I'm not keeping an exact score but white wines have really been ringing my bell much more than the reds. I know I've said as much before, but this week was a nadir for red wines.
It was a pretty solid wine week and I drank a Rheingau Riesling QBA, an Austrian Gruner Veltliner, a Pfalz Scheurebe, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a Chateauneuf du Pape, a Priorat, a Hermitage and a Barbera d'Asti. A solid lineup representing some of my favorite regions and prominent producers across the board. And very good vintages, too.
None of the red wines came even close to thrilling me as much as the leastest of the whites. And the white bottles thrived better once opened, never losing an ounce of vibrancy.
I think it's a question of scale. A red wine will always feel 'bigger' than a similarly bodied white, without necessarily possessing a concentration of fruit and flavor to match its size. And that lack of concentration will let the alcohol and sugar hog the spotlight. So in the end, all other things being equal, the white wine will feel better balanced and more flavorsome.
Little by little, I feel my expectations and tastes are exceeding my financial limits, where red wines are concerned.
Bummer.
So it's official. As of this week, the 2GrandCru blog is no longer an equal opportunity wine blog. It will be, I hope, a highly reactionary, bigoted blog, positively discriminating for white wines. It's only fitting, however, as for the last 3 months or so, 80% of my purchases have been white wines. So, while I will be be writing about red wines, even positively, you now know exactly where my heart is.
It was a pretty solid wine week and I drank a Rheingau Riesling QBA, an Austrian Gruner Veltliner, a Pfalz Scheurebe, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a Chateauneuf du Pape, a Priorat, a Hermitage and a Barbera d'Asti. A solid lineup representing some of my favorite regions and prominent producers across the board. And very good vintages, too.
None of the red wines came even close to thrilling me as much as the leastest of the whites. And the white bottles thrived better once opened, never losing an ounce of vibrancy.
I think it's a question of scale. A red wine will always feel 'bigger' than a similarly bodied white, without necessarily possessing a concentration of fruit and flavor to match its size. And that lack of concentration will let the alcohol and sugar hog the spotlight. So in the end, all other things being equal, the white wine will feel better balanced and more flavorsome.
Little by little, I feel my expectations and tastes are exceeding my financial limits, where red wines are concerned.
Bummer.
So it's official. As of this week, the 2GrandCru blog is no longer an equal opportunity wine blog. It will be, I hope, a highly reactionary, bigoted blog, positively discriminating for white wines. It's only fitting, however, as for the last 3 months or so, 80% of my purchases have been white wines. So, while I will be be writing about red wines, even positively, you now know exactly where my heart is.
Comments
As a side issue, I don't mind anonymous comments but I hope it's not because the blogspot user interface isn't clear enough. You can comment giving a name even if you don't have a blogspot account.
Nice site... I have to agree with you... I am becoming a big fan of white wine especially with the warm weather all most upon us.
mmoleary@earthlink.net
As time goes by, I can feel my personal flavor and palate changing also. I think it also has to do with age, adulthood and finding your real wine passions.
I found mine in sauvingnon blanc, form new zealand to sancerre and I will take a 2001 Brolo over almost any bordoux or a bordoux blend.
Only wishing that one day I can afford the wines that you are drinking
I wish I could afford them too. I just tell my kids higher education is overrated.
Seriously, my friends and I are very generous with each other so what with a weekly get-together and various tastings, I've been drinking very well lately.
I read what you said about shared purchases of cases of wines with aging potential. The obvious problem is of course keeping in touch with the co-owners. Another more subtle problem is that not every age-worthy wine is going to present the same level of interest if you drink it once a year, especially the Yarden CS, especially during the first 3-4 years after the purchase, when the evolution of the Yarden is not that interesting. I would personally prefer to buy a six pack of an expensive wine with a friend or two and get together every 3-4 years to track it. But that means keeping in touch for 20 years. It might work if we don't wind up resenting the 'forced relationship'. If I had any relatives who are into wine, I'd do it. I'm trying to convert my cousin right now.