November 5 2007
Ah, as John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
I’m not sure if Lennon was a wine fan, but he clearly knows more than just “Give peace a chance.”
I’ve been feeling neglectful because my blogging activity has taken a precipitous swan dive as, well, I’ve had life happen when I’m busy making other plans …
The last couple of weeks haven’t been kind on time and I’ve been trying to fill the gap with some sporadic wine reviews—which I happen to enjoy doing and I like the format that I’m doing them in, but others may have different thoughts.
Take this note from a dear reader:
Dear Jeff,
I wanted to let you know that I enjoy your site (and the design is great, too). I’m not sure if you get much reader feedback, but I wanted to share with you how much I enjoy your posts. I’ve noticed that you haven’t written any posts recently like you normally do and I’m just wondering if you’re switching to a different kind of format where you do more wine reviews or wine reviews only?
The answer to that question is that there is no change in format here at Good Grape, it’s just that I labor over some posts and not every day gives of itself so generously with time, the only real currency any of us have.
That aside, I do have a couple of thoughts—thoughts in short form, not long form.
Is anybody besides me surprised that not one, but two books assailing Robert Parker are being published in France within weeks of each other? One book is written by a former colleague and the other is from Mondovino documentarian Jonathan Nossiter, who claims to be referencing no specific critic.
It seems interesting that these books aren’t simultaneously published in the states and even more peculiar that these books would come out at the same time.
Is it possible that with a seemingly long-term shift towards more food-friendly wines underway coinciding with a rise of blogging and alternative forms of wine journalism that the Emperor of Wine’ reign has reached its pinnacle?
Separate thought, unrelated topic: after reading story after story about wineries using carbon offsets and the like I’ve officially come to my personal conclusion on this subject.
I think carbon offsets are bunk.
I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school for twelve years (I know what you’re thinking, it explains a lot doesn’t it?) and I got used to going to confession—the notion that sins could be absolved by sitting behind a screen and confessing to Father that I had used the Lord’s name in vain and had impure thoughts. Father would impart a couple of words about being strong in the face of temptation and send me off to say a bunch of “Our Fathers” and “Hail Mary’s.” All was good, man. Clean slate. Free to sin again. Of course, I’ve come to find this kind of ridiculous—sins can be absolved if you just pray a little.
Well, carbon offsets are the same way to me. Living a life with a big environmentally damaging footprint is well and good, but that sin cannot be absolved by planting trees or doing something that offsets that sin, at least in my worldview.
The only way to true green salvation is by taking the righteous path and not sinning (doing things against the environment) in the first place. Hopefully I’m wrong on this.
Finally, if I had $400 bucks burning a hole in my pocket there is no question about what I would buy. It would be a complete Le Nez Du Vin set. it has long been a source of frustration to me that you can’t buy the full set of 54 wine related scents for less than $400. It’s an outrage that somebody hasn’t come up with a less expensive solution, aside from the junky $54.99 Wine Enthusiast kit that I sent back. Until somebody does, there is a fun alternative … a web site called “I hate Perfume” at www.cbihateperfume.com that sells single note scents with dozens of options including roast beef, French bread and old leather. Check it out. The site might not have the cassis or lychee scent, but it sure will get the appetite going.
Posted in, Free Run: Field Notes From a Wine Life. Permalink | Comments (4) |
Hey Jeff,
Why not make your own roma standards. They’re much more versitile and you can adjust the intensity to taste.
Here’s a post I did a while back on pinot aroma standards ( http://www.pinotblogger.com/2006/05/05/make-your-own-pinot-aroma-standards/ ), and if you’re interested I can forward you a PDF of the seminal paper that came out of Davis with complete recipes for making almost every aroma on the wheel with some neutral box wine.
I go through the process every time we have a large tasting and label about 30 wine glasses, cover them with watch glasses and let folks train their noses before applying what they’ve learned on the actual wines.
It’s great, fun and costs around 40 bucks for all of the main ingredients, and costs much less if you’re only aiming to reporduce aromoas from one variety of grape.
The main drawback is that the standards are only good for a day or so, but oils don’t last forever either.
hey Jeff - first off, I can’t help but notice you have the material for three posts here…!
Second, Josh is right (and Gary V. has shown the way too) I think you are actually much better off creating your own, because the process of acquiring the stuff will teach you about where each aroma comes from. And besides, you’re not going to go through all 40 at once, so do 5 or so a week to make it manageable and fun. There may be a few that are hard, but maybe you don’t need those anyway…
Third, I am kind of with you on the offsets to a degree. If someone leaves a mess there, but cleans up something else here, that is kind of bogus. Better to leave a smaller footprint in the first place than to come back and fill it in later. (We could also get into entropy, but maybe another time…!)
Love your analogy to sinning and confession. It’s like using styrofoam and then saying, “woops, I’d better throw some banana peels on the compost.” You’re still netting out at zero unless you change your initial behavior.
I hope the next few weeks are kinder on your time, Jeff.
Cheers
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Jeff,
I tried to come up with my own aroma kits, scouring essential oil companies and bulk spice and herb vendors, until I finally realized there just isn’t anything as comprehensive and useful as the Le Nez du Vin kits. We carry them, and there is a strict “no discounting” policy from the importer as they do not want people undercutting their own direct sales avenue.
That being said, there are some retailers who occasionally offer coupons and discounts who carry these sets, and maybe you could save some money during such a promotional period?
Not saying when that might be (or what store I’m referring to) but you never know when a 10% off sale might occur on wine accessories.