[Houdini]

... I am tremendously impressed by your wino odyssey ...

 

Me too, I should be dead by now 

Perhaps we can raise a glass to quality and to interest, rather than drag all this down into a discussion about value vs. price?

If you fancy.  Though perceived value/kudos/rarity/snobbery and its relationship to human character is fascinating ; not just in wine but in all things, property for example: good areas vs bad; places to be seen that cost a fortune.  I read somewhere that the most expensive terroir wines cost c. €10 per bottle to produce (!) There's this rich-bitch 40-something w/ too much make-up I see in the local Lidl occassionally. I look in her trolley & it's real shit (crap margarine/€2 wines etc..).  She drives a newish silver Maserati: it's the business.  I wonder at her in puzzlement (as I do at most I meet & I'm reaching here & can't be sure) but suspect she scrimps on hauskeeping to afford her wheels.  People are weird; I'd rather eat organic butter and drive a Mini . . .  But I digress.

Keen to explore wine further (& start buying port again) but hampered by dwindling savings (haven't worked for 8 months!  Which has been great as the fingers are healed & can run like a greased whippet now  but not so good for the lash).  Could be working in Brum soon so if anyone's up for getting fucked, can do).

[Joepicalli]

Perhaps we can raise a glass to quality and to interest, rather than drag all this down into a discussion about value vs. price?

Tiniest bit anal here I know, but isn't quality a function of value and price i.e. something which is good value for its price is of good quality. The point about Houd's wine trawl (and I thought Sloper's comments about it a bit mean) is that he appears to be picking up some lovely stuff very cheaply, and seeming to be getting a taste for some stuff which he hasn't thought he liked in the past; surely this is what appreciating wine is all about?

[Yossarian]

Er, yes. Sorry, I was a bit pissed last night. (1 bottle of White Prem Cru Givry - very nice, 2 martinis and the aforementioned whiskies).

My best recent discovery has been Vire-Clesse. A new appellation, and at the moment distinctly undervalued. That IS quality...

[Sloper]

Perhaps we can raise a glass to quality and to interest, rather than drag all this down into a discussion about value vs. price?

Tiniest bit anal here I know, but isn't quality a function of value and price i.e. something which is good value for its price is of good quality. The point about Houd's wine trawl (and I thought Sloper's comments about it a bit mean) is that he appears to be picking up some lovely stuff very cheaply, and seeming to be getting a taste for some stuff which he hasn't thought he liked in the past; surely this is what appreciating wine is all about?

I think you mean Soapy's comment?

As for Parker and his farting bulldog and points I think that's a load of toss.  I take great pleasure in seeking out good wine from lesser known producers and areas, in fact I'll share a couple of tips, Vasse Felix from the Margaret River in W Oz and Cassa Weinert in Argentina (their 100% cab sauv needs a few years to round off) and their blend is a real cracker.

[Joepicalli]

Perhaps we can raise a glass to quality and to interest, rather than drag all this down into a discussion about value vs. price?

Tiniest bit anal here I know, but isn't quality a function of value and price i.e. something which is good value for its price is of good quality. The point about Houd's wine trawl (and I thought Sloper's comments about it a bit mean) is that he appears to be picking up some lovely stuff very cheaply, and seeming to be getting a taste for some stuff which he hasn't thought he liked in the past; surely this is what appreciating wine is all about?

I think you mean Soapy's comment?


As for Parker and his farting bulldog and points I think that's a load of toss.  I take great pleasure in seeking out good wine from lesser known producers and areas, in fact I'll share a couple of tips, Vasse Felix from the Margaret River in W Oz and Cassa Weinert in Argentina (their 100% cab sauv needs a few years to round off) and their blend is a real cracker.

Yeah I did  :oops:sorry.
Yeah you are right about Parker: he seems to have a fine appreciation of wines dressed as alcho pops. He is however massively influential and the reason I mentioned him was in the context of wine that I have bought at least partially as an investment. Agree with him or not in buying a Parker 100 pointer I made the closest thing to dead cert that you can get with wine buying for investment. (It helps that every other wine critic raved about it as well )

[Houdini]

Don't confuse Sloper w/ soapy, Joe.   Two very different animals.  Soaps is a down in the Smoke, he's used to getting his wallet butt-fucked on basic goods . . .  which is a real shame, for him.


I've dined w/ Sloper.  He's a little wizard in the kitchen.  I went shopping w/ him once in Malesherbes nr Font', I bought port, he wine:  it was a taste vinage Borgoyne (sp?) pinot noit for under €6 a bottle and was fabulous (for 4 quid!).  The same bottle is €9 in Hamburg & around 10/12 quid in the UK.  Things are just so much cheaper here in Europe which Fraudini & I love because we can indulge ourselves a little w/ out keelhauling our fairly thin purses.  (The down side is that good port is damn expensive as Germans don't care for it greatly).

I'm flabbergasted that there can be so much difference in price not only betwen the UK and Europe but between shops in Hamburg (which is a fashionable & expensive city to live in).  I've found that pauillac (which I bought for €4.99) for €19 in another shop.  Nuts.  Caveat emptor. 





   

[Houdini]

Well, as the saying goes: fuck all you office rats strung-out on gash percolator coffee, I'm going out wine hunting where I shall try to bag an oenological über-bargain.

For me at least, shopping for wine is second only to buying drugs on a dangerous foreign street; all those pretty bottles lined up w/ fine line drawings of chateaus! 

*cock in hand*

 

 

[slackline]

Vasse Felix from the Margaret River in W Oz and Cassa Weinert in Argentina (their 100% cab sauv needs a few years to round off) and their blend is a real cracker.

Vasse Felix is very nice, went to the vineyard whilst down there. Another nice one I discovered whilst living out there was Marimee from the Happs Vineyard, also in the Margaret River region.

There are tons of vineyards in the Margaret River region, its the main industry of the area.  Theres also a nice crag not far away called Willyabrup and a beautiful limestone crag by the coast with an hours walk-in called Bob's Hollow (pics below, puts the Tor to shame  ).  This is about the best climbing there is in Western Australia (well not strictly true as Albany is awesome, but thats another four hours drive from Perth on top of the three and a half it takes to get to Margaret River).  Theres also awesome surfing in the area as well.  I reckon some of the regulars here would like it.



(Not the best pics, and not my own as I can't find mine at the moment!  Note the gorgeous white sands in the corner, the beach is actually massive).

There are also quite a few nice wines made in the Swan Valley east and inland of Perth.  In spring there is an "event" called Spring in the Valley where all the vineyards celebrate the seasons wines by putting on bar-b-q's and music with cheap wine tasting.  Great fun going round the different vineyards by chauffeur drive coach and getting shit-faced on a Sunday afternoon

Unfortunately being the most isolated city in the world and in the arse end of nowhere very few W. Australia wines get exported, presumably due to the cost of getting it out of the damn place!

[lagerstarfish]

For me at least, shopping for wine is second only to buying drugs on a dangerous foreign street;

Just to remind you how lucky you are (lucky bastard)



Avoid this stuff


and don't drink out of any previously opened bottles

[Jaspersharpe]

Nice day at the office mate?

[lagerstarfish]

Nice day at the office mate?

nah, just popped out to score one of each to take the edge off the shame of selling my arse on the streets

sorry for being 

[Jaspersharpe]

Business as usual. That's ok then.

[GraemeA]

errr Mr Picalli

I think that technically you only own 5.75 bottles of the Yquem as, following the settling of our little bet, I am the proud owner of .25 bottles of the amber nectar.

Yours

A very thick skinned Graeme

[Percy B]

Shouldn't you be shouting at septics, Grom?

[Yossarian]

Re WA - I second Vasse Felix. Margaret River is also home to the nicest little vineyard I've ever visited - http://hbwines.com.au/

Also Xanadu and McHenry Hohnen - I think you can get both of them here with a bit of detective work. I get the latter via Louis Latour.

Re climbing there, I never made it to Bulls Hollow when I was climbing routes. I did go to Willyabrup and shat myself a bit. And Wallcliffe.

Last time I was there I spent a morning bouldering here http://www.climberswa.asn.au/climbwa/miniguides/whaleback%20mini%20guide.pdf before trotting off to a wedding in the evening. I took a wrong turn after dumping my non 4x4 and ended up at one of the many awesome surfing beaches. When I did eventually arrive at the right place it was good fun - it looks better than it does in those photos.

[lagerstarfish]

When are you hosting the tasting?

In about 5 year's time and it will be me and my current friends (I will have gone out of my way to be a total bastard to everyone I know for months beforehand).

errr Mr Picalli

I think that technically you only own 5.75 bottles of the Yquem as, following the settling of our little bet, I am the proud owner of .25 bottles of the amber nectar.

Yours

A very thick skinned Graeme

I would like some clarification here, Joe

When the great day of tasting occurs and if Graeme has managed to become/stay/worm-his-way-to-being a "current friend" at that time; will Graeme simply drink 0.25 bottles more than every one else (including you) or will he drink 0.25 bottles more than the other "current friends" or will he be drinking only the 0.25 bottle that he thinks is his or will you be including the 0.25 bottle as part of his share or do intend to "forget" to tell him when the tasting is so the problem will go away?

I ask only because, following my rereading of Aristotle, I am currently weighing up the cost/benefit balance of my personal relationships over the next 5 to 7 years and am trying to work out whether driving a wedge between the two of you is going to be worth the (admittedly small) effort. Obviously I haven't ironed out the details of how to get you to like me a lot, but I am sure we can find some common ground to our mutual satisfaction.

Yours Greekily

Lagers

[Houdini]

Sorry to bring this thread crashing down once more, but todays quest to find what appears to be the best wine for under five euro resulted in this.



Weighing in at €4.99 / 3.94.  Damn that weak pound and strong euro.  This would be 3 quid a few months back.

Anyone drunk this?  8.50 in UK so I think my bargain hunt was OK.

[Joepicalli]

errr Mr Picalli

I think that technically you only own 5.75 bottles of the Yquem as, following the settling of our little bet, I am the proud owner of .25 bottles of the amber nectar.

Yours

A very thick skinned Graeme

Ahhh, Mr Alderson: one of the great pleasures of the internet is the ability to get some small recompense for having to part with a 1/4 of a bottle of Fosters' (this surely is what you mean by amber nectar?) because you tricked me into making a bet by feeding me bottle after bottle of fine wine. I now announce to the world that you sir are a blighter.

[Joepicalli]

When are you hosting the tasting?

In about 5 year's time and it will be me and my current friends (I will have gone out of my way to be a total bastard to everyone I know for months beforehand).

errr Mr Picalli

I think that technically you only own 5.75 bottles of the Yquem as, following the settling of our little bet, I am the proud owner of .25 bottles of the amber nectar.

Yours

A very thick skinned Graeme

I would like some clarification here, Joe

When the great day of tasting occurs and if Graeme has managed to become/stay/worm-his-way-to-being a "current friend" at that time; will Graeme simply drink 0.25 bottles more than every one else (including you) or will he drink 0.25 bottles more than the other "current friends" or will he be drinking only the 0.25 bottle that he thinks is his or will you be including the 0.25 bottle as part of his share or do intend to "forget" to tell him when the tasting is so the problem will go away?

I ask only because, following my rereading of Aristotle, I am currently weighing up the cost/benefit balance of my personal relationships over the next 5 to 7 years and am trying to work out whether driving a wedge between the two of you is going to be worth the (admittedly small) effort. Obviously I haven't ironed out the details of how to get you to like me a lot, but I am sure we can find some common ground to our mutual satisfaction.

Yours Greekily

Lagers

It will work like this, there will be no friends (I have my Y'quem nothing more is needed). The Alderson (who, obviously, now falls into the category of "someone I met once" (nobody gets a 1/4 bottle of Australia's finest out of me and remains a friend... oh no!) will sit opposite me in silence while the drinking occurs. He will then leave and I will continue to commune with my precious alone, Oh Yesssss.

[lagerstarfish]

The Alderson ...... in silence while the drinking occurs

Yeah, right

In fact

The Alderson ...... in silence

seems unlikely

[Houdini]

It's great.  Thread's seeing some action.  Erm . . .   The Grand Village 04 is nice, but not as nice as the Graves 01 at the same price so I think I might be drinking Graves from now on. 

Surprised at how well it went w/ our food which was meat-free.  Potato/carrot gratin cooked in a single cream & vegetable stock mix w/ lots of fresh sage/oregano/thyme/rosemary/garlic.  It was the herbs that matched, I think.

Moroccan wine?  I saw some today at a keen price, I'll pick up a bottle tomorrow.  Any experience?

Plus - what's the next step up in Bordeaux?  Recommendations please.

[Joepicalli]

The Alderson ...... in silence while the drinking occurs

Yeah, right

Ngornig yuo'er baesless accsuations as to my sorietby... ure m'best mate u r I fuckin' love you.
(See how easy it was to worm your way into an Y'quem tasting?)

[Joepicalli]

It's great.  Thread's seeing some action.  Erm . . .   The Grand Village 04 is nice, but not as nice as the Graves 01 at the same price so I think I might be drinking Graves from now on. 

Surprised at how well it went w/ our food which was meat-free.  Potato/carrot gratin cooked in a single cream & vegetable stock mix w/ lots of fresh sage/oregano/thyme/rosemary/garlic.  It was the herbs that matched, I think.

Moroccan wine?  I saw some today at a keen price, I'll pick up a bottle tomorrow.  Any experience?

Plus - what's the next step up in Bordeaux?  Recommendations please.

Its kind of hard to answer this 'cos you seem to be be buying good, solid Bordeaux at very reasonable prices. You've kind of stepped up without trying.

[lagerstarfish]

The Alderson ...... in silence while the drinking occurs

Yeah, right

Ngornig yuo'er baesless accsuations as to my sorietby... ure m'best mate u r I fuckin' love you.
(See how easy it was to worm your way into an Y'quem tasting?)

ascusashuns? urrarre as sssssssssbbber as a juggedge ann way moor cleeverr n thatye aoure.
"I love you more than you love me" yaaaaou kantian iddealisssst, you. eeeeeeeeyaye am the whey tha trut and da lite - folo me annnd heven will b yorn.

[lagerstarfish]

Back on topic, guys,

I shall be in Font for a week from 21 June. I am interested in conducting a wine/money/cooking/enjoyment/circuits experiment. All proposed schedules will be taken into consideration.

Actually, the circuits can take a back seat for the benefit of SCIENCE.

as long as at least one circuit is done per day