Your audio wine guide.
Today’s show is focused on the great grape of Bordeaux: Merlot. I also begin my basic wine tasting series and share some listener comments.
Wines tasted:
– Robert Hall, Paso Robles Merlot 2001 ($18)
– Simi, Sonoma County Merlot 2001 ($16)
– Markham Vineyards, Napa Valley Merlot 2001 ($22.50)
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Last night I was doing the tasting for the Petite Sirah show and one of the three bottles was corked. It will go back to the wine store tomorrow for a replacement bottle, but it reminded me of the alternative closure segment on the Willamette Valley show. Until more wineries adopt sccrewtops and other alternatives to cork, up to 5% of the bottles will be like the one I experienced last night.
For sports fans, that’s two bottles out of the 41 bottles tasted so far for a “bad bottle” percentage of 4.9%. It doesn’t have to be this way…
I upgraded my audio setup this week, adding a Behringer Eurorack UB820 mixer and Shure RS130 mic. I’ve been testing the setup this weekend and have just arrived at what I think are the right settings. The Merlot show will be recorded tomorrow night, with another show about Petite Sirah planned for later in the week. Sorry I’m a day late, but the sound quality will be worth the wait.
Here’s a piece that is both encouraging and distressing at the same time. For the US to really become a wine drinking nation, the average price will need to be more in line with France and Italy.
“The average U.S. retail price of a bottle of wine, according to VinExpo, is more than twice as expensive as the typical bottle sold in France, and more than three times the average in Italy.”
I did a wine-food pairing segment on Anne Bramley’s EatFeed podcast earlier this week and she has posted the show today. I will be appearing on her podcast every so often to pair wine with the recipes she presents. I will play a clip from our first collaboration on my next show. It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to the next time.
Thanks, Anne!