You know, I've been hearing for years that gin is making a comeback and is going to become the next "bourbon." We've tried featuring all kinds of gin cocktails and it just isn't happening. Did some gimlets, some jolly green giant takeoffs with muddled basil. Nada. Even the grey beards don't order it like they used to. If it weren't for gin and tonics I think we could strip it from the speed rack and nobody would even notice.
Ouch, really? Don't think I've ever served gin or vodka neat. Straight up, sure, but never straight from the bottle neat. Oof, I have to chug three beers now just to get the thought out of my head.
What can I say, I have a very a high tolerance for alcohol all around, especially in the tastebuds. I've rarely mixed alcohol with anything, and I'll drink shitty tequila straight up. In those days, I'd drink straight from the bottle itself though...not even in a glass. That's how I drank rum anyway, like a freaking pirate. Aaarrrhh! I look back on it though like I was kinda crazy, I've become much more subdued as I've gotten older. Still, I'll order Vodka neat, straight up, not even poured through ice, nothing. That's usually what I'll order in a bar, if I actually go to one, which is even more rare than me drinking liquor these days.
The Veglio isn't too bad, but there isn't a lot of depth either. I'm not disappointed at least. Had some trouble getting the cork out though, broke the end off in the bottle but still managed to get it out without any falling into the wine... close call. Not sure what went wrong, but at least it was saved.
Riesling. Alsatian riesling. Occasionally other rieslings. But very rarely from anywhere that isn't Europe. If at a loss, I look for something with "Dr. Loosen" on it. Also Moscato d'Asti. Nothing red. Nothing dry. Edited to add: The waiter always leaps to assure us that the riesling is dry. We always give them a Bemused Look, and sometimes explain that I treat Moscato d'Asti as a dinner wine. If they don't flee screaming, they then have a greater understanding of the level of not-dry that I seek. That's me.
Scotland is going mad about gin these days. Just about every whisky distillery is now also producing gin. Especially the newer ones. Apparently it takes a lot less time to be ready for sale, so it's a good money-spinner. Whether it will translate to more people drinking gin ...dunno. Early days. Gin and Tonic is probably Scotland's favourite mixed drink, though. https://juniperclub.store/collections/scottish-gin?gclid=COKVouPlj9QCFYoQ0wodsIIHDw
There's a Russian restaurant in downtown Glasgow (Cafe Cossachok) that is well worth a visit, if you're ever there. Some of the best food I've ever eaten ...and I've got their borscht recipe. They serve various vodkas neat, in skinny frozen glasses (kind of like test tubes with a heavy bottom.) At first I was reluctant, not being a fan of vodka at the best of times, but when I finally tried one, I was very pleasantly surprised. The vodka they serve isn't just bog-standard supermarket vodka, and there is a noticeable difference in the quality. While I don't think I'd want to sit glugging them all day, they were very nice. Smooth and surprisingly flavourful.
Last night I managed a glass of Acrobat 2015 Pinot Gris from Oregon before falling asleep on the recliner at 9:30pm - what can I say, it's been a rough week at work and hoo boy do I need this 3 day weekend let me tell you). It was really good, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of the bottle later today.
Some of that is the Vodka, some of it is the way it was served. Do you recall the brand? Oregon wine? Interesting. I need to branch out of red wines and try some whites, I just have a hard time doing so. Yes, three day weekend is much needed. Cheers to that.
Rieslings and Pinot Gris are my favorite wines from Oregon and Washington state. They tend to be a litter drier in my opinion than those from other places.
Preface: I know next to nothing about alcohol. I thought that because vodka was distilled, quality was harder to obtain. My brother won't drink the stuff because he says there's little difference between a $3 dollar bottle of Popov and a bottle of Grey Goose. It's not like scotch/whisky/tequila that sits in barrels and gathers flavor/quality. Like I said, though, I could be way off base. I don't know shit.
Yeah, I don't think your brother has experienced good Vodka...a lot of the imports can be shit because the Russians won't let us have their good stuff, or so I've heard. That being said, there's nicer Vodka to be had. The cheap ones tend to be more like paint thinner and rubbing alcohol, but if you have a higher end one, that's distilled properly, it's like two different worlds. Just because it says it's distilled five plus times doesn't mean anything, how they distilled it does. Some people just don't like Vodka though, and that might be more the case here than anything.
Yep. Drier because it's cooler up there. And if you like fruit forward cabs/heavy reds you're probably not as keen on the Northern Pacific reds as you are the Cali equivalents. As a general rule: Warm climate = more fully ripened grapes = low acidity = more fruit perception Cool climate = less fully ripened grapes = high acidity = drier fruit perception This is not always the case of course, and whites profile quite a bit differently than reds. Whites will tend to impart the minerality (dirt flavor--in a good way) of the region more so than reds. And the more arid (drier) the region the more so (I think). Also, the body of the wine makes a HUGE difference in flavor perception. The heavier the wine the more "stuff" you will taste. Think of it like chocolate milk. Chocolate milk tastes like chocolate milk whether you make it with heavy cream, half and half, whole milk, 2% milk, or skim milk. But the heavier the milk component the heavier the mouth feel and the more you will taste the chocolate. Even if you use the same chocolate to milk ration. It works the same way with wine: Heavy body = heavy cream = Cab or Zinfandel Medium/heavy = half and half = Merlot or Malbec Medium = whole milk = Cab Franc or Carmenere Medium/light = Gamay Light = Pinot Noir
Yes. This causes me sadness. I'd love to drink local wine, but there are just one or two that work for me. (And I keep forgetting which ones. I need to keep a list in my phone.)
No, I'm sorry, I don't. They have umpteen brands on offer. I was with somebody at the time who chose for me. I wish I could remember what it was, but I don't.
Well, that was my original assumption as well. I have only had vodka in mixed drinks before, and to tell the truth, I was leery of the effect they had on me. I used to feel much more 'out of it' after drinking a vodka-based drink than other types of mixed drinks which I preferred ...rum, tequila, gin, etc. However, I had no ill effects at all from the iced vodka I had in that restaurant, and it actually tasted nice. I can't recall the brand (it was suggested to me by one of the people I was dining with) and I said yes, why not. They have lots and lots of brands on display above the bar in that place, and I wouldn't have a clue how to pick a good one. It wasn't cheap. I think it cost £4 a shot ...and that was about 10 years ago. Don't get me wrong, it certainly warmed the gunnels ...but no more so that a dram of a good single malt.
The Simi Cab is awesome, It isn't quite as complex as I thought it would be, but it's very smooth. There's hardly any aftertaste, which at least is better than having a bad one. @Homer Potvin What exactly is tannins? I know that might be a stupid question, but I'm not completely sure.
Short answer is that they're a chemical compound in red grape skins that give wine that dry, astringent flavor. When you smack your tongue at the wine flavor inside your cheeks that's the tannins you're tasting. Some wines are more tannic than others. Cabs, for example, will literally scrape fat from your tongue when you pair them with steak. People who say they get wicked hangovers from even a little red wine usually have an intolerance to tannins. Very common, unfortunately.
Forgot to mention this earlier, but buy this book. I have a few of them but this one is by far the most informative and user-friendly without delving into the esoteric. It has maps, tasting charts, varietal descriptions, everything. I use it all the time for wine training. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592408990/?tag=writingfor07a-20
I have the Windows on the World Complete Wine Course (from 2007, admittedly). How would they compare do you think?
Not familiar with it so I'm not sure. What I like about the Wine Folly book is that it has full pages for each varietal with a breakdown of its profile, characteristics, food pairings, countries and regions, etc. And then there are full pages for the major wine regions, so whenever I see something unfamiliar (usually European) I can quickly find it on the map and see what they're known for. It's really simple and written in lay terms, which I like. The book does not review vineyards or specific wines or anything like that. You're better off going with Wine Spectator for something like that. ETA: I just flipped through the Windows of the World on Amazon and they look similar. Yours looks like it might go a bit deeper while mine is better organized? Tough to tell. Not gonna go wrong either way, methinks.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this Rose my husband picked up: Francis Coppola Sofia Rose 2015. It's not only a gorgeous color, it's amazingly fruity and berry-like without being the least bit sweet. It's really a perfect summer wine - I'll be picking up more than one bottle, that's for sure.
