NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2200
 | | 01/09/2004 4:49 PM |
| Can you separate the wine from the experience? and, does it really matter?
MadameNCVL and I travel all over Northern California visiting wineries and expanding our knowledge of wines, wineries and regions. Some of these trips are strictly tasting trips while other are romantic weekend getaways with wine tasting. The best Chardonnay I have ever had was a 1997 Christine Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay from the Anderson Valley region near Mendocino. I picked up this bottle on one of the most romantic and memorable weekends we have shared. Does it matter to me that this may or may not be a 90+ point Chardonnay? Nope, the minute I see that label I am instantly trasported back to that weekend
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Bradley Molzen
Bayonne, NJ
Wine Lover
Posts:4972
| | 01/09/2004 5:20 PM |
| NCVL,
I think it depends on if you want to or not! When I'm trying to write a TN for this forum I'll try to separate the experience from the wine itself, but it's difficult for sure. Back at a Green Gables dinner, friends all around, the best Pinots I've ever had in my life, combined with great food, Ridel Burg Soms, etc... I was extremely excited!! Did I over rate that '93 Arnoux?? (I always go back to that wine for examples) Maybe.... maybe not... But the experience surrounding it sure made that wine super memorable and damn it was good.
That doesn't mean I won't get excited about a wine while at home..... along.... bored.... doing nothing..... hehehe. That Ramey was awesome too!
So anyhow, I see your point. That Chard must've been tremendous at that moment in time. :-) | |
If you drink wine, you get smarter.... | |
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DJ Hombre
Napa Valley, California
Barrel Filler
Posts:1360
| | 01/09/2004 7:48 PM |
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I don't think ratings mean a damn thing if you like the wine or not. Do you taste a bottle, buy it... then when you're home go look up the reviews on it? Do you get disappointed that it received a less than 90 score?
An example with me would be Caymus Conundrum. Doesn't exactly get stellar ratings, but I still buy the stuff. | | | |
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Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 01/13/2004 1:23 AM |
| I have a real problem differentiating the wine from the expirience unless I am actually trying to "taste" the wine as opposed to drinking it. ON new years day this year I had 11 btles of wine with my girlfriend and two mates (one a winemaker). By the end of the day the notes had "diluted" In to YUM!...Good..etc....rather than a diverse breakdown of flavours and aromas.
We were merry but not stupidly intoxicated.. we were drinking for 11 hours so one bottle an hour wasn't too bad.
The fact we were on a beach front unrivaled in the world (I reckon ) may have something to do with it.
Heres a link to some good photos and stuff of Waiheke for anyone interested (a couple of Vineyard shots to.) These aren't personel photos just better than mine.
Waiheke Guide
Photo number 5 is the beach we stayed on..but it doesn't do it justice. The beach is about a kilometer long. We were staying at the Onetangi Beach Front Apartments. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10573
| | 01/13/2004 1:37 AM |
| | Wow - that is some ugly real estate. NOT! It is very beautiful. | | | |
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Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 01/13/2004 1:48 AM |
| | Otis is going there before we meet up for diner. | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11833
| | 01/13/2004 10:15 AM |
| | Jeremy... What do they put in the water to make it so blue???? | | | |
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ormbee
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2397
| | 01/13/2004 10:19 PM |
| | I would not even want to separate wine from experience. I feel it is simply an integral part of the experience. Wine speaks to me as each bottle can be made into an event. The event will always be more memorable than the drink itself. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Master of Wine
Posts:12891
| | 01/13/2004 11:02 PM |
| ormbee,
its amazing how when you think of the event you can almost taste the wine again. | | | |
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ormbee
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2397
| | 01/13/2004 11:08 PM |
| Quote:
ormbee,
its amazing how when you think of the event you can almost taste the wine again.
Absolutely!!!! | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15709
| | 01/13/2004 11:14 PM |
| You may be missing the point of this thread IMO.
The question relates to if you make a TN with a score. Are you able to remove the outside influences (good or bad) and objectively think only about the wine.
I know I have a hard time doing this. When I'm having fun it is hard for me to give a good evaluation of the wine. I have to "get rid" of the fun and concentrate on exactly what I see, smell and taste in the wine. | | | |
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ormbee
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2397
| | 01/13/2004 11:17 PM |
| Quote:
You may be missing the point of this thread IMO.
The question relates to if you make a TN with a score. Are you able to remove the outside influences (good or bad) and objectively think only about the wine.
I know I have a hard time doing this. When I'm having fun it is hard for me to give a good evaluation of the wine. I have to "get rid" of the fun and concentrate on exactly what I see, smell and taste in the wine.
I think I got that, and I believe for me it is impossible. My tasting notes tend to get tothe major features of the wine, but I also include the event surroundings, as they definately influence my positive/negatie reaction to features in the wine. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15709
| | 01/13/2004 11:22 PM |
| But ormbee, how can I read one of your TNs then and really know whether to go buy the wine or not? I will not be able to duplicate your outside influences that you were in when I drink it. Therefore I may or may not be able to agree with your TN. I want to know what the wine will be like if I drink it under my bed all by myself.
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ormbee
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2397
| | 01/13/2004 11:33 PM |
| Quote:
But ormbee, how can I read one of your TNs then and really know whether to go buy the wine or not? I will not be able to duplicate your outside influences that you were in when I drink it. Therefore I may or may not be able to agree with your TN. I want to know what the wine will be like if I drink it under my bed all by myself.
Hee, No one should be reading my tasting notes.
Seriously, the only reason I take them is so I can read them later and remember the bottle/event. Kind of like a yearbook. I am not keeping them for tasting reference. Maybe as I get better at this, I will be more technical. Right now it is a much more touchy/feely experience for me. But, now I see your point. The question was directed at people who take real tasting notes, so my reactions probably don't fit. | | | |
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Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 01/14/2004 12:14 AM |
| Good enough reason for doing it in my view.
AS for us Davidn, we can read them and drink them with good friends and I am sure that that expirience will be great enough to discover the same expiriences that Ormbee found in the wine. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Fermenter
Posts:672
| | 01/14/2004 9:25 PM |
| Jeremy,
Thanks for posting that link to Waiheke. I cannot even begin to dimensionalize how good that looks to me right now, while dreading the walk to my car on a gloomy damp sub-freezing day!
The Wine Gods are shining on me for my upcoming trip. Not only do I get to revel in the company of Jeremy and his wine mates on Saturday, but the annual Waiheke Island Wine festival is going on that weekend. My Aussie colleague and I will make a day of it on Sunday Feb 1st. I don't know if we'll kill 11 bottles, but we'll give it solid effort, to be sure.  Thank God for the free shuttle buses between venues!
Cheers,
Otis | | | |
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jaimetown
DC area
Wine Bottler
Posts:3411
| | 01/14/2004 9:36 PM |
| | Jeremy, I will get down to New Zealand before I die and we'll have to lift a glass or two together. | | | |
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gus fleener
gilroy
Barrel Filler
Posts:1343
| | 01/14/2004 9:43 PM |
| jeremy, stop posting pictures like that  . otisabdul, shut-up about this trip already  . i'm so damned jealous i can hardly stand it.
actually, you guys have lots of fun & drink lots of wine & post plenty of pictures . | | | |
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Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 01/14/2004 10:04 PM |
| Otis you'll be helping and others kill 8 or so bottles on the night before...I am sure you two can finish off another three by yourselves!!!
I can think of a ocuple of times it was remarkably easy to separate the tasting and drinking of wine from the expirience of drinking it.
We were at a JAzz concert and a a friend had bought wine. I regret ever accepting the offer. He had thought a nice Rose would be good. I agreed as it was hot and a Rose sounded great...that was until he pulled Mateaus Rose from the bag...........The expirience of jazz and friends was great...the wine was goddam awful. I don't think any expirience could've improved that slush. | | | |
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Budman
Master of Wine
Posts:11833
| | 01/14/2004 10:32 PM |
| Gus...
I get jealous everytime you post that you had to work late and stop off for great food on the way home  !!! Droooooooooool! | | | |
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