Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2008: 2nd Annual Contest at domaine547
89 Project, Top 10 Wines of the Year, Wine Spectator
Okay, since the Spectator has slapped their ticking clock on their home page, the madness can officially begin. Oh joy! It’s time for annual guessing game!
Last year, we kicked off what we said we would make a tradition: a contest for our readers to select what they think the Spectator will choose as their top picks. Our winner, Hugh, received a six-pack of wines that scored 80 or below by the Spectator, including the 2003 Rioja Vega Crianza, the 2005 Finca Luzon Monastrell, and the 2004 Faiveley Mercurey Domaine de la Croix Jacquelet among other delightful but much maligned wines.
As with last year, the winner will receive a pack of wines that are challenged in the point-scoring department. We haven’t picked them out yet, but they will likely be wines in the 89 point or below category (with a shout-out to the 89 Project), with no hopes of making the Spectator list. As soon as they are selected, we’ll update this so you’ll know exactly the prize for which you’re competing. We’re fairly certain one of them will be the Tenuta di Valgiano Palistorti Red.
This year, we’re making a slight adjustment…we had you post your guesses in the comments last year. This year, we’d like the guesses emailed to us. We think this will foster more competition! Otherwise, the basic guidelines are as follows:
–Be specific. Don’t just say “something from Mondavi” in your official guess. Tell us which vintage, which bottling, etc.
–Make sure to include ten wines in the order you think they’ll place. Guesses with fewer than ten wines will not be counted.
–Vote only once.
–The deadline is November 9th: the day before the Spectator begins their top Ten countdown on their website. Anything entered through the 9th, the day prior to their announcement is fair game.
Cast your vote now! It’s the most important second most important vote you’ll cast in 2008. Submit all guesses to us via email: info@domaine547.com.
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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
November 7th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Love this competition!
December 31st, 2008 at 6:11 pm
[…] This was the prize shared with Richard from The Passionate Foodie for getting 20% of the Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines of 2008 correct. This is precisely the type of wine I would shake my head and pass over on the shelf so I […]