Wonder what Chateau Petrogasm thinks of the Eric Kent wine labels?
We just received our personal allotment of Eric Kent wines, as we’re members of their club. As some of you may know from an article we wrote way back around the launch of domaine547, Eric Kent has a unique take on the wine label: the wine is made by Kent Humphrey, husband, and the labels are curated each vintage by Colleen Teitgen, wife, to highlight the work of artists whose work they believe deserves attention.
We wonder, though, how good a match the works of art are to what’s inside? Are the images purely decorative, or do they relate specifically to the wines they adorn? Current releases are the ‘05 Kalen’s Big Boy Syrah, and the ‘05 Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah, labels displayed here respectively:
This is definitely a job for the folks at Chateau Petrogasm, who use images — rather than words — to review wines. So, Chateau residents, we ask you: from your experience of Eric Kent wines, how good a match is the artwork to the product? Perhaps we can all get together and taste through!
3 Responses to “Wonder what Chateau Petrogasm thinks of the Eric Kent wine labels?”
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get your wine on
2007 Scholium Project Naucratis Verdelho
Abe Schoener strikes again, this time with a great Verdelho at a slightly lower price-point than the Gemella. This is 100% tank-fermented and a very dry, mineral-laden wine. This is one of the reasons why Schoener is earning status as a winemaker as a cult winemaker. It delivers. $28 for Scholium goodness.
2007 Skylark Cellars Alondra Chardonnay
I admit, I really don’t dig Chardonnay, so you don’t see many around these parts. I do, however, love this one. Not surpisingly, it’s unoaked. $18 of un-oaked, un-malo’ed goodness!
2007 La Fenetre “A Coté” Red Blend, Santa Barbara County from Timeless Palate Wines
This is astoundingly good for the money. It’s 60% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, and 40% Merlot from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The winemaker, Josh Klapper, is a mere 29 years old and one to watch. This is red, juicy and lush but not over the top. $18 and worth every penny.
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freshly pressed
Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff:
Just a couple of images for the now…
Some of the single-depth racks, assembled (thanks again to Tim Krablin of Modern Cellar for the photo)…
And the interior of one of the lampshades, of which there will be 48, in three different shades of blue-ish purple. Keep in mind this is 36″ in diameter — as in three feet (the exterior is aluminum, non-powdercoated. I’ll let your imagination do the work).
Maybe one day I’ll post about the wines I’ve been tasting and stocking, and actually try to sell you something…which would possibly help me pay for all these neat things…ummmm, maybe next week…
Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff
Wine Store Design Part 4: Wine Rack Construction
Wine Store Design Part 3: Urinal Defense Fund
wine jargon
Frizzante
From Wikipedia: Frizzante is an Italian wine term term for semi-sparkling wine (as opposed to Spumante, which is generally used for fully sparkling wines). Frizzante wines generally owe their bubbles to a partial secondary fermentation in tank. You might notice a light fizz or tingly sensation on the tongue with a Frizzante wine, compared to the more carbonated sensation that more fully sparkling wines yield.
Scorekage
Okay, so we made up this word yesterday after a great restaurant experience. We brought a bottle of wine with us, expecting to pay a corkage fee. But the restaurant either forgot to charge us the $15, or decided to be nice to us. We scored! Hence, “scorekage” has entered our lexicon. This can also refer to BYO friendly restaurants that don’t charge for corkage under any circumstances.
grapewise
I recently stopped by Venokado, a new-ish shop in LA. I bought a Lirac imported by Kermit Lynch, and it was yummers. Last night I had the pleasure of spending some time with one of its owners, Susan Brink.
Fabulous & Frugal!
Our friends launched a new site and domaine547 is a featured wine columnist in their premiere edition! Go check out Fabulous & Frugal for some fantastic lifestyle tips for living the good life during what, for most of us, is an economically challenging time. There’s much more than wine there, and we’re thrilled to be a small part of the start of what will surely be a successful venture. Congrats to Brandi & Steph for their achievement!
Go to Venokado please!
Fabulous & Frugal!
domaine547 In the Blogosphere! Imbibe Magazine Unfiltered
October 26th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
I think that Kent and Colleen’s idea to use art as the sole front label is a brilliant one. As much as we would like to think that we never judge a book by its cover, so to speak, or presume a wine to be good based on its label, we are not entirely wrong to make presumptions about a particular wine after the first inspection of the bottle. The recent increase in extremely heavy bottles, for instance, is a good case in point. If a winemaker decides to put their wine in such a bottle, s/he might either be compensating for a certain lack or attempting to align the style of the wine with its packaging. Think about it: How often does one find a delicate and subtle Pinot Noir in a thick bottle with an enormous punt?
Of course, label art is a little less obvious and a little more subjective. But, the art on the Erik Kent wines that I have tasted surely fits the contents of the bottle, and I would feel confident posting any one of their images as a review on Chateau Petrogasm.
Take their ‘05 Russian River Chard, for example. Aside from being my favorite EK wine, the Russian River Chard is acutely represented by the image on the bottle. Among other things, there is a peculiar contrast between lightness and darkness, edginess and softness that we find in both the wine and its label.
Certainly Kent and Colleen’s idea preceded the establishment of Chateau Petrogasm. But, I am tempted to ask Jill’s question of them. What do the folks at EK wines think about the Chateau?
Until we can all get together, drink some wine, and draw some pictures . . . Cheers!
Benjamin Saltzman
Co-Founder of Chateau Petrogasm
http://www.chateaupetrogasm.com
October 27th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
we’ll upload the image (tomorrow) for folks to see…
October 28th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Okay, we believe this is the label that is being referred to in Benjamin’s comment:
We have this wine in our collection but haven’t tried it yet. And we admit this particular image doesn’t quite speak to us as much as some of the others that have donned Eric Kent bottles. But we’ll have to give it a try and see if what Benjamin says rings true with us.