tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58544644252115712382012-01-20T23:06:32.205-06:00Points on wine, without the pointsWicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.comBlogger1731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-37338588630780935042011-11-13T21:27:00.001-06:002011-11-14T08:16:21.942-06:00

I have been away for far too long. Now, I am back to tell you my wine stories. After eight years in Chicago*, I have moved to Oregon's Willamette Valley. Specifically, I live in Corvallis, which is about 50 miles south of this state's most storied vineyards. If appellations such as the Dundee Hills are quite accessible, my new site-uation gives me the ability to visit more isolated vineyards,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-42946170490660576862011-04-16T11:44:00.001-05:002011-04-16T11:51:25.533-05:00

The basic take I've heard regarding the Loire vintage of 2009 is that the vintage is quite full and ripe, with favorable warmth for the reds, perhaps over-warmth for the whites, and a fine September (and mostly fine October) for healthy grapes of all colors. But this is a generalization, and each wine will speak in its own voice, some to an extent that overturns expectations. Bernard Baudry

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-30900948215963662462011-02-17T22:01:00.008-06:002011-02-17T22:05:13.878-06:00

Now it's time to cover some whites I drank recently. Ilarria Irouléguy Blanc 2009 This white Irouléguy, a 50/50 blend of organically grown petit manseng and petit courbu, is one reason why I'll be posting more soon-ish on the wines of Southwestern France. It starts with tropical fruit on the nose (guava, passion fruit) and then, intriguingly, it goes all orchardy on the palate, showing crisp

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-58970476572505843122011-02-15T15:14:00.025-06:002011-02-15T15:14:00.272-06:00

Here are a few really cool reds I've had in the past two months. Different countries, different regions, different grape varieties, but each have strong, noble personalities that suggest great and long lives lived on their terms. If you don't like tasting notes, move along. Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 1998 I drank this elegant, beautifully poised VT in the heart of winter, just

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-69975396424897009242011-02-13T19:09:00.000-06:002011-02-13T19:14:17.453-06:00

Apologies if you're bored by coverage of the Beaujolais 2009 vintage, but I thought I'd toss in my two cents, anyway. Skepticism of hyped vintages is always warranted, even if the hype is not coming from the major magazines, especially as such vintages described as "easy" from the grower's perspective can be overly soft from my perspective. To take one small example, many 2005 Loire whites seem

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-35337957944209521442011-02-10T21:16:00.003-06:002011-02-11T08:03:18.052-06:00

As a sort of addendum to the roussanne blind tasting I hosted last summer I recently drank the 2008 Roussanne from Jean-Paul Brun. According to an article at Crush Wine's site this is the first commercial release of this steel-and-cement vinified Beaujolais-bred roussanne. Yes: roussanne from the Beaujolais, thus its Vin de Table label, as the variety is not recognized there. It's a bit north of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-34727634661944124702011-01-22T09:42:00.001-06:002011-01-22T09:46:21.465-06:00

It was dinner out with the family and I was expected to play sommelier. Murmurings in certain quarters of Washington State syrah, but I was having fish. Could I find something big enough for big-loving sis and everyone's meats, but delicate enough for my fish? Ah, here's Fèlsina's Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia, whose 2005 I thought terrific and 1995 phenomenal. But this one was from 2003, a

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-77173972717495770222011-01-12T14:54:00.053-06:002011-01-12T14:54:00.555-06:00

For its name, which translates to "acid black," you'd be forgiven for thinking that xinomavro is a Blue Cheer cover band. It is, rather, a red Greek grape that is said to resemble both pinot noir and nebbiolo. As I drink the one xinomavro I have ever had, the 2005 Xinomavro Naoussa from Katogi & Strofilia, I get the comparison. The sweet tannins, nutmeg-suggestive aromas, and soft earthiness of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-47527246932113773922011-01-10T20:50:00.003-06:002011-01-10T21:12:34.086-06:00

On this, the Day of the Duck, I could be posting about an Oregon wine. Quack to that! I'm sticking to the Loire. And this time, for what seems the Nth time, although it's probably only the third, the non-vintage brut Vouvray from François Pinon. I'm drinking a white in the winter and a sparkling wine on a Monday that's not a holiday and a French wine with nominally Italian food (pasta with

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-45688790697501590822011-01-06T22:27:00.002-06:002011-01-06T22:50:05.829-06:00

When I think of Anjou, one word instantly springs to my mind: schist; and in turn this makes me think of formidable, intellectual, occasionally stern wines. But I'm really in error to think that. Anjou is a geologically complex area, and even the tiny Savennières appellation is a complex melange of volcanic, metamorphic, and sedimentary-based soils. There's a rich seam of carboniferous soils in

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-82364746678242024652011-01-04T08:12:00.001-06:002011-01-04T08:17:37.081-06:00

I have decided that 2011 is going to be a great year. And to get the year kicked off, I'm going to fete this exuberant little number that I admittedly drank a few months ago but which would have been great over the last weekend. It's a wine that seemingly shouldn't be what it is, and is definitely what it says it is not. "Ceci n'est pas un rosé," says the Anjou producer Domaine des

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-41713016743079409732010-11-01T21:29:00.001-05:002010-11-02T08:53:46.492-05:00

Eric Asimov's mourvèdre-themed column today reminds me not only that it's been far too long since I've drank Bandol (my 2001 and 2003 Pradeaux are resting comfortably off-site) but that I should tell you about the newly-released 2006 Mediterranean Red from Sierra Foothills producer Renaissance, which was sent to me as a press sample a few weeks ago. The Renaissance vineyard is riddled with all

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-38123620030429351672010-10-21T19:45:00.004-05:002010-10-24T10:26:06.851-05:00

Just a few odds and ends. Many people agree with me that Remy Charest's article "Natural Wine: On a Practical Note.. may be the best article written of late on natural wine, as he highlights how the best practitioners are really quite pragmatic, if also dedicated and quite serious, in the way they make their wines. Really a must read. Of course, it's easy to nod one's head at this article, as

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-51169945164481905212010-10-19T20:47:00.002-05:002011-02-17T22:10:02.446-06:00

Tuesday nights are not for opening the best bottle of wine, but — correct me if I'm wrong here — we all hope for something not merely tasty, but something darn good, yes? I opened the following sub-$15 wines on various Tuesday nights and was happy with two of the three. Château de la Roulerie Anjou Rouge 2008 This cabernet franc comes from the schistous soils of St-Aubin de Luigné and it's

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-59309510249581317442010-10-14T08:12:00.001-05:002010-10-14T08:15:23.512-05:00

When I visited Clos Saron in the Sierra Foothills two years ago and first tasted the 2006 Home Vineyard Pinot Noir, I noted its restraint and purity but mentioned that it needed time, as the tannins and the finish were not yet resolved. The wine is now emerging — blooming, really — and it's clear that I didn't understand then how good this would become.I tasted this over two recent days, but even

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-71062080564043272562010-10-11T21:23:00.001-05:002010-10-11T21:37:43.264-05:00

Longtime Evesham Wood followers were likely surprised by the note that owner Russ Raney posted back in July: "After 24 years of a mixture of euphoria and despair (only a little bit of the latter) - Mary & I faced the golden opportunity to retire early... So as of August 2010, Erin & Jordan [Nuccio] will be the new owners of Evesham Wood Winery & Le Puits Sec Vineyard."Myself, I'd never had the

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-19859229393302290822010-10-05T20:32:00.001-05:002010-10-05T20:47:53.992-05:00

I snapped the photo at right two and a half weeks ago at Evesham Wood's dry-farmed home vineyard, Le Puits Sec. Flowering was extremely late in the Willamette Valley this year thanks to a very cool late spring and the cool conditions of summer further contributed to uneven ripening (see all them green grapes?) and the old "hens and chicks" phenomenon, wherein tiny, undeveloped berries are bunched

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-51667614007198247672010-09-28T22:48:00.012-05:002010-09-28T23:37:00.612-05:00

"Keep Portland Weird," goes the rallying cry, and Willamette Valley winemakers Barnaby and Olga Tuttle are doing their part. Let's count the ways.Barnaby and Olga use indigenous yeasts and neutral oak barrels to make wines of place / somewhereness. Nevertheless, they invoke yet another place by calling their company the Teutonic Wine Company.Their 2009 wines are actually labeled under the Schöne

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-70141516634908025592010-08-25T08:33:00.004-05:002010-08-25T19:24:41.729-05:00

In the wrong hands, the roussanne grape yields a wine of sweaty corpulence, a palate-flattening liquor oil. In the right hands, all that flesh can be allied with acidity, stone, and spice to render a taut grace. After experiencing deep and mineral roussannes from Renaissance and Château de la Gardine, I started to fixate on the possibilities. What can roussanne say? In what places and in

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-50620889261489279042010-07-26T19:01:00.000-05:002010-07-26T19:03:01.147-05:00

Follow me if you like at http://twitter.com/Wicker_Parker

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-35681701826016547072010-07-25T21:37:00.008-05:002010-07-25T23:51:43.757-05:00

If you have turned your back on what Bordeaux too often stands for, you need to know about Jérôme Saurigny. He did so literally in 2005, quitting his work there and turning instead to Anjou and making wine naturally on his own at Domaine Saurigny. On paper he sounds utterly crazy. Who in his right mind would macerate cabernet franc for four months without sulfur, CO2, or temperature control?

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-57845500644159555372010-07-05T13:48:00.003-05:002010-07-05T13:56:10.387-05:00

At last I reached the Mothership: the Loire Valley, home of my adored chenin, home of rare indigenous varieties secreted in small plots, and home to some of the most dynamic set of winemakers in the world, many of whom pursue natural winemaking in their own ways and on their own terms. As much as I would have loved to have visited the Touraine, I focused on the Layon because of its schist and

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-57684936805163179652010-06-28T08:14:00.002-05:002010-06-28T08:26:52.322-05:00

Much is made of the highway in Burgundy, the N74, that separates the flat terrain from the superior hillside terroirs. Although the same dynamic occurs in the Côtes du Rhône, the dividing line here is not a highway or even a single road but an interlocking set of north-south roads that run just east of the N977. Still, as I pedaled my hired bike from north to south and back again, the divide

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-44928786406969406262010-06-26T09:44:00.001-05:002010-06-26T16:04:00.529-05:00

Unlike in America, where tasting rooms abound, in France it's best to call a winery to arrange a visit. I did this in other parts of France, but for whatever reason, I didn't do that before visiting the foot of the Dentelles. So I had no idea what to expect when I rolled up to Domaine de Piaugier in Sablet and rang the bell.If I stumbled upon the winery accidentally, I didn't ring the bell

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-90763590095747422242010-06-23T07:55:00.001-05:002010-06-23T08:05:47.375-05:00

I may have been on a budget but I still wanted to get my food on, and Bistro du'O in Vaison la Romaine serves the kind of fresh and refreshing food I was looking for after a warm day of cycling and bus travel. To wit: an amuse bouche of mousse d'olive; a starter of smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese on toast, served with barely-dressed, slightly bitter, super-fresh greens; a beautiful duck

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-91619699752788716202010-06-20T17:35:00.001-05:002010-06-20T17:40:07.538-05:00

In the Luberon we bike from Apt to Lacoste and stay at Ferme L'Avellan, a small B&B and biodynamic farm run by the welcoming, gracious, and slightly eccentric Danielle Ravoire. What do I mean by welcoming and gracious? It turns out that the madame has baked us a lovely cherry dessert, a sort of baked custard tart, for no particular reason other than that we are guests. What do I mean by

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-68882733489676900312010-06-19T13:46:00.002-05:002010-06-19T14:26:19.514-05:00

I regret not snapping a photo of David Sabon when I had the chance. But he's the vineyard manager at Clos du Mont-Olivet, and as we neared the end of the tasting at the winery in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, he literally had to run out to a vineyard for some reason. I quickly got my camera in hopes of snapping a shot, but he was bouncing all over the place and then ah, alas, he was

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-7312267836807932752010-06-16T22:15:00.001-05:002010-06-16T22:24:45.596-05:00

Avignon is overpriced and less charming than we imagined and so we are happy to be biking up the right bank of the Rhône to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Here, on the back roads, it is quiet and gorgeous. The hills to the west may not be high but they are scrubby, rocky, and dramatically pitched. On the flats is farmland. Hedges are cropped into fifty foot high windbreaks to protect the cherry

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-9372552867868053582010-06-15T21:13:00.002-05:002010-06-15T21:37:14.168-05:00

Paris is eminently walkable, particularly given its size. I stayed at the Hotel Vieux Marais, just a few blocks from the Pompidou, and it was the perfect location: just ten minutes away from the Notre Dame, and then just a few minutes more to the Latin Quarter and the Sorbonne. 45 minutes to Belleville. And so on. I could eat breakfast on the run: pick up a clementine from the fruit stand,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-6798337599600791322010-06-13T11:57:00.003-05:002010-06-13T12:09:25.059-05:00

After having spent two weeks in France I realize how silly I was not to have visited sooner. On the other hand, if I believed in the notion that "all things happen for a reason," then this trip would be evidence, as almost every experience was great, I got lucky every time I needed luck, and the weather was either perfect or nearly perfect everywhere I went.And while almost every French person I

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-77304565962991083272010-04-27T19:55:00.004-05:002010-04-27T20:35:11.395-05:00

I want to talk about yeasts soon, but for now, two tasting notes.Clos du Mont-Olivet Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Montueil-la-Levade 2007I can't get over the creamy texture of this Clos du Mont-Olivet. Like a good cappuccino, a cream note is swirled effortlessly into a dark and slightly bitter base. Of course, there's more going on here than that — the nose shows dark fruit, dried herbs, rain

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-9275165963421568252010-03-25T20:39:00.005-05:002010-03-25T22:51:03.702-05:00

I'd like to deliver a big Bronx cheer to the distributor or shop (whichever applies) for ruining not one but two bottles of 2005 Chidaine demi-secs — both were heat-damaged beyond drinking — which incidentally ruined my planned "demi-sec faceoff" post. Nevertheless, I'm feeling pretty groovy this week. Health care legislation passed, I'm planning a trip abroad, March has (excepting today) been

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-76591844192231968592010-03-19T09:44:00.002-05:002010-03-19T09:51:46.403-05:00

How do you prefer to refer to the lowest-priced and most broadly available wines available from a winery? I don't like the term "entry level" as it says more about the relative price point than the wine. "Basic" doesn't work, as it implies mediocrity when that may not be the case, and the terms "domaine" or "estate" only work if the grapes are estate grown and if other estate-grown wines are

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-81918158693405146992010-03-16T19:15:00.006-05:002010-03-16T20:42:19.160-05:00

Why the blogs are not abuzz over the wines from Saumur's Domaine Guiberteau is beyond me. Nothing from even Jim's Loire or any other Loire-friendly, English language blog out there that I can see. The wines are a tad pricey (mid-20s), but they're worth it as far as I'm concerned. I'm very happy that my friend Erin turned me onto them!The wines are ultra-clean, but they are also naturally-made,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-38081787046434241872010-03-12T07:41:00.006-06:002010-03-12T07:53:08.810-06:00

Jim Budd on the insane proposal to limit Appellation Controllee Touraine to only sauvignon blanc:Sauvignon Blanc is popular now but a SOS (Sod off Sauvignon) movement may soon appear!I'd like to become a charter member. Where do I sign up?

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-49995378284021292262010-03-07T19:22:00.006-06:002010-03-07T20:11:48.939-06:00

I'm not sure why I'm watching the Oscars tonight — I don't like Steve Martin and several winners are practically preordained — but I nonetheless popped the cork on the Jean Lallement Grand Cru Brut green label (disgorged April 21, 2009) to help us along. Such a great wine, such great texture. It's like I'm biting into the crunchy texture and flavors of orchard fruits and honeycomb to release

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-15247360346668089912010-03-03T22:50:00.003-06:002010-03-05T15:01:51.349-06:00

When I first got into wine, and when I first found out about the reds from the Piedmont, I drank more barbera than I did dolcetto. And why wouldn't I? The neophyte follows the expert, and check out what the eminently reasonable Robinson and Johnson say in The World Atlas of Wine: "Barbera is now Piemonte's second most glamorous red grape... Piemonte's third red grape is Dolcetto." The

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-62688342903729491332010-02-18T19:12:00.006-06:002010-02-20T12:32:31.752-06:00

Renaissance makes some of the most distinctive wines in the US as well as some of the best, and as I've written before, their terroir's signature is carved into the wines, be they red or white, in stone and spice. And yet the more I come to know Renaissance and its wines, the more I've come to learn that they will in various ways surprise me, as do their latest releases (which, disclosure, I

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-65835174239159121442010-02-16T20:01:00.000-06:002010-02-16T20:02:10.266-06:00

I continue my quest to track down balanced, complex, traditionally-proportioned, terroir-expressive New World wines, and in that context (or in any other context, really) I'm very happy to have come across the 2007 Anaba Coriol Red Sonoma County.Made from 38% grenache, 27% mourvedre, 25% petite sirah, and 10% counoise, this Chateauneuf / Provencal-ish blend is rich and spicy, but it's also nicely

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-55644108593334561782010-02-13T10:31:00.001-06:002010-02-13T10:39:23.967-06:00

Dundee Hills producer Argyle makes a range of still wines but they are best known for their sparkling wines. Partly that's because few Oregon producers make sparkling wine, but Argyle's also receive a lot of acclaim of the "why-drink-Champagne-when-at-this-price" type as well as high scores in rags like the Spectre [sic].The first thing Argyle does after pressing is store the juice at a cold

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-8272495834812976112010-01-07T08:09:00.006-06:002010-01-07T11:16:31.881-06:00

2009 was nothing if not a challenging vintage in northern Oregon, as it was characterized by extreme heat spikes in late July and late August, a record number of 90+ degree days (24 vs. the usual 13), and hot conditions in late September when many were harvesting. Sifting through the official industry harvest report (PDF) I see mentions of dehydrated berries, high sugar and alcohol levels, and

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-50072865715470252742010-01-04T22:56:00.003-06:002010-01-04T23:39:47.969-06:00

Those of us who love balanced, complex, traditionally-proportioned, terroir-focused, affordable wines tend to flock to the Old World. This makes sense to a large degree. The history of wine production "over there" spans centuries and more, whereas winemaking in the New World goes back but a single century, and then usually not even that. So many of the most conscientious of winemakers here are

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-16030253976187451892009-12-23T22:58:00.000-06:002009-12-23T23:23:43.289-06:00

Pinot noir is frequently described as a "difficult" grape. That makes sense — it's literally thin-skinned, fussy in the vineyard, and requires the right conditions (and guiding hand) to yield a wine that's simultaneously deep and graceful. Grenache is never described as difficult, but in its own way it strikes me as just that. Grenache may grow easily and be found at a variety of latitudes in

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-21387137990511637602009-12-20T11:53:00.000-06:002009-12-20T12:43:09.592-06:00

I hit Avec with a few friends last Friday night and spotted a wine from Bea I'd never heard of before: the 2002 Rosso de Véo. I immediately made a few assumptions. First, I assumed that the 2002 vintage in Umbria was less than optimal, as I knew was the case in the Piedmont, the Southern Rhône, and in many other European regions south of the 47th parallel. Next, I assumed that as it was

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-6100817754375994732009-12-10T21:41:00.004-06:002009-12-10T21:56:54.539-06:00

With the wind chill making it feel like -3 Fahrenheit, is there any better time to be drinking Muscadet? Well, it's what I've been drinking the last few nights — specifically, Henri Poiron's 2008 Domaine des Quatres Routes Sèvre-et-Maine. The only background info I've found on this wine comes from Jim's Loire, and then only that this domaine (of the two that are Poiron's) is sited on schist, a

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-41349244090907090552009-12-05T10:42:00.003-06:002009-12-05T11:02:31.371-06:00

Last year I speculated that 2008 could be an interesting vintage in the Willamette Valley, as the long-range forecast called for a cool and dry summer. It turned out to be just that. In fact, winemakers were concerned that the delayed budbreak and the cool conditions combined would not allow the grapes to ripen properly, particularly if rain hit during harvest.Not only was there no rain at

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-24416721654989915582009-11-26T11:17:00.002-06:002009-11-26T11:44:40.261-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'm hosting a gaggle of people and I've been merrily planning and cooking for the last several days. For example, I've already made the broth for the mushroom risotto, baked the Indian sweet potato pastry spirals, cooked the fiery sweet potatoes which I'll broil right before the meal, and made the Indian-spiced bean and vegetable salad. Later today, I'll make

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-20164158162102699212009-11-14T12:53:00.000-06:002009-11-14T12:59:08.847-06:00

After I fell in love with dry and demi-sec Vouvray some years ago, I was driven to learn more about Loire chenin, and so I crossed the river to Montlouis and went downriver to Savennières. I began reading about reading about the nearby appellations, and soon enough my palate was making loop-de-loops throughout the Loire. Hello, Bourgueil, hello, Chinon, pleased to meet you. I was initially more

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-53700716718557753322009-11-08T20:31:00.000-06:002009-11-08T20:32:15.447-06:00

If acid is your crack, then set down that glass of Muscadet, stuff $20 in your pocket, and find the friendly local dealer who has a bottle of the 2007 Domaine Seguinot-Bordet Chablis to sell you. "Nervous" barely begins to describe it — it's more like electric. Zap!You may want to pick up some mussels on your way home and steam them with butter, for this is a delicate wine that's easily

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-48696861196519390952009-11-01T17:17:00.001-06:002009-11-01T17:29:58.162-06:00

It's a shame that zinfandel, a grape that even when rendered well does not make my favorite wines, is subjected to so much abuse by too many California winemakers. Most of these wines strike me as way overripe and overblown, and I've tasted a few that go even beyond that, as if they were chaptalized with blackberry pancake syrup. Too few producers, such as Ridge, produce more balanced

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-18394322669150748962009-10-24T17:35:00.001-05:002009-10-24T17:41:48.075-05:00

I visited a friend in Ithaca recently and we hit a couple of wineries on the southeast shore of Seneca Lake before we hiked up Watkins Glen (pictured at right). Our timing was great: we were swamped by heavy showers during the wine tasting, but the skies parted before our hike, just as we'd hoped.The Finger Lakes is of course known for its riesling, but it's tougher to ripen reds adequately in

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-15560589716291702512009-10-19T07:56:00.002-05:002009-10-19T08:39:52.381-05:00

There's a lot of economic pain in our future but I'm hoping we've started to turn the corner for real. Industrial production is "growing seriously fast," the dollar's decline will increase prices on imported wine but help US manufacturers and the workers they employ, and several people I either know or encountered just found jobs in the last week.To celebrate a good friend's newfound employment,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-54683734711220578362009-10-07T20:48:00.004-05:002009-10-08T07:41:16.494-05:00

Now here's something interesting: a totally dry white malvasia produced in the Piedmont. Malvasia bianco is widely found in warmer "Mediterranean" regions — it's relatively common in southern Italy and in Portugual, for example — and it's often used to make sweeter wines, such as Madeira.Malvasia bianco (there are red sheep in the malvasia family) is known to travel inland and north somewhat.

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-29407252504338470022009-10-04T11:57:00.000-05:002009-10-04T12:07:36.439-05:00

What's the difference between a "white pinot noir" and a rosé of pinot noir? It's a difficult question to answer, given that many labeled as white have a pinkish hue and even perform like rosé, and the techniques for making such wines are manifold. And some wineries may simply want to avoid the term rosé for marketing purposes. The amount of maceration time may be a good place to start. If the

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-2002729821142900432009-08-26T19:55:00.000-05:002009-08-26T19:58:18.563-05:00

Ain't talking 'bout no reefer, I'm talking about the 2007 Luca Ferraris Grignolino d'Asti. What an interesting wine — what with all the seeds that are apparently present in the grignolino grape, this is a tannic little number. Yet the Ferraris is delicate and stony like a Moulin-à-Vent. And then yet again, there's very little fruit here. There are suggestions of orange and cherry, but only

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-16829536941514090212009-08-16T20:02:00.000-05:002009-08-16T20:02:00.624-05:00

As if to prove that California wines can be, should be, and sometimes actually are complete, I am enjoying the 2003 Caparone Zinfandel. A mucklet of sediment splats onto my countertop when I pop the cork, and as I pour I see that the wine suggests fall, a pale rose petal color that foreshadows brown. It even smells slightly autumnal, like a redwood forest on the coast, an aroma that plays well

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-76813384302042551512009-08-13T08:36:00.008-05:002009-08-13T08:46:59.391-05:00

Cornelia was dutiful; that was the trouble with her. Dutiful and good: 'So good and dutiful,' said Granny, 'that I'd like to spank her.' She saw herself spanking Cornelia and making a fine job of it.— "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" by Katherine Anne PorterI rarely give Napa wines half a chance. I am — shall I admit it? — prejudiced. As in, I presume, prejudge. They're apt to be hot,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-86010878073880564182009-08-11T21:21:00.002-05:002009-08-11T21:28:17.208-05:00

Work's been pretty stressful lately, so I decided to treat myself to a dinner at Taxim. Rustic, ageless cuisine pulled into the 21st century by a young guy who visited every corner of Greece to understand the old ways? I was intrigued, and I hoped that Taxim's anti-orthodox (lower case o) sensibility would help pull me away from the chaos.My hopes were fulfilled. The food was, in fact, pretty

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-13677266515326055422009-08-10T20:29:00.000-05:002009-08-10T21:10:39.389-05:00

Lately I've been opening some nice bottles before their time. Willful infanticide, yes, but I've been in the mood to drink great wine and I've been wanting to conduct a real-world test on how the wines are holding up and how they will likely evolve, rather than rely on received wisdom, no matter how well-informed that wisdom might be.Château Pradeaux Bandol 2003I'm well aware of this wine's

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-60549699005131377262009-07-22T22:22:00.002-05:002009-07-22T22:41:44.934-05:00

I come to praise mildness and not to bury it. It's obvious that "gobs" of anything in wine can, like ultra-hot 5 alarm sauces that some people insist on dumping over their food, obscure subtler flavors, destroy balance, and/or mask that there's no there there. But while I am certainly tuned in to balance, it's still easy to latch onto relatively strong characteristics — great stoniness, zesty

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-18786152715623921242009-07-20T19:02:00.000-05:002009-07-20T19:04:10.393-05:00

The internets are alive with the sound of people clicking onto Bernard's great post on how Jackie Preys essentially resurrected the fié gris grape from oblivion. Click over to it now if you haven't already.I drank the very nice 2005 vintage a few years back and was fortunate to find the 2007 over the weekend. Fié gris is a cousin of sauvignon blanc and while the grape skins are rose-colored, the

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-30972843923190474072009-07-11T10:11:00.006-05:002009-07-11T16:39:20.901-05:00

Some people are acid hounds. Some people are fruit freaks. I'm a minerals guy (better term than "rocker"), which is why I liked the 2007 Château Moulin de Launay Entre-Deux-Mers, a snappy little white Bordeaux that's chock full of 'em. The Greffier brothers produce at least two wines, this Moulin ("mill") de Launay and a Tertre ("mound") de Launay. They farm a sum total of 75 hectares, 45% of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-63648708131973917162009-07-04T11:14:00.002-05:002009-07-04T11:45:42.513-05:00

I snapped the photo at right last September at J.K. Carriere's new, to-be-planted vineyard site in Oregon's Chehalem Mountain AVA. It's appropriate for two reasons. One, the weather in Chicago this 4th of July is not unlike the weather seen at right: cool and cloudy. Two, I'm celebrating America's birthday by writing about two dry American rosés from 2008."Oh, rosé," you say, contempt welling

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-73786336830329738682009-06-24T17:54:00.000-05:002009-06-24T17:54:00.298-05:00

I opened a bottle of Vincent Dauvissat's 2001 Chablis recently and I was looking forward to trying it, particularly as I've never had his classic wines. It was ruined! But was it corked, or was it prematurely oxidized? I couldn't tell.Now, I have problems identifying corked wines from the get-go; it typically takes me anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes to really know if a wine has that wet newspaper /

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-67156979409297573272009-06-22T19:29:00.004-05:002009-06-22T20:06:36.638-05:00

Ahhh, it's finally summer. For real. You'd think I'd bring a crisp white to a warm weather cookout but, ever the contrarian, I brought the 2006 Domenico Pennacchi Colle di Fontivecchie Umbria Rosso instead. It was a big hit. Noses dove into bowls, mine especially. "This is just stupid good," said my friend Erin, which sums it up if you're into the short version.The longer version is that this

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-82318996791590977612009-06-21T15:09:00.000-05:002009-06-21T15:10:33.541-05:00

It's time for another Demi-Sec Faceoff! In this corner we have an '01 spätlese from the Rheinhessen's own Fritz-Josef Schwibinger, and in that corner we have Philippe Foreau's '02 demi-sec from Vouvray.As a recap, my intent in conducting these faceoff tastings is not to declare winners and losers or otherwise place disparate wines into competition. Rather, my intent is to celebrate how

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-61486295600481431492009-06-20T19:37:00.001-05:002009-06-20T20:52:24.012-05:00

A friend turned 30 (oh, to be 30 again!) so I flew to NYC to help him celebrate. During this brief trip we went to August in the West Village for some dinner. Everything about the experience was terrific. We were ushered to the covered atrium out back and sat under a gorgeous, pale blue sky; the potted grasses lining the room lent a rustic feel without overdoing it. Correspondingly, we were

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-86659422133947096922009-06-07T14:49:00.003-05:002009-06-07T14:58:51.171-05:00

Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are now officially allowed in the Rioja DOCa. "With these new varieties we are trying to make Viura more fruity and fresh as that is what consumers want."Actually, that should be some consumers want fruity and fresh white Rioja, just as some television viewers want to watch Maury Povich.

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-71313098696027111112009-06-01T08:20:00.001-05:002009-06-01T08:36:35.057-05:00

Wow, I have not been keeping up on the blogging like I should. Here are some notes on a few good values I've had recently until I can get a more coherent article together.Willow Crest Pinot Gris Yakima Valley 2007A lot of pinot gris in the Northwest, and when it's done well, I really like it for its spicy orchard fruits. In too many bottlings, though, it lacks the zip and the verve I look for.

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-86860379579433526852009-05-26T18:47:00.007-05:002009-05-26T20:00:58.829-05:00

Balance, according to The Oxford Companion to Wine, is achieved when a wine's "alcoholic strength, acidity, residual sugar, tannins, and fruit, complement each other so that no single one of them is obtrusive on the palate." If I lustily second this notion, I think that the term "balance" can extend beyond those characteristics, and when you find a wine that exhibits a more unusual notion of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-77069044620939027162009-05-20T18:41:00.002-05:002009-05-20T19:29:01.744-05:00

I know I'm repeating myself, but I get slightly irritated when people criticize blowsy new world pinot noir-based wines as syrah-like. As in, "If I wanted a syrah..." The thing is, a self-respecting syrah can often be an elegant wine in its own right, no matter that it's darker (in all senses of the term) than a self-respecting pinot noir. It can simultaneously posess brawn and delicacy in

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-37764348950683482102009-05-04T21:02:00.005-05:002009-05-04T21:46:47.389-05:00

I'm nerdy to the point that I will plan social events around political happenings, so when my friend Shawn invited me for pork roast, steamed edamame, smashed taters, and Obama "100 days" news conference, how could I refuse? The only question is what I'd bring to drink. I went with lots of zeros that added up to much more than zero.Chateau Redortier Gigondas 2000Redortier is a somewhat unusual

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-56135364637098024152009-04-28T21:33:00.006-05:002009-04-28T22:46:04.388-05:00

My cat may ignore white Burgundy — he prefers beer and will happily if naughtily lick the lip of any open bottle — but I do my best to keep these wines in my orbit. With Burgundy's endless numbers of producers, most of who produce wines from a large number of climats, it's difficult for me to wrap my brain around the region. So my approach is to take it slow and tackle just a few producers at a

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-39125050999196692222009-04-23T22:37:00.003-05:002009-04-23T23:30:13.484-05:00

I'm a pretty green guy — never owned a car, ride my bike to work, buy organic produce, drink mostly natural wines, blah blah blah — but even I'm a bit startled by how Jim Loire is going on an absolute tear over the use of chemical weedkillers in the Loire (see here, here, and here, to name just a few) and compares such weedkillers to Agent Orange. Really, he puts Alice Feiring to shame — a

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-57224318900341430692009-04-19T10:51:00.001-05:002009-04-19T10:55:07.274-05:00

2002 is an oft-hyped vintage for the Willamette Valley, but is it even true, and what do people mean when they say it? I dunno about the first part of the question, as I don't have enough experience with the vintage. I can tell you that I'm skeptical of vintage guides. Many observers rank the warm (err, hot) 2006 vintage in the Willamette Valley considerably higher than the cool 2005 vintage.

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-13433092346261069662009-04-18T09:15:00.001-05:002009-04-18T09:15:00.665-05:00

I am generally skeptical of effusive happy talk, so I'll just warn you in advance that I have had a series of remarkable wines that can only encourage purple prose.For example, I cast as cold an eye as possible on the Dirler Riesling Bollenberg 2004, but all I could think was, "How can such a ridiculously beautiful, delicate, and multifaceted wine not be from a grand cru vineyard?" Dirler is a

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-45557279563288731152009-04-16T21:38:00.001-05:002009-04-16T21:46:25.735-05:00

Why yes, you silly bean, I in fact did visit Terroir when I was in San Francisco. It was a windy and gorgeously sunny Friday afternoon — days in the city hardly get better — and after walking the Mission and then perusing a lot of art downtown (the SF MOMA, the fabulous Crown Point Press gallery) I was ready for a glass or two. So I trotted down Folsom to pay the boys a visit.Guilhaume and Luc

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-5207571301865115232009-04-12T12:41:00.000-05:002009-04-12T12:49:57.161-05:00

I visited a friend in San Francisco, and among other things we camped overnight in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. I'm in pretty decent shape but hiking up and down and up and down the Santa Cruz Mountains left my calves feeling a bit sore even two days after the fact. So when I returned to Chicago, I decided to feed them a nice plate of noodles and beans pasta fagioli. I had a meyer lemon

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-84075810761785218162009-03-31T21:03:00.002-05:002009-03-31T21:08:46.318-05:00

Eric Asimov and crew just reviewed several 2007 German spätlaesen but I want to tell you about a dry (trocken) wine I had earlier this month. Not only is it terrific in its own right, at well under $20 it's considerably cheaper than the modestly sweet examples that the NY Times panel focused on, and spectacular given the price.Georg Gustav Huff Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Spätlese Trocken

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-89008742693786406652009-03-20T18:53:00.001-05:002009-03-20T19:01:09.876-05:00

Tonight's series finale of the new Battlestar Galactica marks the end of an era. Gotta have some bubbles to help wipe away our tears and to accompany all the deliciously evil acts that we'll undoubtedly witness. My friends need something deliciously drinkable and the bottle can't be too expensive — we're gonna watch TV, for cryin' out loud — but I'm not willing to sacrifice depth.The Château

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-26054618462966085382009-03-18T23:48:00.002-05:002009-03-19T07:51:54.008-05:00

It was difficult to meaningfully fulfill the North vs. South theme of Wine Blogging Wednesday 55. It sounds simple: Wine Case asked us to focus on "vinegrowing climate" and compare "how more northerly and more southerly vineyards produce different results with the same grapes."And thus the challenge. If I can find a syrah from the Northern Rhône easily enough, can I find a pure syrah from the

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-76077156232299687562009-03-17T18:40:00.005-05:002009-03-17T19:34:26.956-05:00

Transparency isn't just good for government and for financial institutions (cough, AIG, cough), it's good for wine. I like fruit as much as the next guy and don't usually take to truly austere wines, but my favorite wines show mineral energy and the stamp of place.As I've explained ad nauseum, Sierra Foothills producer Renaissance makes terroir-driven wines: the grapes are organically farmed (

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-48678469961419673462009-03-14T20:29:00.003-05:002009-03-14T20:36:13.754-05:00

I will soon have much more to say about the crop of new Renaissance releases, but just a quick note to say that their 2006 Roussanne Estate is just unreal. One of the most aromatically intense wines I've ever had and yet strikingly weightless. Yes, a weightless roussanne. More soon.

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-88377055597588221302009-03-12T19:58:00.007-05:002009-03-12T22:08:27.849-05:00

It's been an eon since the last demi-sec faceoff — high time for bout number three! In this corner we have a 2005 Vouvray from Domaine des Aubuisières, and in that corner a 1990 Spätlese from VDP producer Max Ferd. Richter. Touch gloves, gentlemen!Of course, this isn't actually a competition. These are of course very different wines, not least of all given the obvious age difference. Rather, I

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-48760168649964267982009-03-09T21:22:00.002-05:002009-03-09T21:34:24.152-05:00

Do you like a hit of eucalyptus or mint in your cabernet sauvignon? Do you appreciate the green bell pepper flavors you can find in Loire cabernet franc? I sure do. Such qualities are rightly damned when they reflect underripe grapes or the dilution caused by overly high yields, but in the right proportions these characteristics can be interesting, worthy, and true.I look for a hint of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-49646539544751153072009-03-03T21:56:00.000-06:002009-03-03T22:25:18.182-06:00

I can't get over how my friend Erin can't get over the notion that Savennières is, in Mike Steinberger's words, a wine like a cat. But then, I can't get over Savennières, period. Loire chenin blanc is one of my big touchstones so naturally Savennières is in turn one of my big touchstones. From these schist soils springs a wine like no other: expressive yet reserved, honeyed yet uncompromisingly

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-53264654949357990882009-03-01T15:40:00.002-06:002009-03-01T17:43:07.328-06:00

A few days ago I popped the 2007 Jean-Claude Thévenet Mâcon Pierreclos to see what was what. I promptly stoppered it: it was tighter than a bug's butt. Still, I liked the minerality I found and I figured, or at least hoped, the fruit would unfurl with a bit of oxygen.Yesterday I decided to give it another whirl and with it in mind I stopped by a nice take-out deli, where I picked up a filet of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-81089788335027496992009-02-26T17:16:00.001-06:002009-02-26T17:16:00.240-06:00

Since Eric Asimov recently complained about the dearth of sémillon in the US, I figured this would be a good time to check in on two sémillon-based whites from Renaissance: a varietal bottling and a Bordeaux style blend of sémillon and sauvignon blanc.I share Eric's complaint. Yep, I've been subjected to candied, stanky, pineapple-rotting-on-rainforest-floor white Bordeaux and faux Bordeaux, but

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-29939067616904864152009-02-25T19:10:00.002-06:002009-02-25T19:46:49.859-06:00

I was very surprised to learn this morning that my blog was picked as one of the four finalists in the American Wine Blog Awards' "Best Wine Reviews on a Blog" category. Many thanks to McDuff for nominating me in the first place and I'm honored that the judges plucked this blog from the obscure depths and placed it alongside much the better-known nominees in this category: Bigger Than Your Head,

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-66995865821559577872009-02-25T08:18:00.004-06:002009-02-25T19:53:22.402-06:00

I was lucky enough to taste the 2005 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia at the same Italian wine event where I tasted the De Forville Loreto. Fèlsina is often considered one of the top estates in Chianti, but they stand apart from the crowd particularly as they grow sangiovese — and nothing else. No cabernet, no merlot, no nothin' but sangiovese. And they grow it

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-56964773567303186492009-02-20T13:18:00.002-06:002009-02-20T13:57:49.462-06:00

Good crazy: via Decanter, it seems the Terre d'Asti is sponsoring a literary competition for pieces describing "the affinities between the Grignolino grape and football." Submit your piece by April 11. You know you want to!Bad crazy: also via Decanter, the French government has told its citizens that they should not drink wine. At all. "The Ministry of Health has published guidelines which

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-43573504633370646352009-02-18T21:28:00.002-06:002009-02-19T07:35:39.833-06:00

Barolo! Dolcetto! Asti, Alba, Langhe! This could be a cheer for the Piedmont, which more than any other wine region in the world — outside of the Loire, of course — showcases a stunningly diverse, interesting, and high-quality array of soils and grapes and wines. I adore so many of these wines when raised with care, from flirty Moscato d'Asti to zen-like Barolo, that it was difficult to choose

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-88192519733497027762009-02-02T18:44:00.000-06:002009-02-02T18:44:01.012-06:00

I picked up some Humboldt Fog and asked myself, "What to drink?" The obvious answer, for me, is a slightly demi-sec Vouvray, which makes for a magical pairing. But this time I opted for others' obvious answer: Sancerre.Over the years I've given little attention to Sancerre blanc given my lack of enthusiasm for sauvignon blanc in general. But as Jim Budd notes, "the Sancerres that are worth

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-60756429705204897492009-02-01T09:28:00.002-06:002009-02-01T09:28:00.133-06:00

I typically pair pizza with Italian reds. What could be more appropriate with an herbed, zingy, mushroom-laden pie than a fresh, earthy, acid-driven, modestly-priced rosso of the kind found up and down the boot?Still, there's a world of reds in the world, and no need to turn a good idea into a foolish consistency.I recently took a risk on two red Bordeaux. I say "risk" because I rarely find red

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-78375284488039022402009-01-31T14:32:00.002-06:002009-01-31T14:36:14.550-06:00

Airén is grown in huge quantities in La Mancha. In fact, by hectare count it's Spain's — and possibly the world's — most heavily planted grape, and yet we see little of it in the States. Perhaps that's because much of it is turned into brandy, and perhaps that's because it reputedly makes for a dull wine, as you might suspect from a white grape grown in a torridly hot region.And yet, the 2007

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-409827296302359442009-01-22T20:26:00.006-06:002009-01-22T22:14:24.535-06:00

Calling Dr. Debs and her fans! For $14 to $18 the 2004 Caparone Aglianico from Paso Robles is a hell of a wine, muscular and pretty like a gymnast. The aromas are exciting and intense: leather and violets for days, a beautiful Northern Rhône-like perfume. The wine shows excellent balance on the palate, with muscular and masculine tannins, robust and true acidity, good minerality, and exactly ripe

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-91366083835466829702009-01-20T20:19:00.004-06:002009-01-20T20:55:42.148-06:00

My recent silence ends tonight. Back to blogging.On a night like tonight, though, it's hard to put my feelings into words. And while I can try to find a wine for the occasion, there's no way that a wine can be as profound as Capital-H History. But I can try, right? So out comes the 2002 Mandois Blanc de Blanc Premier Cru Champagne.This is a reserved, low-dosage vintage Champagne that at six

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-34525037134878305062008-12-13T10:06:00.004-06:002008-12-13T11:41:56.246-06:00

I can't afford to drink the greatest Piedmont reds with any consistency — I have but three bottles of Barolo stashed away — and even the barberas from producers like Giacosa and Giacomo Conterno are special treats. Still, I'm not willing to settle for a simplistic wine; even a modestly priced dolcetto or barbera needs to be more than just juicy and vibrant. So I'm glad I recently found one of

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-770260288203705872008-12-06T09:20:00.001-06:002008-12-06T09:26:59.036-06:00

Many moons ago several of us went to Coast to eat sushi, drink wine, and celebrate my friend Kyle's birthday. What is it about women and sushi? We were some of the only men in there, and it's a pretty large restaurant. Maybe I should be asking why the men were so few. The sushi was fresh, the ingredients creatively assembled, the tempura perfectly light and crisp (I usually avoid tempura), and

Wicker Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976225032244371755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5854464425211571238.post-30228308364308276222008-11-30T21:48:00.003-06:002008-11-30T21:50:46.567-06:00

A new study has confirmed that red wine yields even more benefits than previously thought, per this article in The Onion.

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