Ryan’s musings on Grammy & wine
January 18th, 2009
Last Saturday we celebrated my grandmother’s (Grammy) 80th birthday. Most of my family is into wine so I knew it would be an excellent opportunity to grab a smattering of things from the store and try them side-by-side. Also, my uncle who is originally from Washington has grown interested in Oregon Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. I told him at our Christmas gathering I’d bring a couple nice Pinots to try. It’s a red wine group but I threw in a white just in case.
Here’s the Grammy birthday line-up:
Domaine des Cassagnoles 2007 – Gascogne $10.50
Lurton Malbec Reserva 2006 – Mendoza $15.50
Spada 2006 – Toro $12.25
Thibault Liger-Belair “Les Grand Chaillots” 2006 – Cote d’Or $28.75
Panther Creek Winemaker’s Cuvee 2005 – Willamette Valley $31.00
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The Cassagnoles has zippy acidity and went over well, even with those that like whites with some sweetness. I sometimes find that acid driven whites provide a nice transition for wine drinkers who are looking to graduate from the sweeties. The crispness gives them something obvious to latch onto.
New to the store shelves is the Lurton. I had tasted it a few months ago with other Argentinian Malbecs and thought it was appropriately priced. It’s complex and interesting~ A nice step up from ten dollars without having to shell out $20. Both my older sisters liked it a lot. I always have a difficult time finding wines both they and I enjoy, so I was pleased.
We didn’t end up opening the Spada, a Tempranillo from Toro. Its screwcap did germinate an interesting discussion on wine closures. The wine is rich and plush, especially for the price. When I want to bring an impressive wine to a social gathering that is affordable, I grab this.
I grabbed the Thibault Liger-Belair to represent French Pinot Noir. We got the wine as part of a direct import (DI) offering. I leave an explanation of DIs for a future post. Needless to say, wines that we purchase this way provide an excellent value to customers because we pay less for them, ergo, you pay less for them. The Thibault was a more delicate wine with more floral notes and softer red fruits. The nose was extremely ‘poopy’ (it’s a good thing!), which was extremely amusing for me as I grossed out my younger sister.
Oregon Pinots were represented by Panther Creek. I have had both the ‘05 and ‘06 now and despite the price tag, I actually think it’s a bargain. The Panther Creek is much more opulent and dense then the Belair. It ended up being the overall winner of the evening.
We all had a good time and the wine proved to be a focal point of many discussions. Rarely when I bring wine to a function do I bring all the same varietal. I find it’s a lot more fun to try different wines side by side and when the venue is perfect. Here’s to Pinots and Grammy’s birthday!
