Archive for the ‘Happenings’ Category
my beef with Moore Bros.
t says: This post might hurt my credibility among wine enthusiasts in the Philly-SoJo area, but I have to do it … Here goes nothing …
I, like many others, frequent a cool little wine store called Moore Brothers. Right across the Ben Franklin Bridge, tucked away in an office park in Pennsauken NJ, is an entire store that is kept at “ideal wine temperature” (~55/56 degrees). It’s a pretty cool idea, and it gets the proprietor major points from wine geek customers. On top of that, co-owner Greg Moore has a lot of Philadelphia-centric history, having been sommelier at Le Bec-Fin back in its hayday, when it was the super-awesomest-restaurant-in-all-the-land. Then when he and his brother opened up Moore Brothers, it had this kitchy little shtick where it was going to sell little-known wines that offer bang-for-the-buck and were the exclusive product of sincere relationships with the growers/producers/winemakers. It was almost like you were directly supporting the farmers, themselves – kinda like a CSA … for wine … from other countries … And the staff is always very courteous and willing to help out in anyway they can, especially because the selection is so limited and there are no shelf-talkers.
a and his dad are big Moore Bros (MB) fans, and I have to say that I, too, have been known to buy quite a bit from MB (at current count, I have 7 bottles from them on hand). The cause of our addiction is those accursed emails … you see, if you get on the mailing list, your inbox gets filled to the brim with these lovely messages from Greg Moore. He talks about such-and-such vintner with whom he’s sharing a rack of lamb in Loire, or so-and-so farmer with whom he’s walking up and down the rows of vines in Bordeaux. Other times, he talks about eating at Philly restaurants like Russett and Bistro St. Tropez, so it’s like he’s “one of us” (except we’d never go to Bistro St. Tropez). And the descriptions! The descriptions! I swear that every wine he has ever sold has been the best wine ever made …
Want an example? You know you do. This one is probably my favorite example of a “gregmoore” (this is a new noun that we’ve made – let’s see if you can define it by the end of this post.)
gregmoore part 1: All MB emails like to open with something that makes you wish that you were Greg Moore. Wouldn’t you, too, like to visit a chateau and dine in the glorious outdoors with winemakers? Of course you do! So do I! And then maybe there’s a subconscious implication that gets buried in your brain: if I buy this wine, I can be like Greg Moore. I could be dining with the people in the picture! I could capture their happiness with a single glass of this wine. And who doesn’t want a glass of pure happiness? … Oh – wait – the wine! Yes! That’s right! This email is about wine. Note how nothing is actually mentioned about the wine or vintage or anything … not yet … all that gets saved for the second half of his email – you know – just in case you were planning on drinking the contents of the bottle and not just rubbing it to wait for a genie to pop out so you can wish for that magic carpet to get you to Provence ..
gregmoore part 2: Ah, there we go – the second part. Whereas the first part’s goal was to get you in the mood, the second part is where he puts on the moves. The words begin to fly, making you lust for the wine in question. “Cowboy dreamer” turned winemaker. “Incredible, park-like estate”. Perfect “physiologic maturity”. “Organic” practice, with a twist of “biodynamics”. And then the bolded words: “polished copper in candlelight” “wild strawberries” “apricot skin”. I mean, while I may be guilty of picking weird flavors in my descriptions, Moore’s descriptions are more elaborate than that for a J. Peterman Himalayan Walking Shoe (Seinfeld, anyone?).
But you know what – I’m actually ok with gregmoores like the above. I like the romanticism, the enthusiasm, the fun. I even loved it when MB would take pot-shots at other wine critics, especially Parker, as it meant that at least they had a firm opinion on what they felt were good wines, and what they felt were overrated wines. And even as I grew weary of the gregmoores in my inbox over the years, I was still a fan of their tastings and great meet-the-maker visits (when I could make them), so it was worth keeping in the loop. Plus, I have to say that MB does have some great wines (e.g. every Riesling that a picks up from them) that justify all of the other verbosity.
BUT …
There is one thing that has made me swear off MB – and I’ve seen it time and time again:
Greg Moore’s take on the 2012 Chablis b Domaine Pinson …
… is identical to his take on the 2011 Chablis from Domaine Pinson! Someone went through the effort to change the date of the Greg Moore tasting note, but not actually any of the description! For Shame! If it’s just recycling the vintner’s note, then say so (but even still, the vintner’s note shouldn’t be the same from year to year!).
Electronic gregmoores are also similarly recycled! I must have read the same frickin’ grain-of-salt email 4 times over the years (those who are on the email list know exactly what I’m talking about). And should he be writing about a new vintage from the a producer written about in the past, much like the above, they reuse the SAME tasting note! I understand that producers try to carry forward very similar styles of wine from year to year, but not every year is going to have “Braeburn apples, hazelnuts, apricots, and brioche moving in and out of the foreground”. Maybe one year it’ll be a Pink Lady apple, or a Gala apple, or a frickin’ Red Delicious! All this has made me sad. I trusted MB to be on my side. Yes, that’s naive as hell (MB is a business, after all), but I at least wanted honesty out of the relationship. You may have some great wines in your store, sir, but it doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me. It’s over. I’ve unsubscribed from your emails, moved all of your past emails to my spam folder, scorned you on my blog, and deleted your number from my iPhone. (And I’m keeping your wine.)
lightning strikes again
t says: So, as I had foreshadowed at the end of the last post about PLCB’s 2011 Broadside Cab, I went back to buy another bottle to have as a good back-up. And while that seems easy enough, I happened to go on Valentine’s Day…
BIG.
MISTAKE.
(… HUGE!)
(g interrupts: t doesn’t understand how funny it was to reference this Pretty Woman line on Valentine’s Day … like in the movie Valentine’s Day)
The cashier line went straight across the store and curved down one of the aisles to the front windows. As I looked out the window with my bottles in hand, I couldn’t help but curse my bad luck and what would undoubtedly be a waste of precious Valentine’s Day time (g was cooking a splendid meal at home). An unintended effect of the line was that I was given the opportunity to essentially “tour” the store but looking up and down every aisle and reading every Chairman advertisement … smirking and muttering wise-ass remarks under my breath (I couldn’t help myself – the line put me in a foul mood) …
But then one wine caught my eye:
I’ve been really getting into some California wines that have been using Italian grapes, so this would be like Italians using … well … kinda-California grapes (not really – this region in Italy has been using sauvignon blanc, or “SB” as I’ll abbreviate it, for a while). And it was on sale! And those who know me know that I have really poor impulse control when it comes to sales (my entire work ensemble is composed of clothes I bought on sale – not one item was purchased not on sale, from shirt to shoes, outerwear to socks). Upon seeing this wine, a battle ensued on my shoulders: the angel shouted loud and clear, “don’t be stupid! don’t be stupid! it’s a ‘Chairman’s Selection’! you hate the Chairman!”, while the devil whispered, “but what if it’s delicious? maybe a will call it ‘impressive‘ and you’ll call it ‘interesting‘? and it’ll be a wine you found in a state store. and it’s inexpensive ... and then you can blog about it. you know how much you like that …” With logic like that, how could I say no? Sorry angel, you lose again …
A few days passed, and, because g was prepping us up some lovely lemon-accented sockeye salmon (a real treat!), I pulled out the d’Attimis SB, ripped off the peculiar pre-perforated foil, corkscrewed out the cork like it was my job, and splashed some into our glasses. It was time to test the Chairman again. As I swirled, a nose wafted up out of the stemware with stone fruits (peaches), citrus fruits (lemon), pineapple, and a bit of fresh-cut-grass. It was not at all what I was expecting, as Italian whites, for me, are often a bit more floral or a bit more rustic (hay … lots of hay), not necessarily tropical fruity … but I’ll take it! And as I swished, the same flavors came through on the palate as well, with a lovely mouthwatering effect and smooth viscosity. I swore it was a New Zealand sauvignon blanc … a good New Zealand SB. Maybe I opened the wrong bottle? Maybe someone was playing a joke on me? (I know it’d be the kind of joke I’d like to play on others … right, a?). I said, “hmmm” so as not to let on to my enjoyment and eagerly waited for g’s reaction. The result: “oh this is good! passionfruit! how much was it?” Game-set-match – g likee (but I’ve never had real passionfruit before, so I don’t know what exactly that tastes like, but I trust g ‘implithitly’ (that’s another movie reference/joke)).
Now, keep in mind that g and I are sauvignon blanc fanatics. We like them juicy and very zippy. We like them with minimal oak, and if they have a dose of petrol or linoleum, all the better! If you want some kind of full-bodied, fleshy, vanilla-laden Chardonnay, this wine will rub you every which way but right. But if you’re the kind that reaches for Kim Crawford as a “go to” white, then this will be right up your alley. But be careful – there is a shocking amount of acidity that feels like lightning in your mouth on the finish. Basically, if you ever needed an eye-opener of a wine to wake you up in the morning (not that I endorse AM drinking), this would be it. This producer also makes a pinot grigio and cab sauvignon blend (more on that below).
Could it be? The PLCB is now 2 for 2 in terms of wines that I’ve taken a chance on and been impressed! And, this wine seems to be in great abundance at the 20th and Market store, as it’s on the butt-end of an aisle with a big Chairman’s note placard (i.e. not on one of the shelves along an aisle with the other wines), so I look forward easy access for some time. So now I’m at 2 “cellar recommendations” that can be found in PLCB stores! Yay! (There is a third wine, a white named Silencis, but it’s a bit pricey at $18, and not as widely available).
Ah – and now time for some fast updates about other wines I’ve recently tasted between me writing the above and it going to post:
1) The first was a follow-up to the last post on the 2011 Broadside Cab – I tasted to 2011 Broadside Printer’s Alley Red Blend and added it to the end of the original Broadside post! Check it out.
2) The second follow-up was the cabernet blend made by Conte d’Attimis-Maniago, the producer on this post. There will be a special someone who will like this Italian red, but it’s not me. While some of what I don’t like about it might be “stylistic” or “terroir” or whatever, I suspect that my biggest problem is the 50% of what the producers are calling “cabernet franc carmenere” (I thought that cabernet franc is different than carmenere?) mixed in with the 50% cabernet sauvignon. And that’s not to say that I don’t like cab francs or carmeneres, but when they come from a relatively cool climate, they could lead to a pretty green-tasting wine … like this one! As I sipped this surprisingly light-bodied red, it attacked me with this bitter green vegetal flavor (imagine biting into the stem of a cluster of grapes) that I didn’t find pleasant. However, had that been removed, I really do like the nice red fruit, and light-to-medium body – it would have been a pinot-drinkers cab. Oh well – I can’t win ’em all …
the PLCB finally stocked a great California Cab
t says: I’m hard on the PLCB. But I feel like I’m justified! The PLCB is responsible for the horrible selection we see in our liquor stores. Basically, you can find a lot of swill or a lot of really expensive bottles (“I’m going to buy aged first-growth Bordeaux from a PA liquor store” … was said by no one, ever …). Sure there are some times that the state gets a good “deal” on certain wines, but I have found that if PA got a deal on something, it’s because no one else was willing to pay full price for it … which means that more often than not, it’s going to be not-that-good. And it’s not like the staff is full of wine enthusiasts who’ve tasted every bottle and can help you find that very “interesting” bottle or that “new producer” or that “weird grape”. And should you do the unthinkable and ask anything beyond, “where can I find the Merlot?”, you’re directed to someone who has a little more knowledge, but still lacks the enthusiasm I want out of a “wine dude” (or dudette). Please! Tell me a story! Who made the wine? What’s in the bottle? What’s it going to taste like? Will I like it if I also like X-Y-Z wine? Don’t just direct me to the “Chairman’s Selection”. I tell ya’ what: I hate the Chairman. There. I said it (after editing out my more colorful, 3-worded statements). Now, I realize that my needs sound a little extreme, but if people can get away with being this annoyingly inquisitive at Whole Foods, I’m allowed to be annoyingly inquisitive at wine stores. Actually, if anything, people this annoying at Whole Foods get pats on the back and nods of approval … I get vacant stares …
So here’s the situation I was recently in: a $20 bill in my hand, a desire for some good cabernet sauvignon, and no car to get me to Jersey or Delaware. Damn! Now sure, at the Fine Wine and Spirits Shop at 21st and Market, there are going to be some reasonable standby’s to spend that crisp clean Jackson on, like H3 (in the $11-14 range) and Louis Martini (in the $15-$20 range). Or there are cheater options like heading over to the Australia section for some Penfold’s Kununga Hill Shiraz-Cab blend. But, at best, these are only “ok” options, meaning I’m happy to drink them if someone else buying, but if I’m going to have the adsz crew over for some Finer-Things-Club caliber dining, I have to bring my A-game. (Or wait – maybe I should be hipster-ironic and pick up a box of Franzia and a bottle of Arbor Mist and call it a day …<insert cricket chirps here>)
Well, just when I thought the PLCB couldn’t be any dumber …
they go and do something like this …
… and totally REDEEM themselves!
But FOR REAL:
2011 Broadside “Margarita Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this wine is interesting in that, unlike most CA cabs <$20 (disclaimer: it’s only 1 cent less than $20, so with tax, it does exceed $20), it smells like more than just fruity sweet candy. There’s some kind of mint or menthol giving it some pizazz. There’s also some kind of subtle musky scent that reminds me of wet dirt (or maybe it’s like how it smells outside in a rural area after a fierce rainstorm). Strange … but I like it. Then on the palate is where the bright red fruit comes in and hits you in the face. And while there are a lot of cabs that can do this, this cab is not the least bit “heavy”. What do I mean by that? Well, I don’t feel overwhelmed like I’m drinking a palate-coating super-rich berry milkshake, rather, it’s more like … well … ummm … ?juice? Wow, that’s not very eloquent. I tried to get more insight by asking a what he thought:
<BEGIN transmission>
t: hey – if you have any comments re: Broadside last night, i’m going to blog about it today as a “good plcb find!”
a: is that the sinewy red?
t: sinewy?
a: yup
t: what does that mean in a wine? …<consults online dictionary> … “strong, lean, muscular?”
a: Sinewy – Usually referring to a wine with not much fruitiness, but a good balance of alcohol and acidity … although this had a little fruit up front
<END transmission>.
So what does a “good balance of alcohol and acidity mean?”. Well, in Broadside’s case, the alcohol is lower than one would expect for a typical CA cab, coming in at 13.9% (+/- a few tenths, as allowed by law – the winery claims it comes in at 13.3% which is wicked-low for a CA cab). Furthermore, the acid is more apparent than most “luscious” CA cabs – but that doesn’t mean it’ll taste “more acidic” (the predominant contributor of burning sensation in wines is the alcohol, not acid), rather, you’re left with a mouth-watering finish that tastes nice and bright. The result is that you’re ready for another sip pretty quickly and it’ll go well with food.
So … is this $20 wine the end-all be-all of cabernet? No. But am I shocked to be this impressed with something I found at a state store? You bet! It’s a $20 wine that tastes like … a $20 wine!! Imagine that! And it’s most definitely superior to a lot of $50+ cabs I’ve had (n.b. I don’t own a lot of $50 cabs, but I have had the opportunity to taste quite a few on tasting trips). I hope it”ll be a wine that tastes so good that normal, reasonable people, after first sip, will go “yea, that’s pretty good” and then scrutinize the label to answer “what is this?” At the same time, hopefully abnormal, unreasonable wine snobs, will go “yea, that’s pretty good – who is this?” I don’t know how many state stores have this wine in stock, but it might be worth searching for (for the 21st and Market store it’s straight across from the entrance, on the very bottom shelf of the “Premium Collection” – when I went back to pick up another bottle there were like 8 left!). So check it out, and if you think this wine tastes like butt and have some better suggestions, drop us a comment!
And now, I’m go finish with some wine nerdery … that no one else is interested in reading … unless you want to drop some knowledge at your next dinner party:
Paso Robles is often warmer than Napa, and therefore capable of ultra-ripe, ultra-jammy, alcoholic wines. But 2011 dealt Paso Robles a very cool growing season, which usually leads to less-ripe, less-jammy, less-alcoholic wines. Now combine this with a producer like Broadside who already specializes in lower-alcohol wines and uses little-to-no new oak (the tech sheet claims 3% new oak), and the result is a pretty atypical California cabernet. So if you like this style of wine, then let’s talk! Oh, and they also make a Merlot (which I’ve never had) and a “Red Blend” (that is also at the PLCB).
EDIT (20-Feb-2014):
So I went back for the 2011 Broadside “Red Blend” from “Printer’s Alley”. The Printer’s Alley red blend was a nice wine – a little more plush, less funk/earth/dirt, and less mouth-watering acidity than the straight-cab (?maybe due to the 25% Merlot?), and as a result came across a little more “girl-next-door”, lacking the attention-getting characteristic of the straight-cab (which is more girl-next-door-with-a-small-tattoo … not to be confused with girl-next-door-with-a-tramp-stamp). I think if I was throwing a party, I’d reach for the Printer’s Alley; but if I’m drinking alone (not that I endorse drinking alone), then I’d go for the Margarita cab for sure (which is why I now have 2 bottles in the cellar!)
KZD returns!!
t says: If only we were free on this day:
and Kentucky was never the same again …
t says: Always on the job, a and v have been enjoying their long-weekend trip to Kentucky. While the bourbon trail was a’s primary objective (as he is celebrating his big 3-0), I’m sure there will be no shortage of great food, great friends, great times. Check out his tweets off to the right of the screen.
prepare for resto-week!
t says: If you haven’t yet, you should probably be making reservations for restaurant week. If you’re good, maybe you can snag one at one of these places:
While I currently lack reservations at these places, you bet your bunsen burner than we have reservations at Mercato and Russet – we just can’t resist a good BYO …
after dinner sneeze 