Hello Beer, meet Mr. Wine...

Russian River Temptation - officially described as a blonde ale aged for 12 months in used french oak wine barrels, with a secondary fermentation happening in bottle to add carbonation, caused by the addition of the yeast strain, Brettanomyces.

Highly controversial, this strain of yeast adds a lot of flavor, but they are flavors that are considered by many to be unappealing. Notes of leather and barnyard funk are common. In moderation, IMHO, these aromatics add aromatic complexity and can produce a wonderfully distinctive product.

But who cares, this beer is AWESOME! It feels like a sour ale, without the prerequisite sweetness of most. The wine barrels add winey notes of ripe tree fruit. Think apricot, nectarine. Acidity is intense! and I love it. This is one of those beers that divides people. It creates so many different arguments, you almost have to like it just for the amount of tension it creates in the beer world.

At the end of the day, I know a big reason I like this so much is because, as much as I like beer, I'd rather be drinking wine. This has a lot of similar aromatics. This isn't a classic beer in any sense. There are those that debate its overall quality because of that. But I really don't care what you call it. Call it Bine, or a Weer, if that makes you happy. Just make sure you drink this if you get the chance.

Achaval Ferrer, Spanish for "I wish I was French"

Recap of recent Achaval Ferrer tasting.

Achaval certainly aspires to be great. Their entry level Malbec starts out at $18-$20, and they go up from there. I'm not sure there's a lot about these wines that really make them representative of where they come from (Argentina), but there's no question this is some high quality juice. The new releases where all decanted for about an hour, but still very hard to taste at this point. The higher-end single vineyard wines felt, at times, like gnawing on a block of iron.

2009 Malbec $20 - Very tight, with a mouth coating viscosity. Fresh and yeasty right now. Fruit will become much more present after a couple months in bottle. There's a slight salinity that adds some interest, but the finish is still fairly tart at this point

2008 Quimera - Malbec/Cab/Franc/Merlot blend $30 - Intense and firm structure. Very high acid component. Aromatics fairly similar to Malbec at this point. The acid is high, but there is still a sense of balance here. Not so much of a mouth coating feeling, but this wine makes a statement.

2008 Mirador - Malbec vineyard planted in 1921 $79 - This is very good. Still takes some concentration to taste, but there are notes of dessert soil and charcoal underneath the red and black fruit notes. A little fatter than the Quimera. Intense flavor profile builds nicely from the entry through the moderately long finish.

2008 Bella Vista - Malbec vineyard planted in 1910 $79 - Still very closed, but concentration is evident. This really starts to feel like Bordeaux. If this was in a line-up of 08 left-bank Bordeaux, I would say french all the way, not that that's a bad thing. The wine is very enjoyable. Well balanced and firm, with an excellent aging potential.

2008 Altamira - Malbec vineyard planted on its own roots, averaging 80 yr old $79 - Shows more sap around the midpalate. Bright and fresh entry leads to compact aromatics of creosote, beef, and dark black fruits. Acidity reverberates nicely on finish, lending balance to the lengthy aromatics.

Back Vintages

2007 Mirador - Picks up some subtle cola notes. Just starting to gain some definition.

2006 Mirador - Surprising complexity. Some secondary notes present. This feels overly mature. Could be bad storage.

2005 Mirador - Still young and primary. Has liveliness with and inky note on the palate. Long life ahead.

2003 Mirador - Beautiful wine. Just developed enough so primary notes are dominant, but subtle secondary notes of truffle and wet tobacco become evident.

2000 Mirador - Said it before, but this is Bordeaux. A great wine and very enjoyable. Tannins are resolved, but just slightly rustic. If this was blind, I'd call this St. Estephe all the way.

So what's the point? Admittedly, I'm not sure where I stand. Great wine is great wine, who cares where it comes from right? Sure, but the other side says that part of what makes great wine great is a distinctive personality. As good as Achaval Ferrer wines are, they seem to be trying to imitate. Almost like a smoking hot Sports Illustrated swim suit cover model. It seems like the models on the cover are just trying to reincarnate Kathy Ireland (with different hair) at this point. Is that wrong? Kathy was (and I'm sure still is) hot. So is more of good thing bad? Do we always need to be different to be considered great? Freud? Where are you?

Whole Foods your cheese selection sucks!

There I said it. So what, it's the truth. Am I being harsh? Yes. I know it and I don't care. And don't tell me you're better than all the other big grocers. My trash dumpster has a better cheese selection that the typical grocer.

There was a time when I felt the complete opposite. While there were smaller, more artisanal cheese shops in the big city, your cheese section was never cramped, much easier to shop, and I could always pick-up all kinds of other deliciousness from you as well. You made great producers like Humbolt Fog and Cowgirl Creamery readily available nationwide. But unfortunately you are resting on your laurels and that's just bad business. In the last 5+ years what have your cheese mongers discovered that are anywhere near as exciting of a product like Humbolt Fog? You did a job great with them and I'm sure they have worked hard to grow with you and make sure they had enough cheese to supply all your stores. But you bring us nothing to get excited about anymore. And don't give me some crap about some Epoisses or your Robiola brand you love. These are tried and true styles. They're great (although you could work harder at making sure your selections are always sold a bit riper, rather than putting them on display at the beginning of their ripeness curve). But where is the passion?

Before you give me all the crap about how you brought in a couple small producers you thought where great and nobody bought them, or because of your size, you only work with producers who can supply your nation-wide chain. Or in certain markets, a few small local guys, let me respond to each of your dumb arguments now.

If you brought in a producer you thought was great and nobody bought it then you failed. That's OK. When we take chances, sometimes we fail. That doesn't mean you stop taking chances, you just learn from your mistakes and try to get it right next time. Whether that means more cheese education of your staff or a continued search for new and exciting products, that is good business. And don't tell me you've tried all this stuff. The fact is you haven't succeeded. Listen and learn and figure out how to get this done. Your customers are begging.

As for supply issues, sometimes you have to work to develop brands. Help them grow. If you think you have the next Humbolt Fog, figure out how to help them become a bigger producer. If the cheesery doesn't want to grow, then you don't have the next Humbolt Fog.

I don't know if these are the solutions or not, it's your business. All I know is your cheese selection is boring and stagnant. I really don't care why. That's for you to figure out. So quit wasting your time reading this great blog and get to work.

B.F.

2004 Bordeaux

2004 Bordeaux will from here forth be called "the drinking person's vintage". As a matter of fact, from now on I will only refer to this vintage in Bordeaux as such. "The drinking man's", or "The drinking woman's vintage", however, will also be acceptable descriptors.

The pleasure this vintage has given real wine drinkers over the last 1-2yrs has been unmatched in my short time following the wine world.

Stuck in between the renowned 2005 and wild styled wines of 2003, no one paid much attention. Until recently. The great wines of the vintage can be had for a song, compared to the ridiculous prices of the 2005's. The great 2nd-5th growths are available for 1/2 to 2/3 the price of the same Chateau from 2005. While there is no question 2005 was a great vintage. The great wines will live forever. They're dense and concentrated, but well-balanced, and, and, and...you know the deal. But when you drink these wines they take mental focus and concentration to truly enjoy and appreciate. Not that I'm against that. The ability to drink a beverage so complex it requires deep thought to fully appreciate is nothing short of a grand experience.

The only problem is the wines still aren't inexpensive by any stretch. With few exceptions, the good 2nd growth properties are selling in the $30-$60 range. But, considering these same properties are selling in the $75-$300 range, in many ways the prices are great. The beautiful thing about 2004 is that you can drink top tear bordeaux that from a strictly quality perspective is just a hair or two below the same wine from 2005. 2004 certainly doesn't have the longevity of 2005, hence the title - "The drinking person's vintage".

Drink now, drink well, drink an experience, drink wines from some of the best properties in bordeaux. 2004. The only caveat, the left bank appears to be much successful in 2004 than the right bank

Recent 2004's consumed that helped considerably to shape this opinion include, Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste $39, Ch Branaire Ducru $37, Ch Leoville Barton $49, Ch Lilian Ladouys $24, Ch d'Armailhac $44, Ch. Clos du Marquis $39.

Ruse, or Rosé?

Dry rose is still a fairly hot commodity. The wines were in a slugfest with white zinfandel in the market for many years, but while white zin remains a potent item, dry rose does appear to have won the battle. It has established itself as a real wine and one that has a place on any wine lover's table.

So they tell me. I've had a hard time appreciating the quality. Part of the problem could be that they need to be consumed fresh. Most of what we see on the shelf has been in bottle atleast 6-12 months. But I'm not convinced.

There seem to be two camps in the dry rose world. One camp harvests early to retain freshness, resulting in a fresh and vibrant wine with, usually, very little flavor. The other camp either harvests later or uses some prolonged skin contact to make a denser style with intense flavors, but no freshness.

Chateau de Segries Tavel Rose falls into the latter camp. The wine is enjoyable; very much so in many ways. But lacks a degree of tension. It's fat and rich, but the fruit feels slightly cooked.

I don't want to scare anybody away from this wine. If you're looking for a good rose and you happen to find this bottle, usually around $13-$18, you will be in for a treat. There is much more character here than in 99% of the rose's you're going find on the shelf, but with a slightly higher acid profile this wine could be something really special.

Oh Sauvignon Blanc, where have thee gone...

About ten years ago, when we first started seeing good quality New Zealand Sauv. Bl. in the states, I can remember clearly, being impressed by the lively freshness of these wines. The antithesis to Chardonnay, (nothing against Chardonnay, but we all need a little variety in our lives) and considerably less expensive than any good Sauv. Bl. coming out of France, these wines were fun and exciting, and probably most importantly "new".

Well ten years later, I'm sorry, but there is nothing new about New Zealand and American Sauv. Bl, for that matter. While the French continue to make very interesting examples in Loire and Bordeaux, the new world seems to have lost any artisanl interest in this poor grape. Sauv. Bl. has become a cash cow for so many wineries, I'm sure no one wants to rock the boat. And I'm not saying that you have to. To all you wineries out there (I know you all read this blog), keep making your everyday Sauv. Bl. The market wants them and, techniqually, the wines are fine. But, you've got to get us something to get all hot and bothered about. Try some prolonged skin-contact, sur lie aging, neutral barrels, BRAND NEW BARRELS...something, cause I can't waste any precisous wine drinking on your current selection of lifeless and vapid vino.

Ok, so now that I've gotten that off my chest...there are some very good enjoyable new world Sauv. Bls. out there. Names like Framingham, Matariki, Amici (Napa Valley) all are producing high quality wines with a bit more character than you might expect from a typical Sauv. Bl.