| Treemoss2 |
Well, here is the question.
I'd like to know a chardonnay that has the flavor to match a good microbrew.
This in the sense that a good microbrew stands out from a Bud light sort of
thing.
I want a chardonnay with a good full flavor that is not light and fruity, but
more substantial. I want a chardonnay that mimics a chianti or a fat red
Italian or French table wine or in its roll around the mouth
friendliness/boldness.
I want a chardonnay that looks and tastes as golden as its color, a color that
does not need a tinted bottle to make it so.
Thus far, my gold standard is Mike Moore's 1988 Chradonnay. Since that goes for
$30 bottle and is not available in my area, I'd like to find a good
replacement.
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| Marcus Claudius Marcellus |
"Treemoss2" <treemoss2@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040302122635.12145.00000800@mb-m02.aol.com...
> Well, here is the question.
> I'd like to know a chardonnay that has the flavor to match a good
microbrew.
> This in the sense that a good microbrew stands out from a Bud light sort
of
> thing.
> I want a chardonnay with a good full flavor that is not light and fruity,
but
> more substantial. I want a chardonnay that mimics a chianti or a fat red
> Italian or French table wine or in its roll around the mouth
> friendliness/boldness.
> I want a chardonnay that looks and tastes as golden as its color, a color
that
> does not need a tinted bottle to make it so.
> Thus far, my gold standard is Mike Moore's 1988 Chradonnay. Since that
goes for
> $30 bottle and is not available in my area, I'd like to find a good
> replacement.
>
Um, well, I've found that most Chardonnays with the colour you describe are
fat, over oaked and boring. You should aim for a greeny-yellowish
complexion, minimal oak and nice acid. Like a Chablis or some of the cooler
climate Chardonnays coming out of Australian and New Zealand.
As for beer. The "microbrew" taste you say you like can be done on a "macro"
level. It's all about ingredients and attention to detail. Just because big
producers got away with selling us crap beer for so long doesn't meen that
good ol' microbrew flavour can't be achieved by the dominant beer companies.
I remember when "Redback" took off in Fremantle Western Australia, the
revolution conquered the whole nation and now some of the big companies are
making their own "microbrews".
Marcello
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| Tom S |
"Treemoss2" <treemoss2@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040302122635.12145.00000800@mb-m02.aol.com...
> Well, here is the question.
> I'd like to know a chardonnay that has the flavor to match a good
microbrew.
> This in the sense that a good microbrew stands out from a Bud light sort
of
> thing.
> I want a chardonnay with a good full flavor that is not light and fruity,
but
> more substantial. I want a chardonnay that mimics a chianti or a fat red
> Italian or French table wine or in its roll around the mouth
> friendliness/boldness.
> I want a chardonnay that looks and tastes as golden as its color, a color
that
> does not need a tinted bottle to make it so.
> Thus far, my gold standard is Mike Moore's 1988 Chardonnay. Since that
goes for
> $30 bottle and is not available in my area, I'd like to find a good
> replacement.
What area are you in? Sounds like it might be Australia. I have such a
wine available, but I'm in California - and you probably aren't. E-mail me
for particulars if you're interested.
Tom S
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| Treemoss2 |
I am in Colorado.
I only used the color/microbrew comparison in order to try and describe what I
was looking for.
What I do not want is a chardonnay that is light and "thin" on flavor, but
one that is robust and stands up to any red.
I'd know it if I tasted it.
I guess that is why the description of wines is so colorful.
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| Vino |
On Wed, 03 Mar 2004 06:19:12 GMT, "Tom S" <toms@spamlesspacbell.net>
wrote:
>
>"Treemoss2" <treemoss2@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:20040302122635.12145.00000800@mb-m02.aol.com...
>> Well, here is the question.
>> I'd like to know a chardonnay that has the flavor to match a good
>microbrew.
>> This in the sense that a good microbrew stands out from a Bud light sort
>of
>> thing.
>> I want a chardonnay with a good full flavor that is not light and fruity,
>but
>> more substantial. I want a chardonnay that mimics a chianti or a fat red
>> Italian or French table wine or in its roll around the mouth
>> friendliness/boldness.
>> I want a chardonnay that looks and tastes as golden as its color, a color
>that
>> does not need a tinted bottle to make it so.
>> Thus far, my gold standard is Mike Moore's 1988 Chardonnay. Since that
>goes for
>> $30 bottle and is not available in my area, I'd like to find a good
>> replacement.
>
>What area are you in? Sounds like it might be Australia. I have such a
>wine available, but I'm in California - and you probably aren't. E-mail me
>for particulars if you're interested.
>
What is this wine that you have available? Not that I'm interested in
buying such a wine; I'm just curious.
Vino
To reply, add "x" between
letters and numbers of
e-mail address.
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| Tom S |
"Vino" <ifw416@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:80jc40tkeec5cpkantit31c7lhg2bpdat8@4ax.com...
> What is this wine that you have available? Not that I'm interested in
> buying such a wine; I'm just curious.
[FWIW, I tried replying privately to Vino, but my message was bounced back
to me. I guess his e-mail address isn't valid... Tom S]
It's my IPO - so to speak. I've finally gone commercial, after making wines
for just family and friends since 1982.
I favor the big, fat, rich, buttery, oaky, take-no-prisoners,
stomp-all-over-wimpy-foods style of Chardonnay that they made in California
in the 1970s. You know - the ones the wine critics called "overblown" - as
though that were a _bad_ thing!
My 2002 Chardonnay is a cuvée from three Santa Barbara County vineyards:
crushed, cold soaked overnight, pressed, settled and fermented in 100% new
French oak, aged sur lie for 14 months, fined, filtered and bottled this
January. It's very nice already, but a year or two in bottle will be an
improvement and five to ten isn't out of the question. It's best with rich
dishes, like BBQ salmon or fettucine Alfredo. It drinks more like a red
wine than a white - and that's *exactly* what I intended!
I'm planning a Spring/Summer release. I haven't set a price yet, but
~$180/cs wholesale is a reasonable estimate.
Tom S
Château Burbank
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| Cwdjrx _ |
I well remember many of those huge Chardonnays from the 1970s. For all
of their initial power, many in this style from Napa did not age well -
perhaps the climate was a bit too warm and the grapes lacked acid.
However David Bruce made several wines, including Chardonnay, that were
as big and full as I have ever tasted. The grapes from the Santa Cruz
mountains that Bruce often used gave a very powerful Chardonnay that
often lasted well. Selection of grapes from Santa Barbara by Tom may
turn out to be a good choice for this style of wine. My favorite current
California Chardonnay is one of the several reserves that have been
produced by Au Bon Climat from grapes in some of the best vineyards of
the area. These wines have much acid when young and require some age for
my taste. I have tasted several that have held up for over 10 years. Au
Bon Climat reserve Chardonnays are big wines having about the power of a
Batard Montrachet, but they are not in the huge style of the 1970s from
David Bruce, for example. Good luck, Tom.
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| Tom S |
"Cwdjrx _" <cwdjrxNOSPAM@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:23055-4046E812-159@storefull-3174.bay.webtv.net...
> I well remember many of those huge Chardonnays from the 1970s. For all
> of their initial power, many in this style from Napa did not age well -
> perhaps the climate was a bit too warm and the grapes lacked acid.
> However David Bruce made several wines, including Chardonnay, that were
> as big and full as I have ever tasted. The grapes from the Santa Cruz
> mountains that Bruce often used gave a very powerful Chardonnay that
> often lasted well.
Funny that you should mention Bavid Bruce. His 1972 Chardonnay is the first
I ever tasted, and it was *spectacular*! That, and a few others like the
1972 Montelena, 1972 Mayacamas, 1973 Heitz Z32 and 1976 Martin Ray "Winery
Lakes" have become my benchmarks. There was also a Bâtard Montrachet
somewhere in that time period that really impressed me, but at the time it
was a lot more expensive than the others.
It's a pity that David Bruce didn't stick with this style, and I suppose
that's one of the reasons I've tried to pick it up and carry it on.
> Good luck, Tom.
Thanks! I've been lucky with my 2002, but I also put a _lot_ of hard work
and long hours into it (not to mention $$$). All I need now is customers so
I can keep doing this...
Tom S
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| Treemoss2 |
Tom,
Do you have location of your winery? And do you have website?
I'd be interested in being a customer. Maybe a trip out to you when you release
this wine.
<<<<<>My 2002 Chardonnay is a cuvée from three Santa Barbara County vineyards:
>crushed, cold soaked overnight, pressed, settled and fermented in 100% new
>French oak, aged sur lie for 14 months, fined, filtered and bottled this
>January. It's very nice already, but a year or two in bottle will be an
>improvement and five to ten isn't out of the question. It's best with rich
>dishes, like BBQ salmon or fettucine Alfredo. It drinks more like a red
>wine than a white - and that's *exactly* what I intended!
>
>I'm planning a Spring/Summer release. I haven't set a price yet, but
>~$180/cs wholesale is a reasonable estimate.
>
>Tom S
>Château Burbank
>
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