Tag Archives: France

FABRICATED.FIZZ.

Posted on January 23, 2012 by waywardwine

A lifetime has passed since I picked up Vidal Blanc juice, fresh from harvest in New York’s Finger Lakes on October 23rd. Between then and present, my wine underwent fermentation, fining, cold stabilization, and at least three rackings. Once the … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged bottle, Champagne, Champagne cages, Fingerlakes, France, hamlet, methode cap classique, methode champenoise, New York, Remueur, riddling, Shakespeare, Sparkling wine, Sugar, Vidal Blanc, wine, yeast | 2 Comments

NOW.WHAT?

Posted on December 19, 2011 by waywardwine

A little wine-down-time, and I go to re-rack… Fine. Dandy. Now what? I try the wine left in the tank. It’s hopelessly mild. My wife tastes it. There’s alcohol, something citrus, pear, maybe mineral hiding around there. But she likens … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged Canada, France, George Lucas, Germans, October, Star Wars, Vidal Blanc, vignoles, wine | 2 Comments

TIRED.TESTY.TROUBLE

Posted on November 7, 2011 by waywardwine

I top off my fermentation tank to six gallons and save the extra gallon: with which to sweeten, make sparkling, or do whatever the heck else strikes my various fancies. Last year’s vignoles wine was fine. I learned gobs of … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged Arthur Conan Doyle, Canada, faries, fermentation, France, grapes, homemade wine, lalvin, must, Narbonne, PH, Sherlock Holmes, Vidal Blanc, vignoles, wine, yeast | 3 Comments

Syrah, “Syrocco” Domaine des Ouleb Thaleb, Thalvin (Alain Graillot), Zenata, Morocco 2008

Posted on September 20, 2011 by waywardwine

Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Jordan and more to follow. While revolutions burn through Arabia and North Africa, one monarch has quietly avoided wholesale annihilation. King Mohammed VI of Morocco. His de jure constitiutional parliamentary monarchy kinda, sorta works. When … Continue reading →

Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Red, Syrah | Tagged Africa, Allain Graillot, Arab Spring, Atlas Mountains, Casablanca, Domaine des Ouleb Thaleb, European Union, France, French wine, Hassan II, Humphry Bogart, Mohammed VI of Morocco, Morocco, Rabat, Rick's Bar, Rick's Café Américain, Thalvin, United States, Zenata | Leave a comment

Cabernet Franc, Raffault “Les Galuches”, Chinon, France 2009

Posted on April 11, 2011 by waywardwine

Cabernet franc: the parent you wished you had. Not to be confused with its bombastic child, cabernet sauvignon (born from pollen swapping with sauvignon blanc). The cabs do share similarities: strong tannins, notes of cassis, berry, pepper and herbs. Yet … Continue reading →