Thanksgiving at Palate Press

Thanksgiving: Our Wine Holiday,by W. R. Tish



Thanks to the World Wide Web, America’s homegrown feasting holiday has become, all but officially, America’s Wine Holiday.

Read more at Palate Press: The online wine magazine.





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A Doughboy France: A Palate Press Veterans Day Tribute

Today's story, A Doughboy in France: A Palate Press Veterans Day Tribute, can be found at Palate Press. It includes seven wine reviews (well, six wine and a beer) and excerpts from my grandfather's World War I diary. I think you will enjoy it.







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1996 Clairault Reserve

Vintage 1996
Type Red
Producer Cape Clairault Wines
Variety Red Bordeaux Blend
Designation Reserve
Country Australia South
Region Western Australia
SubRegion West Australia
Appellation Margaret River

The wine was slightly cloudy and brick colored, turning to orange at the edges. It was also a bit translucent, showing clear signs of its age.

The nose showed loads of dried flowers and a bit of crispy beef fat. It was earthy, a bit dirty, and had fresh bay leaves in the background.

On the palate, dried flowers and dried leafy spices, plus some distinct hazelnut, led the attack. Mouthfeel was silky, tannins were very smooth and fully integrated, but the finish fell flat.

After a few hours the finish improved, lingering for a little while. The palate, too, improved some, adding an echo of black cherries on the attack and some truffles and nuts to the mid-palate.

There is no second night review, and the wooden guys did not get a chance to try this one.





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PALATE PRESS: The online wine magazine

I apologize for my absence from 2 Days per Bottle. I have been preparing to launch PALATE PRESS: The online wine magazine, and I am absolutely thrilled to announce that we launch Thursday, September 10, with an amazing lineup of stories. Here is a sneak preview of the press release, for my wonderful readers:



PALATE PRESS: The online wine magazine, the next step in the evolution of on-line wine content, is pleased to announce its launch on September 10, 2009. PALATE PRESS is the collaborative effort many of the best recognized wine voices on the internet, including American Wine Blog Award winners and twenty of the Top 100 Wine Blogs.

The Editor in Chief is W. R. Tish, known in the wine trade as simply "Tish." Tish was Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine for 10 years, and has been writing and speaking about wine and food--often with a comedic edge--for more than a decade since. Deb Harkness is PALATE PRESS' Wine Review Editor. A double award winner in the 2008 American Wine Blog Awards (best single-subject wine blog and best wine review blog), Deb, aka "Dr. Debs," has been seeking out and writing about Good Wine Under $20 for two years now. Two more of our Editors were American Wine Blog Award winners in 2009: Lenn Thompson for best single-subject wine blog (LENNDEVOURS) and Jeff Lefevere for best graphics (GOOD GRAPE: A Wine Blog Manifesto). And Art and Visuals Editor Hardy Wallace was recently in the news as the winner of the "Really Goode Job" created by Murphy-Goode Winery; Hardy runs a Top 100 wine blog at Dirty South Wine.

Other Editors and Contributors from the world's top 100 wine blogs include Gabriella Opaz (Catavino), Richard Auffrey (Passionate Foodie), Michelle Lentz (My Wine Education), Russ Beebe (Winehiker Witiculture), Joe Roberts (1 Wine Dude), Craig Camp (Wine Camp), Kori Voorhees (Wine Peeps), Andrew Barrow (Spittoon), Remy Charest (The Wine Case), "Sonadora" (Wannabe Wino), Ken Payton (Reign of Terroir), Tim Elliot (Wine Cast) and many more. Palate Press writers are based across the U.S., in Canada and around the world; they receive hundreds of thousands of wine-related hits every month and all of them will be contributing original content to the site. The entire staff list can be found here. Palate Press also welcomes submissions from wine writers around the internet and the world.

In terms of its position within the current wine-media scene, Editor in Chief W. R. Tish sees PALATE PRESS as a "blogazine," combining the passion of bloggers with the editorial appeal of a broad-based magazine. He adds that the capacity of readers to comment on articles adds a dynamic that makes Palate Press more like talk radio than like traditional print, and he promises: "We are not afraid of controversy. And we are not afraid to present multiple opinions on wine topics--something you rarely see in the Ivory Tower glossies. We think our approach to the wine zeitgeist will be more realistic, and in turn rewarding for readers. Palate Press is committed to covering wine intelligently, not churning out hundreds of sterile wine ratings in bloated buying guides."

Articles on PALATE PRESS will be presented via seven distinct departments, or "Pages": Feature Story; The Wine Life; Spotlight; Hot Potato; + Food; Soap Box; and, starting in October, Wine Reviews. Stories slated for the first month include a soul-searching profile of Bonny Doon's Randall Grahm; an exposé of shady shelf talkers; a surprising look at wine-label regulations; an Eisch vs. Riedel wine-glass smackdown; critical essays on how wine-evaluation systems by major U.S. critics miss the mark; a firsthand look at how the economy has impacted wine-country tourism; and in-depth articles on under-appreciated wines from Alsace to Portugal to Walla Walla.


David Honig, creator and Publisher, describes PALATE PRESS as "a logical next generation" of wine media. The hypothesis is simple: collecting the very best of the wine blogosphere and carefully editing and publishing it will create a top-quality and commercially viable online wine magazine. The experiment is well under way, preparing to launch with some of the most talented and best-known wine writers on the internet. "Clearly the expertise is out there. Bloggers communicate with authority and authenticity, demonstrating particular areas of expertise," Honig notes. "Wherever there is a wine story, there is a qualified wine blogger to write about it." And it's not just bloggers on board: Palate Press contributors include winemakers, retailers, sommeliers and professional wine writers.

If you have any questions or comments about PALATE PRESS: The online wine magazine, contact the Publisher, David Honig, by email, Twitter, or call him at (317) xxx-xxxx. Send advertising inquiries to Advertising and submissions to Submissions.

2005 Château de Bellevue

Type Red
Producer Château de Bellevue
Variety Red Bordeaux Blend
Country France
Region Bordeaux
SubRegion Libournais
Appellation St. Émilion Grand Cru
Price $15 (375 ml) at



The Little Wooden Guy likes the wine, and the smaller bottle makes him feel bigger.

The color was incredibly dark, completely opaque but for the very edges, black with a purple tint.

The nose opened with blackcurrant and cedar, with a background aroma of vanilla cream, but very light, not overpowering wood-based vanilla.

On the palate, blackcurrant is the predominate fruit, along with some blackberry. Peppermint and eucalyptus appear on the mid-palate, lightly, behind more fruit, some cedar and vanilla, which grow toward a mid-length finish. Mouth feel is silky, with firm tannins and bright acids.

This is very nice wine, and sometimes a 375 is just the perfect size.






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2003 Deerfield Ranch Pinot Noir Jemrose Vineyard

Type Red
Producer Deerfield Ranch
Variety Pinot Noir
Vineyard Jemrose Vineyard
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Bennett Valley
Price $34.99 at WineQ



It's THIIIIISSSSSS big!

Night One

The nose is rich and sweet, with sweet cherry, vanilla, toasted coconut and meringue.

The palate is equally big and sweet, with sweet cherries, blueberries, and loads of vanilla. There is chocolate on the mid-palate. This is very sweet, very woody.

The label says "Pinot Noir" and nothing else, but if I were tasting it blind, I would bet there was some Petite Syrah in the mix, thought that would be a rather unique blend.

Night Two

The nose showed more depth on Night Two, adding some balsa and sage to sweet cherries and vanilla, along with some meatiness, like the crisp outside of a sage-rolled pork roast.

The palate, too, shows more depth, as well as deeper, dark fruit. It opens, not with sweet cherries and blueberries, but dark cherries and prunes, plus smoked meat and sage. Dried cranberries and marjoram appear on the mid-palate, followed by vanilla and toasted almonds. The finish is sweet, but falls off quickly.

Acids are low, tannins mild, but the two are just a bit out of balance. The lack of acid does not bode well for a long cellar life.





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2007 Domaine C. Ducroux Régnié

Type: Red
Producer: Domaine C. Ducroux
Variety: Gamay
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
SubRegion: Beaujolais
Appellation: Régnié
Price: $14.99 from Chambers Street Wines



Night One

Minerals and strawberries, plus a single spray of oil from one twist of key lime rind, blend together beautifully on the nose. On the palate it is surpisingly rich and dark. The palate opens with a quick startling flavor of beef fat and dark berries. Strawberries and plums are on the mid-palate, along with strong minerality that lasts through the finish. This has a velvety richness that would shock so many who think "Beaujolais" is synonymous with "Beaujolais Neuveau," and who turn their nose at the whole region. On second thought, don't tell them. That will mean more for us.







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1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre

Type Red
Producer Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Variety Syrah
Designation Domaine de Saint Pierre
Country France
Region Rhône
SubRegion Northern Rhône
Appellation Cornas



The Little Wooden Guy finds this wine is just tired, beyond its prime.

Night One

The color is interesting. It is a little translucent and deep dark red. The nose is very deep and a little raisiny, with dark fruit, marjoram, green olives and bacon fat. There is less fruit on the palate than the nose. The fruits are black, blackberries and plums, but they are subdued. Floral flavors, violets and lavender, join the fruit. Green olives and bacon fat appear on the mid-palate. The finish falls flat.

Night Two

Some florals remained, but almost no fruit. Very little mid-palate remained. This was clearly wine past its prime.





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1997 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme

Type Red
Producer Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo
Variety Nebbiolo
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
SubRegion Northern Piedmont
Appellation Ghemme



The Little Wooden Guy loves a bargain on aged wine.

Night One

The color says "tired and old," a dull red-orange brick with clear edges bordered by orange. The nose is a little closed, but if you really dig you can find roses, chestnuts and a little cherry. The real surprise is on the palate- there's still some life in this bottle. It still has some bright acid and smooth tannins, with the flavors of cherries, violets and leather. Licorice and a touch of tar are on the mid-palate. Mouth feel is chewy and teeth-coating.

Night Two

There are lots of nuts and flowers on the nose on Night Two, but little, if any, fruit. It also has just a bit of truffle and leather.

The palate is also primarily flowers and nuts. It has lavender and roses, tarragon and chestnuts. A little cherry survived through Night Two, getting stronger on the mid-palate, along with some leather. Tannins are very smooth. The finish is still long.

Conclusion

If you look at the picture you will see that this was marked down repeatedly, as years passed and inventory winnowed. Sometimes that means the wine is so mediocre nobody wants it. With a disreputable merchant, it can even mean it comes from stock that often got returned. But once in a while it can be a great opportunity to buy aged wine for a song. It is those rare finds that keep m going back to the bargain table.





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2005 Würtz Weinmann Pinot Noir Jakob Neumer

Type: Red
Producer: Würtz Weinmann
Variety: Pinot Noir
Designation: Jakob Neumer
Country: Germany
Region: Rheinhessen
Price: $19.99 from Garagiste



The Little Wooden Guy made a new friend, and he's from Germany.

Night One

The color is interesting. It is bright and semi-translucent, but tinted slightly orange, a brickish color that would normally indicate significant aging. The nose is quite pleasant, a blend of Oregon Pinot and a bit of the same from California. At the beginning aromas of classic red fruit are obvious, cherries and strawberries, plus a bit of cranberry. There is also some sage and a hint of truffle. With a deep enough sniff, richer aromas, jammier fruits and a bit of mocha. The palate, too, blends Oregon and California. Red fruits on the attack are clean and tart, but the mid-palate has a jammy richness and a bit of vanilla. The finish is mid-length.

This is a very interesting wine. My personal opinion about Pinot is that some of the big-name California offerings, Kosta Browne, Sea Smoke, and others, get so big they lose the delicacy that makes Pinot so special. I expect a Napa Cabernet to reach out of the glass and punch me in the nose. I want a good Pinot to waft gently into my nose and grow once it's there. This one sneaks in, then tries to punch its way out.

I wonder what it will be like on Night Two.

Night Two

This is a very pleasant wine on Night Two. It has fresh red fruit flavors up front. It adds very light flavors of licorice and vanilla on the mid-palate.

I absolutely dare anybody to taste this blind and come up with "Germany" without help. This is good, and one of the best $20 Pinots I have had in the last two years.





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