Hey, oenophiles, rate this Parade Magazine 'starter wine cellar'...

In My Humble Opinion
1
  1. I know absolutely nothing about wines.
  2. I am not particularly interested in learning.
  3. I am, however, extremely curious as to exactly what last Sunday’s Parade magazine (November 11, 2001) was recommending to Mr. and Mrs. America. Are their selections for a starter wine cellar any good, or are they just recommending the equivalent of Chateau d’Osco?

Legend: DN=drink now, S=store 1 to 3 years, D/S=drinkable now but will hold 2 to 4 years or more.

White Wines

Chardonnays 1999-2000

Chateau St. Jean, $18 (DN)
Dry Creek Vineyard, $16 (DN)
Edna Valley Vineyard, $18 (D/S)
Errazuriz, $10 (DN)
Eshcol Ranch, $12 (DN)
Hill of Content, $14 (DN)
Meridian, $12 (DN)

Sauvignon/Fume Blanc 2000

Benziger, $13 (DN)
Chateau Graville-Lacoste, $13 (D/S)
Chateau Ste. Michelle, $10 (DN)
Ferrari-Carano, $13 (D/S)
Meridian, $8 (DN)

Other White Wines 2000

Amity Pinot Blanc (Oregon), $11-$13 (DN)
Trimbach Pinot Blanc (Alsace), $12 (DN)
Zenato Pinot Grigio (Italy), $10 (DN)

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon 1999-2000

Beringer Knights Valley, $25 (S)
Eshcol Ranch, $12 (D/S)
Fetzer Barrel Select, $18 (D/S)
Gallo of Sonoma, $12 (D/S)
Robert Mondavi Napa, $23 (S)
Sterling, $24 (D/S)
Villa Mt. Eden, $13 (D/S)

Merlot 1999-2000

Blackstone, $12 (DN)
Errazuriz, $10 (DN)
Fetzer Barrel Select, $14 (D/S)
Hogue, $12 (D/S)

Pinot Noir 1998-2000

Lindemans Bin 99, $9 (DN)
Meridian, $10-$13 (D/S)
Mirassou, $13 (DN)
Rene LeClerc Bourgogne, $16 (D/S)

Syrah/Shiraz/Grenache 1998, 1999, 2000

Black Opal Shiraz, $11 (DN)
E. Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone, $12 (D/S)
Geyser Peak Shiraz, $18 (S)
Penfolds Koonunga Hill, $11 (DN)
Perrin Reserve, $10 (DN)
Rosemount Grenache/Shiraz, $10 (DN)

Zinfandel 1997-2000

Chateau Souverain, $13-$16 (D/S)
Dry Creek, Sonoma, $15 (D/S)
Louis M. Martini, $12-$14 (D/S)

Other Red Wines

Chianti Classico 1999, 2000, $9-$15 (D/S)
Chianti Riserva 1997, $20 (D/S)
Rioja 1998-99, $10-$16 (D/S)

2

I read this on Sunday when it came out, and was not impressed at all. The weakest component here seems to be the whites–they’ve selected the types that American have become accustomed to and are, in the main, inoffensive at best.
The Chardonnays are overblown and won’t age well at all. There was no White Burgundy as such, which ages well and is good with a lot of food. The pinot blancs/pinto grigios were middling, and there wasn’t any gewurztraminer or pinto gris. No Muscadet or anything interesting.

The reds were slightly better, but I’d only recommend the Shiraz and the Zinfandels. Everything else is really ordinary.

If they were looking to put together a wine list that could concievably been compiled most anywhere in the country, and without special ordering from a wine merchant, then they got it right–most of this stuff you can get at the supermarket. Not that that’s a bad thing, but they seem to have aimed to choose inoffensive wines that won’t challenge people.

3

Yeah, “inoffensive” and “non-challenging”, that pretty much sums up Parade magazine. That’s what I kind of suspected their wine cellar would be. Thanx. :slight_smile:

4

Now that False_God resolved that. (And I largely agree with him) Would it be of interest to create a SDMB cellar start list.

A couple categories maybe.

wines of great value (price/pleasure) for everyday drink
wines of great value for special ocasions (pricer)
wine that should be sampled at least once if you a wine lover, price be damned.

5

I’ll bite!

Everyday (by the case) :

White - Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay 1999 ($10)

Red - Rosemont Estates Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2000 ($10)

Special occasion:

Chateau Haut-Brion 1982 Graves ($50)

Just gotta do it:

1996 Shiraz Penfolds South Australia Grange ($150)
Sweet Mother of God, I never understood paying big bucks for a bottle of wine, then I tasted this. Transcendental experience.

6

ok,

by the case, everyday:

1991 Torre Oria Grand Reserve - $20 - a Spanish red with really tacky packaging, but superb in this price range. Comes across very much like a Bordeaux.

special but not outlandish:

1996 Travaglini Gattinara - $40-$50 - One of the best chiantis I have had at any price.

1997 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru $50 - A very nice white Bordeaux.

Really big ocasion:

1978 Chateu Pichon Langeuville Comtesse De Laland - $500-$800… Absolutely stunning bottle of wine. It is a severly under rated Bordeaux. I would put it up against many multi-thousand dollar bottles.

For after a really special ocasion dinner:

1937 Porto Rocho - $400 This is a 60 year tawny port. Meaning, it was put in oak barrels in 1937, and bottled in 1997. In my entire life, I have not put a single thing in my mouth (either food or drink) that is as lovely as this.
On the Porto Rocha, this is very hard to find. I can get it here… I had to bug a high end wine shop (and bug and bug) to get them to get a case. Once they did, it has been a steady seller there ever since.
And Lamar… where do you get an 82 Haut Brion for $50?

7

No, don’t be drinking this yet. You want the '89 or '90 this year. Penfolds say this will drink best from 2010 to 2030.

8

I am personally appalled at their wine list! How the hell could they forget…

MD 20/20

Godless Heathens!

::slinking away now to a place no one will ever find me::

9

Mea Culpa. That’s what I paid last time I bought some. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago, though.

Re: Penfolds Grange. I’ll be in my 60’s in 2030. I’m not waiting. Sometimes you just gotta drink it.