Wine and Beer Enthusiasts

[mikelets456]

Only in California! OUCH!!!! $500 per bottle and 2000 of them destroyed----They should have put their labels on Sutter home and destroyed those instead then shipped everything else out of state and figure it out from there! LOL

A California Wine Company Had to Destroy 2,000 Bottles of Wine After Illegally Aging Them at the Bottom of the Ocean

Ocean Fathoms never obtained the proper permission to age its wine at the bottom of the ocean. Now, it's facing the consequences.

www.foodandwine.com

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Only in California! OUCH!!!! $500 per bottle and 2000 of them destroyed----They should have put their labels on Sutter home and destroyed those instead then shipped everything else out of state and figure it out from there! LOL

A California Wine Company Had to Destroy 2,000 Bottles of Wine After Illegally Aging Them at the Bottom of the Ocean

Ocean Fathoms never obtained the proper permission to age its wine at the bottom of the ocean. Now, it's facing the consequences.

www.foodandwine.com

Ouch indeed.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sipping a glass of Chardonnay from the Pays d'Oc in France.

 

[Expos of 1969]

As I am a beer and wine enthusiast, I will take the liberty of saying that I have just sat down with a margarita I just made. 2 oz. tequila, 1 oz. Triple Sec and 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice. I put the liquids in the fridge a couple of hours prior to get a nice chill. Very tasty with a few tortilla chips on the side. Cheers.

 

[mikelets456]

The other night I had a Boulevardier....I'm not a huge Bourbon fan, but this is my new favorite mixed drink. It's basically a Negroni with Bourbon.

• 2 ounces bourbon (or rye)
• 2 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• Garnish: orange twist

 

[Expos of 1969]

The other night I had a Boulevardier....I'm not a huge Bourbon fan, but this is my new favorite mixed drink. It's basically a Negroni with Bourbon.

• 2 ounces bourbon (or rye)
• 2 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• Garnish: orange twist

i will have to try that.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lashing rain here, absolutely chucking down.

A crate of beer (which I had purchased earlier today) has just been delivered.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A glass or three of Chardonnay from the Pays d'Oc in France.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

St Bernardus Pater, a lovely beer from Belgium, served, naturally enough, in a St Bernardus beer glass (chalice, goblet).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sipping (and enjoying) an Erdinger Dunkel.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sipping a beer from the legendary Belgian brewery, St Bernardus: Their Pater beer.

 

[Bodhitree]

Just saw that the French government is spending 200 million euros destroying excess wine, because ever since the COVID pandemic people have been drinking significantly less.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Any thoughts on (or experience of) Riesling from Washington State in the US?

I happened to see a bottle yesterday, and am wondering about it, indeed, pondering purchasing it, as I like Riesling, especially dry (and good quality) Rieslings.

These days, it is quite unusual to find wine from the US in good wine stores in Europe.

Now, I did some research on Rieslings from Washington State last night, - as I had never realised that Washington State produced wine - and most sources seem to suggest that it is highly regarded.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Any thoughts on (or experience of) Riesling from Washington State in the US?

I happened to see a bottle yesterday, and am wondering about it, indeed, pondering purchasing it, as I like Riesling, especially dry (and good quality) Rieslings.

These days, it is quite unusual to find wine from the US in good wine stores in Europe.

Now, I did some research on Rieslings from Washington State last night, - as I had never realised that Washington State produced wine - and most sources seem to suggest that it is highly regarded.

Last year I was given a bottle of Kungfu Girl riesling from Washington State. They still sell it here in Finland. I was not too impressed but perhaps it was the mood I was in or who knows. It is currently 19 Euros but our tax is very high.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Last year I was given a bottle of Kungfu Girl riesling from Washington State. They still sell it here in Finland. I was not too impressed but perhaps it was the mood I was in or who knows. It is currently 19 Euros but our tax is very high.

Ah, fascinating and thank you.

If anyone else would like to offer any thoughts, or comments, or observations, I'd love to read them.

I had wondered, and while my wine preferences lean very strongly in the direction of the Old World (with the possible exception of Chile - I have had some superb wines - both red and white from Chile), and have found many of the offerings from the New World to be, how shall I express this, - ah, underwhelming - it is also good to occasionally venture out from your comfort zone (in coffee, literature, music, wine, and so on), good to learn new things, and try out sometjing new and explore new experiences.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sipping a beer from Germany, the excellent Hefe Weissbier from Weihenstephaner.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And again, this evening, a Weissbier - rather, a Hefe Weissbier from Weihenstephaner to be precise - is keeping me company.

 

[Silencio]

Washington state produces some good whites, Rieslings and Gewürtz primarily. Oregon has some solid Pinot Noirs, as well.

Boulevardiers are one of my go-to cocktails. A nice change of pace from a Manhattan, with the Campari adding some welcome bitterness to the mix.

I make my margaritas in a cocktail shaker over ice, stir and strain. Gets nice and cold and delicious. I need to remind myself to make some simple syrup so I can add a touch to take the edge off the tartness of the lime juice.

I bought some Cape May White from the Cape May Brewing Company this weekend. Normally I like a Belgium wheat beer with some citrus notes, but they also added some coriander that throws my taste buds off and makes it significantly less pleasant to drink. A bit of a disappointment.

My local wine shop carries mostly domestic microbrews, so I need to shop farther afield to pick up some imports. As much as I usually enjoy the full throttle experimentation of American microbreweries, sometimes a classic German is what hits the spot.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Washington state produces some good whites, Rieslings and Gewürtz primarily. Oregon has some solid Pinot Noirs, as well.

...

Everyone - yes, even in Europe - has heard of wines from California, and yes, I was vaguely aware of the fact that Oregon also produces wine (not that I have ever seen, let alone tried, any wine that hailed from that state), but, until last week-end, I had never realised that Washington State also produces wines.

Okay: I'll admit that I am intrigued: While not normally a fan of US wines (I recall some horrors from the 1980s and 1990s), I am more than partial to Riesling, and may well investigate this unexpected wine.

What are the Gewürztraminer wines from Washington State like? I suppose what I really would like to know is whether they more closely resemble the German or the Alsace version of this glorious wine?

For this is another wine that I am more than partial to.

My local wine shop carries mostly domestic microbrews, so I need to shop farther afield to pick up some imports.

Well, I try to shop local, but, as you so rightly remark,sometimes the classics from Belgium and Germany are what you need (and want).

As much as I usually enjoy the full throttle experimentation of American microbreweries, sometimes a classic German is what hits the spot.

A heartfelt and passionate amen to that.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sipping a Hefe Weissbier from Germany this evening.

 

[Madhatter32]

Is it wrong to be drinking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from a discrete coffee thermos during a two hour Zoom work conference call? Asking for a friend.

 

[Silencio]

Everyone - yes, even in Europe - has heard of wines from California, and yes, I was vaguely aware of the fact that Oregon also produces wine (not that I have ever seen, let alone tried, any wine that hailed from that state), but, until last week-end, I had never realised that Washington State also produces wines.

Okay: I'll admit that I am intrigued: While not normally a fan of US wines (I recall some horrors from the 1980s and 1990s), I am more than partial to Riesling, and may well investigate this unexpected wine.

What are the Gewürztraminer wines from Washington State like? I suppose what I really would like to know is whether they more closely resemble the German or the Alsace version of this glorious wine?

California wine, like wine produced anywhere, has its hits and misses. Most wines you'd get from the well established regions of Napa Valley or Sonoma Valley are going to be good, but there are plenty of other wine growing regions in California who've upper their games over the past 20-30 years: Paso Robles, the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, Anderson Valley, Russian River, Mendocino, Healdsburg, etc.

I haven't had the Washington State rieslings or gewürzes in a while, but I remember they were solid picks. I'd say they were more on the German off-dry side and not the minerally, bone dry Alsatian style.

Most of the really good, smaller wineries aren't going to have great distribution domestically, let alone for export. There are probably tariffs and other trade barriers involved with importing American wines into the EU and UK, as well. The big producers who don't make quality wines are the ones who have the resources to export, which is unfortunate.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A German dunkel (dark beer) is keeping me company this evening.

 

[Silencio]

I bought some Cape May White from the Cape May Brewing Company this weekend. Normally I like a Belgium wheat beer with some citrus notes, but they also added some coriander that throws my taste buds off and makes it significantly less pleasant to drink. A bit of a disappointment.

I was able to improve my second glass of Cape May White by adding a squeeze of some fresh lemon juice: a natural enhancement to a wheat beer. The extra citrus crowded out most of the cardamom notes. Still, I won't be buying this particular variety again.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I was able to improve my second glass of Cape May White by adding a squeeze of some fresh lemon juice: a natural enhancement to a wheat beer. The extra citrus crowded out most of the cardamom notes. Still, I won't be buying this particular variety again.

Ah, lemon with Weissbier; this is not new, and I agree, lemon is a natural enhancement to a wheat beer.

When I was a student, (quite some time ago, now), I spent a summer working in Germany, which is where I first encountered the splendid joys of the general excellence of German beer, and - specifically - discovered (and realised that I loved) Weissbier.

At that time, Weissbier was usually served with a slice of lemon, a practice that appears to have been discontinued in subsequent years.