DOMAINE DE DURBAN | Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge 2016
(Beaumes-de-Venise, Southern Rhône, FR) $19
To anyone who knows their southern French wines, Beaumes-de-Venise is usually an explosion of apricots in the form of a fortified sweet muscat-based wine. This wine is its secret cousin—a juicy, dry red made from grenache, syrah and mourvèdre grapes born of vines nearly 50 years old. I think of it as a delicious, sexy, every night Côtes-du-Rhône, only better and at a fraction of the price. Just waiting for some lamb chops or sausages thrown on a grill. (14.5% abv)
89 points KM
Available at Kermit Lynch
Which word below refers to the idea that a substance, an animal, or a plant has a specific quality that’s perceptible to our olfactory senses?
A. Aroma
B. Odor
C. Scent
D. Smell
“I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it―unless I’m thirsty.”
― Lily Bollinger, (1899-1977), Bollinger Champagne
Women or Men…Who has Better Wine Tasting Ability?
I’ve heard it said a hundred times—women are better at wine tasting than men. But can that possibly be true? In honor of Mother’s Day, I decided to find out. First I interviewed 70 winemakers and vintners to get their opinions. Next I looked at what the most current sensory research has to say.
But before I continue, let me admit that I personally have always been wary of the idea. In part, that’s because in my experience, the people who most often trumpet the notion that women have a gender advantage are men. So when a man assures me that women have superior wine tasting skills is that a compliment? Or is that a deftly… Continue Reading…
The lightest pinot noirs in the U.S. are made in Oregon.
Answer: False. Oregon certainly has a justifiable reputation for making many light-bodied, elegant pinot noirs. But Oregon does not have a monopoly on such wines. In fact, one could successfully argue that in the last few years, many Oregon pinots have gotten quite a bit riper, fleshier, more extracted and fuller bodied. It’s an issue of style. At the same time, California’s Sonoma Coast and South Central Coast (which in parts are cooler than Oregon) often make very light bodied, elegant pinots. And we should not forget upstate New York!
