richardhod wrote:K1, your favourite scotches? And you know a good discount source, apart from Heathrow airport, and the (quality but expensive) Malt Whisky Society?

Well, I'm a sucker for a good Islay malt. Laphroaig is the all-time favorite and usual standby (I probably own half the distillery grounds by now with their "one square foot" of land per bottle club-thing), and I'm currently working through a bottle of Cask Strength (I've looked all over for the fabled Quarter Cask, but haven't found any). Ardbeg and Lagavulin are also winners, and I'm really excited to try the whisky from the new Kilchoman distillery which started up about a decade ago, but I haven't gotten my hands on any.

On the other end of the spectrum, a smooth Highlands malt is sometimes the ticket when I don't want to blow my taste buds out. Out of the ones I've tried, I think Oban probably has the most character (some of them are simply too watery - I was highly disappointed with a Dalwhinnie 15 I picked up). I also have a deep, abiding love for the magic of Talisker, though on character alone I think it's more of an Islay than Highlands type.

Speyside malts strike a good balance between peat power and smoothness, and some of Macallan's older whiskies are great, but too expensive to enjoy regularly.

As far as getting whisky on the cheap, I've never really bothered much with buying it online, since I usually only get a bottle at a time, and there's not much variability in the price (like with wine). Living in DC, of course, I always have a classy liquor store within walking distance, so I've never really felt the need to go online for Scotch.

k1avg wrote:9:35pm. Another sip, another flavor. This time it's something just ever so suggestively green - like a patch of good fairway, but maybe a little weedier, like crabgrass. But in a good way. It's the best crabgrass experience I've ever had.

Eric, while you're still around, I was wondering if you had any insight into what this might be. I get this faint, almost-indescribable "green" flavor in a lot of lighter reds and in almost every white, so I suspect it may be something arising from inherent grape structure or some other nonsensical biology thing. It's sort of like the "grass" you might get in a good Chard or Riesling, but different - a little less pointed, if it makes any sense. It's almost like "raw chlorophyll" - devoid of any floral or leafy character, but still undeniably plant-like.

Is my mind just playing tricks on me, or is there something behind this? Perhaps the result of trace chlorophyll in grape skins and stems? Again, it's incredibly faint, and usually a pleasant addition, so I wonder if it's something that a talented winemaker could nominally control or take advantage of.

k1avg wrote:Eric, while you're still around, I was wondering if you had any insight into what this might be. I get this faint, almost-indescribable "green" flavor in a lot of lighter reds and in almost every white, so I suspect it may be something arising from inherent grape structure or some other nonsensical biology thing. It's sort of like the "grass" you might get in a good Chard or Riesling, but different - a little less pointed, if it makes any sense. It's almost like "raw chlorophyll" - devoid of any floral or leafy character, but still undeniably plant-like.

Is my mind just playing tricks on me, or is there something behind this? Perhaps the result of trace chlorophyll in grape skins and stems? Again, it's incredibly faint, and usually a pleasant addition, so I wonder if it's something that a talented winemaker could nominally control or take advantage of.

The green effect you are picking up can be caused by the variety (Cabs/Merlots will be greener than say Zinfandel) combined typically with one of two other factors:

(1) The weather was cool, so the fruit didn't fully ripen. Just imagine the life of a grape, turning from the little green berry to a raising (of course you want to harvest the fruit when it is plump, good acid, nice flavors, optimal sugar level; definitely before the raisining). I just wanted to explaing the spectrum. On the other end, the fruit can be harvested early, or have never fully developed... when it is greener. This will show in the wine. Bell pepper is the most common characteristic
(2) The soil. The fruit can pick up characteristics of the soil quite often. e.g. if there is a grove of eucalyptus trees next to the vineyard, that aroma is often present in the resulting wine.

I think mine was a combination of both, and here is why. The vineyard is atop warm springs which makes it ripen early. Even though the sugar levels are optimal, the fruit still has some of the green flavor profiles present. Second, the vineyard is next to a creekbed. The soil is very rocky, dry grass flourishes, and I believe this is affects it as well.

richardhod wrote:how does bottleshock work, BTW?

And it looks like I have to buy your neighbours' wine, the Kunde too, a I'm low on quality Cab. How well do you know them? Share info etc with them?

I'm on a question roll this week: Merlot. What does it take to make a good one, and what are we lookig for? Very few on woot too AFAIR. I have very little, as I'm not sure since Sideways maligned it that there are as many made.

Someone explained how bottle shock works scientifically, but to be honest I don't recall. It was pretty complex. His explanation was something along these lines... wine is always changing & evolving. The chemical reactions that have happened in a bigger space (a 60-gallon barrel) are now confined to a smaller space (750mL bottle), and it takes some time to adjust/settle.
I wish I knew more on how it happens, but what really matters is that I know it does happen. I typically won't release my wines for about 6 months after bottling. I released the Merlot a little bit early for 2 reasons -- I wanted a new option for my club members, and I wanted to ship the wine before summer heat picks up.

As far as your question on a good Merlot. Hmmmm... my favorites come for the right bank of Bordeaux. Usually they are blended with Cab Franc and Cab Sauv. But in California, there are several good areas. My favorite is probably the western mountains of Napa (Mt. Veeder, Spring mountain (Pride and Robert Keenan are 2 of my favorites)). Second would be Sonoma Valley. I think for Merlot to flourish it needs as much sun exposure, but less heat than a Cab. Some new oak helps, also. Try some from different AVAs and countries. Maybe pick a price level for fair comparison and see what your personal preference is.

Figuring out wine can be a long, but very fun process!

k1avg, where do you go to law school in DC? I know a couple law students there.

Giving it a shot. I'm in for 1. I'm a real sucker for small production wines, with good winery and/or winemaker participation in the forums.

emmy83 wrote:k1avg, where do you go to law school in DC? I know a couple law students there.

Recent GMU law (best legal education in DC) alum right here, but thankfully relocated to NYC.

etherealotaku wrote:Giving it a shot. I'm in for 1. I'm a real sucker for small production wines, with good winery and/or winemaker participation in the forums.

Thanks etherealotaku. I hope you enjoy the wines.

EricKeating wrote:The green effect you are picking up can be caused by the variety (Cabs/Merlots will be greener than say Zinfandel) combined typically with one of two other factors:

(1) The weather was cool, so the fruit didn't fully ripen. Just imagine the life of a grape, turning from the little green berry to a raising (of course you want to harvest the fruit when it is plump, good acid, nice flavors, optimal sugar level; definitely before the raisining). I just wanted to explaing the spectrum. On the other end, the fruit can be harvested early, or have never fully developed... when it is greener. This will show in the wine. Bell pepper is the most common characteristic
(2) The soil. The fruit can pick up characteristics of the soil quite often. e.g. if there is a grove of eucalyptus trees next to the vineyard, that aroma is often present in the resulting wine.

I think mine was a combination of both, and here is why. The vineyard is atop warm springs which makes it ripen early. Even though the sugar levels are optimal, the fruit still has some of the green flavor profiles present. Second, the vineyard is next to a creekbed. The soil is very rocky, dry grass flourishes, and I believe this is affects it as well.

That makes a lot of sense, actually. Thanks for enlightening me (and everyone else here)!

emmy83 wrote:k1avg, where do you go to law school in DC? I know a couple law students there.

GWU. Safety school, but what can you do. I started last year, and I'm rocking a choice internship in town this summer.

("Choice" meaning "paid" meaning "more disposable income for booze." Life is good.)

klezman wrote:If the PS review comes back as seemingly pleasing to my tastes as the first two, you will have successfully crushed my SIWBM. Well done, WD and Eric.

And thank you labrats - excellent reports!

And in for two, despite coming back with 15 bottles from the rest of the day in Sonoma. Damn...need to find a place to put these!

klezman wrote:And in for two, despite coming back with 15 bottles from the rest of the day in Sonoma. Damn...need to find a place to put these!

Thanks klezman...

And thanks to everyone else who bought, chatted, or lab-ratted.
This was a fun experience as a winery owner.

Until next time,
Eric Keating

Mine finally get here today...guess what I'll be drinking tonight?

k1avg wrote:Mine finally get here today...guess what I'll be drinking tonight?

Aww, crap, my girlfriend had to leave before UPS got to the house today, so these are going to have to wait until Monday. Hopefully they unload the truck for the weekend, because it's supposed to top 90 both days.

k1avg wrote:Aww, crap, my girlfriend had to leave before UPS got to the house today, so these are going to have to wait until Monday. Hopefully they unload the truck for the weekend, because it's supposed to top 90 both days.

Well, I braved the horrors of 295 on a Friday night, navigating Prince George's County, and an hour-long wait in the sweltering UPS depot to pick up my package in person, but I just couldn't take this chance.

I think I deserve a glass of wine.

k1avg wrote:Well, I braved the horrors of 295 on a Friday night, navigating Prince George's County, and an hour-long wait in the sweltering UPS depot to pick up my package in person, but I just couldn't take this chance.

I think I deserve a glass of wine.

I finally cracked open the Malbec the other day... very enjoyable bottle of red. Which bottle are you trying?

Thank you, Wine.Woot.Com, for introducing me to such a great set of wines and an amazing winery.