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LADV - Infrequent and Incredible, 2007 Pinot Noir
This event has already occurred!
December 9, 2009 (Wed)
6:00 PM - 8:30 AM
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Location: Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center
1000 E. 41st St. #210 View Map |
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COST:
$15 members & $25 non-members (all inclusive)
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EVENT DETAILS:
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Les Amis du Vin (LADV) has been Austin's premier organization for consumers of fine wine for twenty years. Our events are both educational and fun. This event will focus on the notion of the truly “great vintage”. Because technological improvements in both grape growing and winemaking have leveled much of the variability in wines, many wine drinkers almost dismiss the importance of a wine’s vintage. And more, I admit that those of us with brain-overload or approaching senior-ility simply don’t want to take on the burden of remembering better and lesser years (all those numbers just run together, and they keep changing!). Finally, in this world of marketing hype where producers and pundits make claims like ‘vintage of the decade’ every other year, it is actually difficult to distinguish when one actually occurs. But, to dismiss the importance of vintage can be worse than not remembering wine producers that you like. Vintage is a Big Deal.
More than just determining whether you get a better or worse wine, paying attention to vintages also effects your pocketbook. The distribution system for wine is really not built to adjust pricing much based on vintage; heck, many cogs in that machine don’t even track it. (If you want to get me wound up, take me to a restaurant that claims to be really big on wine, and have them hand me a wine list that doesn’t show the vintages! Well, hell, why not hide the winery name as well. I could go on, and if you ever get me started, I will…) Because of this and other factors, prices seldom fluxuate much as years change; well, except to steadily ramp up every year. So think about it; if you’re not avoiding “off” vintages, you’re paying more than you should for mediocre wine. Perhaps more important to we lovers of wine, not finding and drinking outstanding vintages means that you’re not only missing bargains, you’re completely missing the chance to drink some great wine. In an extreme situation, that’s like not paying attention to whether you pick a bottle of Tott’s or a bottle of Veuve Clicquot that are priced nearly the same! Now do you get it?
So, if you’re a fan of my favorite grape, Pinot Noir, then 2007 was a vintage in California that you do not want to miss. Let me explain my rationale. First of all, there’s no doubt that the general trend in quality of California Pinot Noir has risen steadily to its current ‘world class’ position since the jump-start which came two decades ago from a handful of great producers like Burt Williams, Joseph Swan, Tom Rochioli, and a few other pioneers. Now, in addition to that improvement coming from vine propagation, site selection, and vinification techniques, came a near-perfect growing season in many areas. It’s as exciting to me as to a golfer whose worked on their swing, bought great new equipment, hit a shot that would have made the green… then to have a puff of wind unexpectedly push the ball so that it actually ends up bouncing into the cup!
Many of you are probably already aware of this. It’s hard to miss cover headlines like “Best Ever California Pinot Noir” on the Wine Spectator. But it’s one thing to know about it, and something else to actually give yourself the opportunity to experience it and even perhaps capture a bit of it for yourself. While it’s available, what d’ya say we sample about fifteen of the best? If for no other reason than to be sure that they’re not pulling our leg (or insert some other idiom of your choice, but not the one about making a monkey, please).
Experiences to-date have taught many of us that one of the best places to really focus on the wine and minimize distractions is the classroom at the Twin Liquor Marketplace. As we have before, I’ll provide enough bread, cheese, and other snacks to keep your palate refreshed. In our long-standing tradition of cutting out hype completely, the wines will be ensconced in those fashionable brown bags. As great wines are still coming into the market, I’m not going to lock them all in for another couple of weeks, but I’ve already got my eye on a whole set of highly-rated wonderful wines, which (at least at this moment) will be presented in flights based on appellation / region, allowing us to gauge them in the company of other wines with similar attributes. I think by now you can trust that you won’t be disappointed. If you can’t make this event, I encourage you to go to your favorite purveyor and snag some of this bounty. If you can, come and celebrate this with us… |
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