can buy a wide variety of other VSOP cognacs and armagnacs.
Just not Hennessy VSOP.
You Canadians have some funny rules.
Dreamcicles?
I picked up another couple of supermarket bottles, from Asda, of all places. We had to go do some last minute food shopping and it was near where we were. I haven't been in an Asda for years, but browsed the wine section and they really have some very interesting bottles in their Extra Special range. Definitely not what I would have expected from Asda!
From that range I picked up a 2006 Valpolicella Ripasso and a 2006 MSM sur lie. Both of them were incredibly cheap, but they looked so interesting and so unexpected for a place like Asda so I took a chance. I've just looked them both up and they've been getting surprisingly good reviews so I think I got lucky.
The MSM will be had with red mullet tonight. No need to put it in the fridge to chill; I've just left it outside in the garden to cool off a bit!
The Ripasso should be perfect sometime over the next few days, since it will have a nice richness from the way it's made that should complement all the sweet stuffings and roast meats, etc that are around this time of year. Might be perfect with the inevitable "leftovers" sandwich in tomorrow evening...
Just opened the Johann Gruner Veltliner.
Very lght and elegant, but tastes more like an Albarino from Western Spain than an Austrian white. Lacks the austerity and minerality.
Still, lovely to sip whilst making tomorrow's starters and playing Rage Against the Machine from the computer.
Hugo - no bloody Christmas music being played in this house...
Very lght and elegant, but tastes more like an Albarino from Western Spain than an Austrian white. Lacks the austerity and minerality.
Still, lovely to sip whilst making tomorrow's starters and playing Rage Against the Machine from the computer.
Hugo - no bloody Christmas music being played in this house...
Rage Against the Machine is more New Year's Day hangover, isn't it?
Just opened the Asda Extra Special MSM sur lie (actually it's a 2007, not the 2006 I mentioned above).
Green apples with a very faint touch of peach to the nose. Very slightly effervescent. Good acidity, without being overwhelmingly tart. Nice full Loire-ish feel to it in the mouth. Not as salty as I would have expected, but enough about it that it should go well with the red mullet.
At about four quid a bottle, I can't complain!
Just opened the Asda Extra Special MSM sur lie (actually it's a 2007, not the 2006 I mentioned above).
Green apples with a very faint touch of peach to the nose. Very slightly effervescent. Good acidity, without being overwhelmingly tart. Nice full Loire-ish feel to it in the mouth. Not as salty as I would have expected, but enough about it that it should go well with the red mullet.
At about four quid a bottle, I can't complain!
Last night I bought an Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red '06. Looking forward to drinking this next year!
Winemakers note:
The Merlot is from DuBrul Vineyard, while the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are from Red Willow Vineyard in the cooler, western end of the Yakima Valley. The Yakima Valley Red Wine is designed to showcase that a world-class Merlot and Cabernet Franc based Bordeaux blend can be obtained from this remarkable growing area.
The Yakima Valley Red Wine is our signature wine. It speaks to our commitment to produce the best wines from the best grape varieties in each appellation. In this case, the bright berry flavor of the Merlot and fragrant notes of the Cabernet Franc are wonderfully framed with the structure and acidity of the Cabernet Sauvignon. All in all, this is a marvelously complex Bordeaux-styled red blend.
Winemakers note:
The Merlot is from DuBrul Vineyard, while the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are from Red Willow Vineyard in the cooler, western end of the Yakima Valley. The Yakima Valley Red Wine is designed to showcase that a world-class Merlot and Cabernet Franc based Bordeaux blend can be obtained from this remarkable growing area.
The Yakima Valley Red Wine is our signature wine. It speaks to our commitment to produce the best wines from the best grape varieties in each appellation. In this case, the bright berry flavor of the Merlot and fragrant notes of the Cabernet Franc are wonderfully framed with the structure and acidity of the Cabernet Sauvignon. All in all, this is a marvelously complex Bordeaux-styled red blend.
A frozen drink made with Triple Sec, White Creme de Cacao, and Orange Sherbet.
Delicious.
I'm about to go buy a bottle of Irish Whiskey to attempt to make irish cream. I figure no matter what happens, if i add enough whiskey it'll be delicious.
OMG.
It went fantastically well. A proper food/wine synergy. For reference the red mullet was cooked very simply - roasted on top of a layer of par-boiled potatoes and sliced tomatoes, being drizzled with olive oil, and laden with thyme and some other mixed herbs (thank you Rick Stein for the recipe!).
The wine paired with SO well with the fish & even better with the tomatoes. The food rounded off the wine and the wine lifted the food.
It sounds luscious.
After the wine, we cracked open some cream sherry. I'm making the most of staying with dad over Christmas and raiding all his bottles.
I just finished off my bottles of Kahlua and Keg & Cask and I'm feeling all tingly.
Sadly, my family is really lame and doesn't drink aside from the occasional cheap glass of white zin with dinner...and even then, only on holidays.
So if I am going to introduce alcohol into the mix, I need to do it in a really subdued way.
If it were up to me, I'd be drunk already.
