How To Decode Sherry Bottling Codes

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday 70 and I’ve chosen Sherry in keeping with the theme of Spanish wines we have never had before. Sherry has a lot of issues gaining mindshare with the American consumer but one of the most basic is turnover of stock since some Sherries ? Fino and Manzanilla in particular ? are best [...]

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Tasting Pascal Marchand?s Burgundies

Pascal Marchand, a Canadian from Montreal, has been making wine in Burgundy since the mid 1980?s, learning his art at such highly esteemed properties as Domaines Bruno Clair, Comte Armand and Domaine de la Vougeraie. Marchand?s has also consulted with producers in Australia, Argentina, Greece, the United States and Ontario. His tenure here in Niagara [...]

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Mas Des Dames, Rose, Coteaux Du Languedoc 2009

Outside here in Minnesota it’s in the mid 20′s Fahrenheit with a thick snowpack. It is far from springtime here but a bit of spring can be had here inside a bottle of dry rosé. Every spring and summer I resolve to drink more rosé but for one reason or another rarely do. So I [...]

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Honest Cooking: A Digital Food & Wine Magazine

On Monday of this week a new online food and wine magazine, Honest Cooking, launched. An audacious experiment in group blogging led by Kalle Bergman, the site features the writing of over 50 food and wine writers from around the globe. And I am pleased to be a small part of the staff, writing a few posts each week [...]

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Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s October 29th Release ? Tasting Notes

The wines of Sonoma take centre stage in the release slotted for Saturday October 29th. I don?t have a lot of notes as so few wines were shipped, but those I tasted were, for the most part very good. Once again congratulations are in order for the team at Tawse winery, which has, for the [...]

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Aragawa: No grandiose décor yet it is among the most expensive

No chic decoration, nothing elegant and not even a grand entrance, but when it comes to flavors, the diners will love to be back here again and again. According to Forbes magazine, Aragawa is one of the most costly dining areas on this earth under its humble atmosphere. This simple restaurant is situated in the [...]

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Value Alert: 2007 Betts & Scholl Grenache "The O.G"

Editor's Note: I blog less frequently when I'm not in the best of moods, hence the quiet period here the last couple weeks. Steve Jobs' passing last week was, I think, the closest thing to Walt Disney dying this generation is going to experience. I teared up a little when I told my 6 year old.

What impressed me most about Jobs was his ability to innovate in so many domains and across so many unique products. His ability to give people a sense of childlike wonder made people feel like with technology - anything is possible. 

Rest in peace, Steve. You are and will be missed.

Ever since I tasted this wine at the 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Boston (review) I've had an eye out for it. After tasting through some amazing but drying wines at the event from Bordeaux and Barolo, Mike O'Connell Jr from Upper Falls Liquors suggested I check out the 2006 Betts & Scholl "The O.G." Grenache. His recommendation was on the money.

I know what you're thinking...a $29 "value" from Australia? Why spend more than $10 in the region for a 90 point wine? Right?

There are so many ultra-ripe fruit bombs and otherwise high priced stewy disasters coming out of the region - it makes me hesitant to plop down more than $15/btl. However, this wine breaks the mold for what I've come to know of Australian wine, which has been mostly Shiraz.

Betts & Scholl is a unique producer. I wasn't aware until doing some research that they're not necessarily Australian producers. They're a partnership between US-based Master Sommelier Richard Betts and collector Dennis Scholl. Betts described their 2001 bottling as a "warm climate analogy of Pinot Noir" on Wine Library TV in 2007. I totally get that.

In addition to Australia, they produce other red and white wines from California and France ranging from $29-$79.   The O.G. stands for "Original Grenche" (I was thinking Original Gangster) but they also make a $49 Australian Grenche called "The Cronique". If you get the sense these guys listened to a lot of rap music in the early 90s you might be right. Word has it they named it The Cronique because it was hard to stop drinking and Andre Young (Dr. Dre) was one of the first customers to pick up a case. Interesting stuff.

Here are my notes on the 2007 Barossa Grenache:

2007 Betts & Scholl The O.G. Grenache Barossa Valley
$29 Release Price
14.5% Alcohol
1,300 Cases Produced

As light as a domestic Pinot Noir visually, but it packs a flavorful punch. Raspberries and strawberries atop vegetal notes aromatically. Surprisingly dense on the palate given its visual transparency. Flavors of sweet spice (cinnamon?), black cherries, and just a touch of heat (14.5% alcohol). Quite luscious. I like it. I really like it.

92/100 WWP: Oustanding

CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher
Winery website

Highly recommended viewing:
Richard Betts on Wine Library TV (vintage! Back from 2007)

Purchased at The Urban Grape in Chestnut Hill, MA.


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