Browsing CategoryWhat We Drank

What we Drank (November 16, 2009)

We have a shorter than usual list of offerings for What We Drank this week. Bryan has been busy changing diapers and Lenn only drank local this weekend — and wants to save those reviews for standalone posts. At least we're back to wine this week for Julia. From Tom Mansell: Jordan 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Every now and then, you get a nice surprise.  I had this wine at a friend's steak-filled birthday party and I should note that gatherings at this particular friend's house are usually more of the Keystone Light variety than the aged California Cabernet…

What We Drank (November 10, 2009)

As I, and no doubt you, have come to expect, we're drinking a wide array of beverages from a diverse group of locales. Some were better than others of course. From Lenn Thompson: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Haven The folks from Shinn Estate Vineyards are good at proving me wrong. Okay, that's probably an overstatement, but they sure are good at keeping me honest about making generalizations. I shouldn't make them at all. I thought that some wineries went overboard in 2005, trying to make wines that aren't true to the region and its signature style. Shinn's 2005 show restraint…

What We Drank (October 26, 2009)

As always, a diverse group of libations from our editors and contributors. From Evan Dawson: Caymus Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Let's talk a bit about acidity. I often hear people who drink warm-climate wines profess their love for acidity and balance, and yet when they drink New York wines they tend to remark on the crackling acidity as if it's too much to handle. I think there's a good chance that they're simply not accustomed to the real deal, and they're certainly not getting it in wines like this. That's not to say this isn't a good wine. It's beautifully…

What We Drank (October 5, 2009)

This is what the editors and contributors to the New York Cork Report were drinking last week. From Evan Dawson: Chateau Batailley 1982 Pauillac When I've had a rough day at work, I tend to behave irrationally if I'm in a wine shop that evening. You can only imagine what kind of day I had last Thursday, when I found myself involuntarily measuring the ullage on a number of older Bordeaux.  I regret to say that this bottle was not exactly what I was seeking. It was, stunningly, as fresh as grapes picked straight from the vine. Well, almost. The…

What We Drank (September 21, 2009)

As is often the case, we have a diverse group of wines this week, including some varieties that are most definitely off the beaten path. By Bryan Calandrelli: Lagunitas Brewing Gnarly Wine When your weekend schedule consists of painting and watching football, there's only one beverage that will do — beer. And what does a wino want to drink when he needs to drown his painting sorrows? A Lagunitas Gnarly Wine barley wine. Aromas of sweet caramel and citrus in the glass along with plumy fruit and spice notes as well. A mouth-filling texture and full-bodied palate made this a…

What We Drank (September 14, 2009)

From Bryan Calandrelli: Taylors Fladgate Quinta De Vargellas Vintage Port 1995 Once again my WWD selection comes from a passive aggressive co-worker that opens up one of his private collection wines every time I can't make it to work. This wine, unlike the others, didn't lose much after a few days uncorked, so by the time I got to drink it, it was still kicking. Taylor's Fladgate Quinta De Vargellas Vintage Port 1995 is by far the most impressive Port I've ever had. Its huge black fruit aromas and voluptuous mouthfeel immediately sold me on the idea of keeping a…

What We Drank (September 7, 2009)

Happy Labor Day, everyone. We hope this long weekend meant lots of delicious, locally focused meals and drinks. It would appear that only Evan and I are chiming in with What We Drank this week, but coincidentally, we both picked local wines (a rarity) and both happen to be from the 2001 vintage. Evan Dawson: Miles Wine Cellars 2001 Milestone You've had that feeling before. That moment when you grab a bottle of wine from your cellar and say, "Where the heck did THIS come from?" My wife and I have no idea where we got this bottle of '01…

What We Drank (8/31/09)

Evan Dawson: Jaquesson 1996 Champagne Thank you Alice Feiring. See, my wife grew up in a family that drinks Champagne at every holiday. Christmas. Thanksgiving. Easter. Arbor Day. Bastille Day. So, she enjoys sparkling wines more than I do, but she wanted to break into a different realm. That's where the wine world's most ardent naturalist came in. After reading Alice's book I tried to track down any of the small production, more natural Champagnes mentioned in her book. This was the only one I could find, and even then I had to have it shipped from NYC. It was…

What We Drank (8/24/09)

With the exception of our friend Jason up in Syracuse, it sounds like we all tasted some pretty good juice last week. Bryan Callandrelli: Miles Wine Cellars 2006 Cabe With the obvious buzz regarding the 2007 vintage reds, it's ironic that after tasting dozens of them, I chose a 2006 red as one of the few bottles I brought home from the Finger Lakes Wine Festival. After a lighting-fast flight through Miles Wine Cellar's selections, I found this 100% Hungarian Oak cabernet franc to be a steal at the festival price of 2/$20. With aromas of blackberry, pepper and leather…

What We Drank (8/17/09)

Once again, we have a wide array of wines — German riesling, Washington State cab, Finger Lakes riesling and a Blaufrankisch from Austria. Isn't wine fun? Bryan Calandrelli: S.A. Prum Wehlener 2001 Sonnenuhr Auslese  A coworker of mine has gotten into the habit of opening up a nice bottle of wine every time I back out of working a day I was scheduled for. This time I managed to find the remnants of this bottle before someone else finished it. He's always buying premium wines that come from respected Old World producers so anytime I get to taste them it's…