Wine, Lies and Glycol - The Austrian Antifreeze Scandal

If you've never had a wine from Austria then you're missing out, my friend. The next time you see one you should buy it. It doesn't matter which one really, because Austria is so focused on the quality of the wines they export that you will never find a bad bottle. They're all about good reputation... but there's a reason for that.

There was a time when the reputation of Austrian wine was burnt to the ground and all that was left was smoking ash. I'm not saying their reputation for wine was great before then because it wasn't. Most of it was sweet and cheap. But a shocking discovery had their bottles ripped from shelves all over the world. So what happened that hurt them so much?

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Austrian antifreeze scandal.

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April Wine Pick: Zolo 2013 Torrontés

This WINE PICK of the month was written for the Luke's of Cape Cod website.

Torrontés is unique to Argentina and it's kind of a fascinating grape family with historic roots. The three Torrontés varieties are all crosses of the Mission grape, which the Conquistadors and monks brought over to the Americas, and Muscat of Alexandria, perhaps the oldest wine grape on Earth.

Unfortunately most Torrontés available lack personality. When done right, as Argentineans know, it's nothing but personality. Zolo makes theirs from the Torrontés Riojano variety, and it's the epitome of Torrontés done right.

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Mexico's Appellation of Origin Protection

The Appellation of Origin Protection in Mexico is called NOM... that sounds delicious.

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Wine Review: Vindemia Estate Winery 2012 Syrah

Don't fear the computer printed label on the bottle. This wine hasn't even been released yet so that sample label isn't what will be on the commercially sold ones.

Vindemia Estate Winery is a small, family owned winery in the southern California winemaking region of Temecula Valley. From what I understand, they make some really good wines and are recommended by many as a must-visit when in Temecula. I was lucky enough to recieve a bottle from the winery and be one of the first to try their new Syrah! The grapes are estate grown and the wine has an ABV of 14.2%.

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Spirit Review: St. George California Reserve Lot No. 2014 Apple Brandy

Late one night I was studying the brandy section of the Society of Wine Educator's Certified Specialist of Spirits Study Guide. When my hand needed a break from taking my overly detailed notes, I picked up my iPad, went to the YouTube app and searched for simply "how brandy is made".

This is what I found... http://youtu.be/coSov_Lx8yU

And that was it. I had to try it. So the next day at work I put in a special order for a bottle so I could have it for myself... and, of course, to review. I didn't forget about you.

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Society grows great...

Forget old men planting trees! Society grows great when men make brandy whose full potential they shall never taste.

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Wine Review: Domaine La Tour Boisee 2013 Plantation 1905

Minervois. It reminds of the Deftones' song Minerva. But rather than being a Roman Goddess or a rockin' tune, it's a rockin' AOC in southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon.

The cool thing about Languedoc-Roussillon is that it's kinda the wild west south of France. Sure, there's rules and regulations but they're less like what you see from the Old World and more like the New World. Experimentations in viticulture and winemaking are welcome. The wines are focused on now and the future and not gated by conservation of the past. Languedoc-Roussillon is a pretty exciting place.

Although all sorts of vines are grown and all sorts of wines are produced there, Languedoc-Roussillon does have its traditional grapes. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre is a common blend. The subregion of Minervois is particularly fond of Carignan.

Domaine La Tour Boisee's Plantation 1905 is a blend of 23 different unnamed "traditional grape varieties of the Minervois AOC", all from just one vineyard originally planted in 1905. Twenty-mother-effing-three varieties. Yowza.

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What the heck is Baco 22A???

Baco 22A is not the freeway exit that unloads you going east on Baco Ave. It's not a complicated diagram in a text book. And it's not a hip new DJ. Honestly, the first thing I thought of when I saw the name was Experiment 626, AKA Stitch from Disney's Lilo & Stitch. I have a four year old. Don't question my thought process. 

But Baco 22A is a grape. And it turns out that the Experiment 626 and Baco 22A comparison isn't really that far off. They were both carefully constructed and designed by a mad scientist to be an indestructable, organic buzzsaw abomination of chaos. Wait, no... that's not right. At the very least they were both carefully constructed and designed for resilience.

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Wine Review: Laurenz V und Sophie 2013 Singing Grüner Veltliner

Laurenz Maria Moser V is from a long line of Austrian winemakers and in 2004 he decided to devote his winemaking skills entirely to the native Austrian white grape Grüner Veltliner. He now produces seven different versions, and two of them he collaborates with his daughters.

He makes Singing with Sophie. It's mostly from the gravelly soils of the Kremstal region with some addition of grapes from the Weinviertel region. He also makes Sunny with Anna. That's from the Niederösterreich region, which is to the south and has a warmer climate.

I don't know why but I'm just in the mood for some classic rock with this review session. So I put on my headphones and immediately I'm hit with Do You Feel Like We Do from Frampton Comes Alive.

Whose wine? What wine? When the hell did I die?

Hell yes! Let's do this!

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March Wine Pick: Marques de Casa Concha 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

This WINE PICK of the month was written for the Luke's of Cape Cod website.

Marques de Casa Concha is one of the many labels by the Chilean wine producing beast Concha y Toro. All of the wines under the Marques label are single vineyard, estate-owned and of limited production.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Demoninacion de Origen of Puente Alto, the coolest part of Maipo Valley.

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