Back to School Blues!
September 06, 2007
Those old tuition blues! Yes, it is that time of
year.....when the wine allowance is borrowed against to handle those ever
increasing tuition payments. True story.....Did I ever tell you the time
when my only and eldest daughter, just having turned 18 years old
and ready for her first year of college hit a $5 lotto ticket for
$200,000? Guess who got to pay the tuition? NOT me!!! Doesn't
that just perk you right up!!! Hah! sorry!
Then, did you hear about the Italian
cops going to school to be trained as sommeliers to fight wine fraud? No
joke!! I graduated from UC Berkeley's School of Criminology in
1972.....MAN, did I miss my calling by 35 years!! From
Decanter.com -
Twenty-five members of the Italian military police
have qualified
as sommeliers in order to combat fraud in the
industry.
Elite officers of the Carabinieri del Nac
(anti-fraud squad), recently passed
exams given by the Italian Sommeliers Association,
based in Rome.
The combat-ready sommeliers will use their new-found
expertise as part
of their existing responsibilities for Italy's
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
They will also conduct special investigations and
act as liaisons to the European
Commission's Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
'The
opportunities to perpetrate fraud are limited only by man's
imagination,'
said Colonel Pasquale Muggeo, one of the
wine-trained officers. 'What we have
learned will enable us to offer stronger support to
the wine industry.'
Muggeo said their training had already helped the
policemen in uncovering a ring
of Brunello and Barbaresco counterfeiters operating
in Germany and Denmark.
He confirmed that although they might be
disguised as civilians in order to carry
out their investigations, the teams would be armed,
as usual for military police.
Muggeo discounted the suggestion that
teams of Carabinieri would pose as sommeliers.
'The ability to remain
lucid is at the core of every undercover activity, without
exception,' he said. 'We do not drink on the
job.'
- Maggie Rosen
Speaking of cops and
robbers.....if you are captivated by Orin Swift's The Prisoner.....I just received a few extra
wax dipped magnums of the 2005 vintage
And finally, no con....just the real
deal!
A very traditional and respected producer in
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domain Bosquet des
Papes not only has a long track record for producing wines
of relative value and early appeal; but these same
wines will also evolve and reward with long term aging
to reveal expressive terroir, greater complexity, and alluring
charm. I was pleased to be able to purchase these Grenache based
classics from the excellent 2005 vintage last
February. Just arrived. Don't be asleep at the wheel for
this offer!!
2005 Domaine Bosquet des Papes
"Traditional" Chateauneuf-du-Pape -
Southern Rhone Valley, France - $37.95 a bottle, or three bottles for $34.95 each.
The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape has a dense
ruby/purple color and a sweet nose of black cherries, creme de cassis, plums,
allspice, and smoky, gamey notes with a hint of damp earth. The wine is ripe,
full-bodied, powerful, and moderately tannic. It will probably drink well young
but should age nicely for 10-15 years. This superb estate never misses a beat
with its wines, which are all reasonably drinkable at a young age, normally
exhibit terrific Provencal typicity, and have uncommon aging potential. I still
have some soft years like 1983 and 1985 in my cellar that are holding up
beautifully. - 90/92 points,
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate - Issue 169, February
2007
2005 Domaine Bosquet des
Papes "a la Gloire de Mon
Grandpere" Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Southern Rhone Valley, France - $59.95
NET
The surprisingly tannic,
structured, medium to full-bodied 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape a la Gloire de Mon
Grandpere seems to be somewhat atypical in that it will need several years of
bottle age to reach drinkability. There's plenty of tannin here, but also
gorgeous levels of sweet black cherry fruit intermixed with raspberry, balsam
wood notes, and a pine forest scent. Grenache-dominated, as one might suspect,
this wine should be at its best between 2009 and 2028. This superb estate
never misses a beat with its wines......" - 90/93 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
- Issue 169, February 2007
2005 Domaine Bosquet des
Papes "Chante le Merle Vieilles
Vigne" Chateauneuf-du-Pape -
Southern Rhone Valley, France - $69.95
NET
The dark ruby/purple-colored 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape
Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes has a terrific nose of black raspberries and
sweet jammy cherries intermixed with licorice, earth, cedar, spice box, and some
incense and soy. It is full, powerful, but at the same time fresh and elegant
because of the vintage's tell-tale acidity and moderately high tannins. This
classic should be cellared for 4-5 years and drunk over the following 15 years.
This superb estate never misses a beat with its wines......"
92/94 points, Robert Parker,
Wine Advocate - Issue 169, February 2007
I will process orders as received. Order
by replying directly to this e-mail.
btw- GO
BEARS!!
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