Comments on: Things To Ponder On A Cold Winter’s Night… http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/ News and Views From High Above Dry Creek Valley Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:05:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tony http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/comment-page-1/#comment-239 Tony Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:55:08 +0000 http://benchlandblog.com/?p=1034#comment-239 Thanks for all the pondering insights, folks. Sorry I'm a bit late with this -- I just got back from 2 incredible weeks in Argentina. After that exerience my new question is "why aren't people drinking more Malbec?" Seriously -- it's THAT good. And cheap. And goes with pretty much any meal you throw at it. Speaking of meals, I was very dissapointed in the highly touted pizza of Buenos Aires. The crust is pretty good but, man, they pour on the cheese. tony p.s. Thanks for the Morroccan/syrah tip, Tina. My wife makes a mean Morroccan chicken dish -- I'll ty the pairing this week! Also, sadly, my 2 whippets are not featured in the Cork Supply calendar this year. But you can check out their cute little faces (and my alter winemaking ego) at www.cruvindogs.com. If you like dogs and art and great wine you'll love the site. Thanks for all the pondering insights, folks. Sorry I’m a bit late with this — I just got back from 2 incredible weeks in Argentina. After that exerience my new question is “why aren’t people drinking more Malbec?” Seriously — it’s THAT good. And cheap. And goes with pretty much any meal you throw at it. Speaking of meals, I was very dissapointed in the highly touted pizza of Buenos Aires. The crust is pretty good but, man, they pour on the cheese.

tony

p.s. Thanks for the Morroccan/syrah tip, Tina. My wife makes a mean Morroccan chicken dish — I’ll ty the pairing this week! Also, sadly, my 2 whippets are not featured in the Cork Supply calendar this year. But you can check out their cute little faces (and my alter winemaking ego) at http://www.cruvindogs.com. If you like dogs and art and great wine you’ll love the site.

]]> By: tina http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/comment-page-1/#comment-230 tina Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:03:25 +0000 http://benchlandblog.com/?p=1034#comment-230 Dogs rock; did you get the Cork Supply Animal Rescue Calendar for 2009? Is your dog's pic in it? I haven't been through all the hundreds of winery pet pics yet. My little terrier is in January; I'm so proud. :) I've always liked Syrahs and mostly forgive the problem when they turn out to be one-note. Top of my list of Favorite Things Discovered in 2008, however, is the way Syrah REALLY shines with Moroccan and Indian food, especially Moroccan. The mixture of fruit and spice flavors in a dish of Moroccan chicken and couscous with apricots, for instance, is absolutely sublime with Syrah. [The Syrah I opened the night we first had this epiphany was McDowell, 1997 Syrah, Mendo, an old beauty my Dad gave me.] I've been prosletyzing this discovery to anyone who will listen, and serving to many friends since I made the discovery. I hope you'll try it if you haven't already. Cheers, T. Dogs rock; did you get the Cork Supply Animal Rescue Calendar for 2009? Is your dog’s pic in it? I haven’t been through all the hundreds of winery pet pics yet. My little terrier is in January; I’m so proud. :)

I’ve always liked Syrahs and mostly forgive the problem when they turn out to be one-note. Top of my list of Favorite Things Discovered in 2008, however, is the way Syrah REALLY shines with Moroccan and Indian food, especially Moroccan. The mixture of fruit and spice flavors in a dish of Moroccan chicken and couscous with apricots, for instance, is absolutely sublime with Syrah. [The Syrah I opened the night we first had this epiphany was McDowell, 1997 Syrah, Mendo, an old beauty my Dad gave me.]

I’ve been prosletyzing this discovery to anyone who will listen, and serving to many friends since I made the discovery. I hope you’ll try it if you haven’t already.

Cheers, T.

]]> By: Maggie http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Maggie Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:37:41 +0000 http://benchlandblog.com/?p=1034#comment-226 I have one to ponder, why can't you find really good pizza in California like you can in New York? In this day and age, the technology is surely there! And I agree with you, why can't more people like Syrah, myself I am an ABC kinda gal --anything but Chard or Cab. Always having to be the person to order something different! I think it's important to experiment with your foods (ok and with your wines) it makes life more exciting that way. And your Syrah is probably my favorite wine of all that you make! I have one to ponder, why can’t you find really good pizza in California like you can in New York? In this day and age, the technology is surely there!

And I agree with you, why can’t more people like Syrah, myself I am an ABC kinda gal –anything but Chard or Cab. Always having to be the person to order something different! I think it’s important to experiment with your foods (ok and with your wines) it makes life more exciting that way.

And your Syrah is probably my favorite wine of all that you make!

]]> By: Tony http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/comment-page-1/#comment-224 Tony Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:21:05 +0000 http://benchlandblog.com/?p=1034#comment-224 I agree -- in general, California syrah doesn't quite have the complexity of something like cabernet. But it CAN have a deep, juicy, peppery character that cab can't match. And if I'm firing up hamburgers and sausages on the Weber a good syrah is gonna make me a lot happier than a serious cab. Michel-Schlumberger syrah, by the way is typically mid 14 for alcohol, depending on vintage. We shoot for more of a Rhone style -- finesse over power. Those hot, super sweet syrahs are too much for me, too. tony p.s. Yeah -- NINERS!!! O.K., it was only the Rams but what a finish! I agree — in general, California syrah doesn’t quite have the complexity of something like cabernet. But it CAN have a deep, juicy, peppery character that cab can’t match. And if I’m firing up hamburgers and sausages on the Weber a good syrah is gonna make me a lot happier than a serious cab. Michel-Schlumberger syrah, by the way is typically mid 14 for alcohol, depending on vintage. We shoot for more of a Rhone style — finesse over power. Those hot, super sweet syrahs are too much for me, too.

tony

p.s. Yeah — NINERS!!! O.K., it was only the Rams but what a finish!

]]> By: Steve Hoeft http://benchlandblog.com/2008/12/things-to-ponder-on-a-cold-winters-night/comment-page-1/#comment-223 Steve Hoeft Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:20:26 +0000 http://benchlandblog.com/?p=1034#comment-223 Hi again, We eat out with our wine tasting group a lot, I was hoping that the "supper club" was a new way to enjoy wine... Finding wine friendly restaurants is always difficult. I have eaten at the Loft and its a good place in downtown San Jose for dinner. They seem very BYOB wine friendly. Anyway, you have an interesting list to ponder. First of all, I am a city boy, so the Secretary of Agriculture is normally of only passing interest. I can see how it is important to wineries. May be I need to ponder this more. Why is syrah not a lot more popular? Well I like syrah, but most of the ones I have tasted are one dimensional. Great big fruit, some oak and that's it. I have tasted many Cabs that are multidimensional. I think syrah could be multidimensional, but I have not seen much of it yet. Number 3, I think about 5% of any population are just not going to contribute to the whole, bugs, animals, humans it's all the same. May be being lazy is part of the genes we all share. I can only hope that the 49er's owners get smart and hire Singletary and then let him build a winning team again. However, I have not seen a lot of smarts of late. Hey, I am a cat person. I believe that you have to earn respect from your animals, dogs just love you no matter what. Cats not so much, it takes a bit more work... A tail could be fun. If we were more like cats we would never get anything done. Have a great Holiday p. s. I love your wines, you seem to understand that wines don't have to be 15% alc. to be good. How much alcohol does your Syrah come in at? Hi again,

We eat out with our wine tasting group a lot, I was hoping that the “supper club” was a new way to enjoy wine… Finding wine friendly restaurants is always difficult. I have eaten at the Loft and its a good place in downtown San Jose for dinner. They seem very BYOB wine friendly.

Anyway, you have an interesting list to ponder. First of all, I am a city boy, so the Secretary of Agriculture is normally of only passing interest. I can see how it is important to wineries. May be I need to ponder this more.

Why is syrah not a lot more popular? Well I like syrah, but most of the ones I have tasted are one dimensional. Great big fruit, some oak and that’s it. I have tasted many Cabs that are multidimensional. I think syrah could be multidimensional, but I have not seen much of it yet.

Number 3, I think about 5% of any population are just not going to contribute to the whole, bugs, animals, humans it’s all the same. May be being lazy is part of the genes we all share.

I can only hope that the 49er’s owners get smart and hire Singletary and then let him build a winning team again. However, I have not seen a lot of smarts of late.

Hey, I am a cat person. I believe that you have to earn respect from your animals, dogs just love you no matter what. Cats not so much, it takes a bit more work… A tail could be fun. If we were more like cats we would never get anything done.

Have a great Holiday

p. s. I love your wines, you seem to understand that wines don’t have to be 15% alc. to be good. How much alcohol does your Syrah come in at?

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