SDMB Wine Club -- Week 16

Cafe Society
21

[QUOTE=John Mace]
Great! I’ve been wanting to expand my wine horizons into Spain, but I didn’t really know where to start.
[/QUOTE]
John, were you able to pick up the Week 7 Rioja? I had never tried a Rioja before, and now it’s a regular on the rack.
[QUOTE=Jodi]
[Morticia] Thing, darling, bring us some wine. [/Morticia]
[/QUOTE]
Okay, confess - you’ve been waiting *sixteen * weeks to use that, haven’t you?

Well, good news, and not so good.

The good news: I went out at lunch and found our selection.

The not so good, but I’m not complaining news: I paid $20 for the bottle. (I also found the Cline for less money, but I wanted to stay with Spain.) With the New England (and especially Massachusetts) liquor business being what it is, there probably isn’t that much price difference from one shop to another, except during sales. I envy you folks who live where there is some cost competition. I know that the bottle I bought is the 12 month aging rather than the 4 month aging.

Possibly tonight - if not, then Sunday. Looking forward to it.

22

[QUOTE=Plynck]
John, were you able to pick up the Week 7 Rioja? I had never tried a Rioja before, and now it’s a regular on the rack.Okay, confess - you’ve been waiting *sixteen * weeks to use that, haven’t you?
[/QUOTE]

I think I jumped into the club around week 10, so no. I will try it, though, especially if I can’t find this one anywhere. Sometimes living so close to wine country in CA can be a negative-- many wine shops stock CA wine to the exclusion of others. But I know a few that are pretty good on non-US wines.

23

What a great pick! Interesting and horizon-expanding. I love the Wine Club. Group hug! :slight_smile:

I’ll try to find the pick tonight. I think I’m making a pasta dish with red sauce tomorrow night, so I’ll try it with that.

24

Curses - foiled again. My local supplier has the Juan Gil Tinto, but not the Jumilla.

So I picked up 2 alternate Jumillas

Wrongo Dongo ($10.64) - which I have had before and like very much
Panarroz ($8.42) - have not tried in the past

I’ll keep looking at alternate sources for the Juan Gil but at least I can enjoy some alternate Monastrell at the same time.

25

Appears I may be in luck after all. I was just doing some additional research on the Tinto and based on the internet article I was just reading, The Tinto & Jumilla are one and the same. (My neighborhood Spec’s didn’t have it but the Mgr pulled up their downtown stock and only saw it listed as Tinto). I’ll be able to have some transferred out to the burbs by next week :slight_smile:

26

I love Spanish reds, and I found this wine at World Market this evening. I plan to open it tomorrow evening.

27

[QUOTE=thingnumberone]
OK, you’ve asked for it…but don’t say I didn’t warn you. :slight_smile:

My pick this week is a big red - the 2005 Juan Gil Jumilla Red wine from Spain. This wine is made from 100% Monastrell grapes (also known as Mourvedre) and is one of my favorite Spanish grapes.
[/QUOTE]

Couldn’t find the Juan Gil, but I did find a 2005 Barahonda Monastrell (89 pts, Robert Parker for those who like to keep score). It’s 100% Monastrell from Yecla, Spain. $12 at BevMo. I also grabbed a Conde Valdemar Rioja Reserva, for good measure at $13. I think it was 90 pts, Wine Spectator.

I will drink the Barahonda esta noche!

28

Okay, I’ll start first. Fools rush in, and all that…

I liked it. Okay, I find myself saying that a lot, but I [sally field] really really liked it [/sally field]. I opened it on Friday night, and had half a bottle with ribeye steaks, pommes frites and new corn.

Upon opening the bottle, I wanted to start singing Oh Tanninbomb. Almost unpleasantly so (the tannins I mean, not my singing). However, I remembered thingnumberone mentioning how much this wine changes, so I left it in the glass for about an hour. It was well worth the wait. It really opened up. I agree with the full body and dark berry description, and will take your word on the coffee; unfortunately, I just don’t have a nuanced palate.

Last night, I had the rest of the bottle. I had the same meal with the wine, purely in the interest of the scientific method (although my mother would have called it “having leftovers”). This is one of the few wines that I have had that got noticeably better after a few days in the bottle. (This is direct contrast to last week’s pick, the Fat Bastard Shiraz, where I didn’t notice the acidity that everyone commented on until the second night.) As much as I liked this wine the first night, by last night it was terrific. It seemed to get more complex. Big thumbs up from me.

I will definitely buy this again, but at $20 it won’t be a regular, alas. I happened to be out at lunch and stopped in at local wine shop (look how I phrased that to make it look like serendipitous happenstance), and they also carry the Juan Gil, but at $22. However, they seem to carry everything at with a little extra surcharge*. If I could get this between $10 to $15 like you folks (not that I’m bitter), it would definitely compete favorably with many of the wines I buy in that range.

*Not a total loss, they do carry the Jade Mountain La Provencale which I have been looking for, so I picked up a couple of bottles.

29

I drank the 2005 Barahonda Monastrell last night with a pasta dinner my girlfriend made for us-- pasta w/ Italian sausage tomato sauce.

I was prepared for lots of tannins, based on Plynck’s review, but the **Barahonda **was quite good as soon as I uncorked it. It definitely took on some more flavor as it sat for awhile, and it paired very nicely with the pasta. This might be a bit lighter than the Juan Gil, as I wouldn’t call this a “big red” at all. The nose had some nice fruit (cherry was what I picked up), and there was a pleasant, earthy tone to the taste. The finish was a bit weak, and that would be my only complaint. Otherwise, it was a great little wine for $12. Muy bueno, CosaNumeroUno!

30

I’m drinking some of the Wrongo Dongo now, in celebration of having passed my MA defense. I really like it - it somehow tastes more grape-y than wine usually does (check out my very advanced wine vocabulary!) If I think hard when sipping, I can also taste some hints of berry - somewhere between black cherry and raspberry. Looking forward to reading the rest of the reviews, and having another glass tomorrow.

31

[QUOTE=Jodi]
:: Ahem :: There will be a slight course correction in this week’s Wine Club. This week’s sommelier is in fact thingnumberone. (Sorry thing!) Then Aceospades (if Ace is still playing), then Swallowed My Cellpone. (Sorry SmC!)
[/QUOTE]

ZOIKS! Phew! I’m still on holiday and havent been to the wine shop to verify if my favourite rioja is still available.

At least I can drink wine again though.

32

This wine was a winner. I really love the Spanish reds, and this is no exception.

33

thingnumberone: I can find the Finca Luzón Jumilla Altos de Luzon fairly easily around here, and it is more favorably priced than the Juan Gil. It is a blend, rather than 100% Monastrell, however. Have you tried it, and if so, how does it compare?

While editing, I was doing a little browsing. It appears that the Finca Luzón Jumilla Altos de Luzon is from the same estate as the Juan Gil, and may use the same Monastrell vines. Maybe it’s time for a little “hands on” research…

34

[QUOTE=Plynck]
thingnumberone: I can find the Finca Luzón Jumilla Altos de Luzon fairly easily around here, and it is more favorably priced than the Juan Gil. It is a blend, rather than 100% Monastrell, however. Have you tried it, and if so, how does it compare?

While editing, I was doing a little browsing. It appears that the Finca Luzón Jumilla Altos de Luzon is from the same estate as the Juan Gil, and may use the same Monastrell vines. Maybe it’s time for a little “hands on” research…
[/QUOTE]

Plynck, I haven’t had that wine, but am very interested in your “hands on” research as the wines I’ve tried from the region have all been very good. I may have to make another stop at the liquor store (oh the horror) to see if they have it and try it with you!

I’m glad everyone is enjoying my selection. :slight_smile:

35

[QUOTE=Plynck]
I will definitely buy this again, but at $20 it won’t be a regular, alas.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, okay, I bought another bottle. :smack: So much for self discipline…

Since the beginning of the year the average price of my wine seems to have crept up another $5 to $7 a bottle. Well, what the hell, life is short and saving for retirement is a crap shoot anyway…

36

[QUOTE=Plynck]
Yeah, okay, I bought another bottle. :smack: So much for self discipline…
[/QUOTE]

I’m glad to hear that I’ve got a Juan Gil convert even if it did bring up your average wine price. :slight_smile:

37

[QUOTE=Plynck]
Since the beginning of the year the average price of my wine seems to have crept up another $5 to $7 a bottle. Well, what the hell, life is short and saving for retirement is a crap shoot anyway…
[/QUOTE]

Funny how that happens, isn’t it? I can still find some good $10-$15 reds, but the $20 - $30 ones keep creeping into my collection at an increasing rate.

Try the **Barahonda **and see what you think. I only paid $12 for that one.

38

[QUOTE=thingnumberone]
I’m glad to hear that I’ve got a Juan Gil convert even if it did bring up your average wine price. :slight_smile:
[/QUOTE]

I also plan to keep a bottle or two of this lovely red in my wine rack

39

Got to try our alternate Panarroz Jumilla last night along with some home baked pizza. I opened it early enough to allow it to sit. Glad I did cause the initial taste from the glass I poured upon opening wasn’t nearly as good as after it had sat for a while. It was actually quite nice. Dark, but not overly so. At $8.42 it will be competing with the Wrongo Dongo for a place in our overcrowded rack.

Still looking for the Juan Gil.

40

[QUOTE=flickster]
Got to try our alternate Panarroz Jumilla last night along with some home baked pizza. I opened it early enough to allow it to sit. Glad I did cause the initial taste from the glass I poured upon opening wasn’t nearly as good as after it had sat for a while. It was actually quite nice. Dark, but not overly so. At $8.42 it will be competing with the Wrongo Dongo for a place in our overcrowded rack.

Still looking for the Juan Gil.
[/QUOTE]

Friend flickster,

This is a sure sign that one needs a larger wine rack