Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart

I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.  Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.  I now recognize that we were both [...]

Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/

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Luxury Gift Baskets

Every year with Uncorked Ventures Matt and I want to make improvements in both the way we handle our business (the processes involved) as well as the offerings we have. On the wine, simply continuing to grow our customer base as well as continuing to build relationships with wineries and vineyard owners will do the [...]

Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/651

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Points for all? Recent evidence of wine score inflation

Is inflation crippling wine scores? In the near future, will it take a wheelbarrow of points to sell a Moscato? Let’s hope Ben Bernanke–or, eegad, Paul Volcker!–doesn’t read this post or he might take the punch bowl away. To the recent evidence: First, the Wine Advocate’s recent reviews of 1,061 “new releases from Napa Valley” [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/c_vGziWdEnY/

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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.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/CuMPg-8mUfU/value-alert-2007-betts-scholl-grenache.html

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Deal Alert: $50 JJ Buckley Gift Cards for $25 (plus $1 shipping)

As is being discussed in the Smoking Deals at Wine Retailers thread on the CellarTracker Forums, JJ Buckley Fine Wines is offering $50 gift cards for $25 - limit 3 per person.

You can give these as gifts (via email or USPS), use them to buy gifts, or use them to buy wine for yourself.

Stack it with $1 Ground Shipping on new orders through the end of December 2011 and this might be the best wine deal of 2011.

They've got good pricing on their website but the best deals come through Preferred Customer Pricing offers delivered via email. Place an order with them to be included on these offers -or- drop me an email if you'd like a referral.

Once you're on their list you're assigned a salesperson you can email with parameters of what you're looking for. They'll scour their inventory and come up with a list of wines that meet your parameters. Regardless of how you choose to order, you can build up to a straight case over time (to minimize per-bottle shipping costs) and then ship your order when weather conditions are optimal.

Visit the JJ Buckley website through this link and look for the yellow banner at the top of the page:
 
http://www.jjbuckley.com/2011_Welcome_Back

Like all out of state retailers, they unfortunately can't ship to Massachusetts.
Disclosure: JJ Buckley ran an ad on the WWP the past few months which this post isn't related to.

Thanks to friend and reader SB for the heads up!

Question of the Day: What do you see in-stock at JJB right now that you'd recommend?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/7AtP2am__1c/deal-alert-50-jj-buckley-gift-cards-for.html

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