Thread: A Parker description

Aussie Grenache?

On Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:05:40 -0800 (PST), DaleW <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Aussie Grenache?
I was thinking an Aussie Shiraz, but Sparky Marquis had soething to do
with it.

"graham" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:0Kz1r.16921$[email protected]..
> "The wine exhibits an inky/purple color followed by notes of creosote,
> camphor, melted chocolate, ripe strawberry and cherry marmalade, plums,
> licorice and burning embers."
>
> This is bloody ridiculous!

Was he reviewing one wine or an entire meal?

pavane

"DaleW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Aussie Grenache?
>
You're warm to the grenache.
Have another go?

graham wrote:
> "DaleW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Aussie Grenache?
>>
> You're warm to the grenache.
> Have another go?
>
>

I Googled it, so I won't give it away, but I doubt that anyone will get
very close, at least geographically. Dale's guess of Aussie Grenache
may be closer to the mark than one would expect ;-)

Mark Lipton

graham wrote:
> "The wine exhibits an inky/purple color followed by notes of creosote,
> camphor, melted chocolate, ripe strawberry and cherry marmalade, plums,
> licorice and burning embers."
>
> This is bloody ridiculous!
>
>

Parker's descriptors for at least the past half decade have verged on
self parody. Melted licorice? sweet tannins? Whatever...

Mark Lipton

On 24/02/2012 10:45, Mark Lipton wrote:
> graham wrote:
>> "The wine exhibits an inky/purple color followed by notes of creosote,
>> camphor, melted chocolate, ripe strawberry and cherry marmalade,
>> plums, licorice and burning embers."
>>
>> This is bloody ridiculous!
>>
>
> Parker's descriptors for at least the past half decade have verged on
> self parody. Melted licorice? sweet tannins? Whatever...

If the chocolate did not melt, you would not really taste it, certainly
not swallow it... and if the strawberry were not ripe, you would not eat
it. Cherry cannot be used for marmalade, you would call it jam. As for
burning embers, is there any other kind?

On Fri, 24 Feb 2012 03:47:21 -0500, Mark Lipton <[email protected]>
wrote:

>graham wrote:
>> "DaleW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> Aussie Grenache?
>>>
>> You're warm to the grenache.
>> Have another go?
>>
>>
>
>I Googled it, so I won't give it away, but I doubt that anyone will get
>very close, at least geographically. Dale's guess of Aussie Grenache
>may be closer to the mark than one would expect ;-)
>
>Mark Lipton
Come on Mark, google is fair play. and Dale kudos
on the Grenache. I got so carried away with the chocolate that one
gets in some Aussie Shiraz that I forgot the "perfect " wine for
chocolate- Mark with you permission I would reveal Rasteau
2009 DOMAINE GRAND NICOLET Rasteau . . .
(90-92 Points) The 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Vieilles
Vignes, which comes from 60-year-old Grenache vines (70%) and
30-year-old Syrah vines (30% of the blend)

"Mike Tommasi" <[email protected]> skrev i melding
news:[email protected]..
> ......... As for burning embers, is there any other kind?
>
Embers don't burn, do they?

Anders

(now, don't flame me, please :-)

On 24/02/2012 14:48, Anders Tørneskog wrote:
> "Mike Tommasi"<[email protected]> skrev i melding
> news:[email protected]..
>> ......... As for burning embers, is there any other kind?
>>
> Embers don't burn, do they?
>
> Anders
>
> (now, don't flame me, please :-)

parker's glowing report...

"DaleW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Aussie Grenache?
>
I must apologize, Dale! I didn't expect anyone to read my post as a
challenge, although you rose to it and did rather well, as Mark has pointed
out.

My reason for the post was to illustrate the absolutely ridiculous level to
which these descriptions have risen. I think Hugh Johnson once avered that
they had become descriptions of fruit salad. There must be a more sensible
way, somewhere between RP's and "this is a nice drop o' plonk" that will go
well with ........etc., etc.
Graham

"Mark Lipton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ji7iqp$a17$[email protected]..
> graham wrote:
>> "DaleW" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> Aussie Grenache?
>>>
>> You're warm to the grenache.
>> Have another go?
>>
>>
>
> I Googled it, so I won't give it away, but I doubt that anyone will get
> very close, at least geographically. Dale's guess of Aussie Grenache may
> be closer to the mark than one would expect ;-)
>
I was quite taken aback by his guess, although it wasn't my intention to
make this a competition.
Graham

On Feb 24, 2:38*pm, "graham" <g.ste...@shaw.ca> wrote:
> "DaleW" <Dwmi...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...> Aussie Grenache?
>
> I must apologize, Dale! I didn't expect anyone to read my post as a
> challenge, although you rose to it and did rather well, as Mark has pointed
> out.
>
> My reason for the post was to illustrate the absolutely ridiculous level to
> which these descriptions have risen. I think Hugh Johnson once avered that
> they had become descriptions of fruit salad. There must be a more sensible
> way, somewhere between RP's and "this is a nice drop o' plonk" that will go
> well with ........etc., etc.
> Graham

Oh, I knew what you are aiming for. And totally agree re the extremity
of the descriptors. But I just found myself wondering which wine,
and the OTT imagery reminded me of his Oz and CaliRhone notes (to
wines he adores, and I detest). The redness of the fruit led me to
Grenache tather than Syrah or Mourvedre.
On the whole I prefer a well done structuralist note to a
Baskin31flavors style, though I tend to list fruit impressions
myself,. But I'm not a pro.
But saddest thing is if his note has ANY validity, it's another sign
of the internationalization issue, as this is hard to believe as a
note of any Rhone of yore

On Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:21:50 -0800 (PST), DaleW <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Feb 24, 2:38*pm, "graham" <g.ste...@shaw.ca> wrote:
>> "DaleW" <Dwmi...@aol.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:[email protected]...> Aussie Grenache?
>>
>> I must apologize, Dale! I didn't expect anyone to read my post as a
>> challenge, although you rose to it and did rather well, as Mark has pointed
>> out.
>>
>> My reason for the post was to illustrate the absolutely ridiculous level to
>> which these descriptions have risen. I think Hugh Johnson once avered that
>> they had become descriptions of fruit salad. There must be a more sensible
>> way, somewhere between RP's and "this is a nice drop o' plonk" that will go
>> well with ........etc., etc.
>> Graham
>
>Oh, I knew what you are aiming for. And totally agree re the extremity
>of the descriptors. But I just found myself wondering which wine,
>and the OTT imagery reminded me of his Oz and CaliRhone notes (to
>wines he adores, and I detest). The redness of the fruit led me to
>Grenache tather than Syrah or Mourvedre.
>On the whole I prefer a well done structuralist note to a
>Baskin31flavors style, though I tend to list fruit impressions
>myself,. But I'm not a pro.
>But saddest thing is if his note has ANY validity, it's another sign
>of the internationalization issue, as this is hard to believe as a
>note of any Rhone of yore
I should note that I recognized the original intent as well, but
sometimes those of us with competitive instincts just can't help
playing "What wine is this?" or any of its flavors (I am currently
addicted to trying to figure out ports of call from photos on a web
site- spending too much time on google earth but having fun>)

The crazy thing is that Parker must have liked this wine (91 points
IIRC) but when you read it just doesn't sound that appealling, sort of
like when you read about the petrol in riesling, yes , you know it is
a good thing, but it doesn't really make the right connection when
reading as opposed to sipping it.

On Feb 25, 6:14*am, Joseph Coulter <see...@below.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:21:50 -0800 (PST), DaleW <Dwmi...@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Feb 24, 2:38*pm, "graham" <g.ste...@shaw.ca> wrote:
> >> "DaleW" <Dwmi...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> >>news:[email protected]....> Aussie Grenache?
>
> >> I must apologize, Dale! I didn't expect anyone to read my post as a
> >> challenge, although you rose to it and did rather well, as Mark has pointed
> >> out.
>
> >> My reason for the post was to illustrate the absolutely ridiculous level to
> >> which these descriptions have risen. I think Hugh Johnson once avered that
> >> they had become descriptions of fruit salad. There must be a more sensible
> >> way, somewhere between RP's and "this is a nice drop o' plonk" that will go
> >> well with ........etc., etc.
> >> Graham
>
> >Oh, I knew what you are aiming for. And totally agree re the extremity
> >of the descriptors. But I just found myself wondering which wine,
> >and the OTT imagery reminded me of his Oz and CaliRhone notes (to
> >wines he adores, and I detest). The redness of the fruit led me to
> >Grenache tather than Syrah or Mourvedre.
> >On the whole I prefer a well done structuralist note to a
> >Baskin31flavors style, though I tend to list fruit impressions
> >myself,. But I'm not a pro.
> >But saddest thing is if his note has ANY validity, it's another sign
> >of the internationalization issue, as this is hard to believe as a
> >note of any Rhone of yore
>
> I should note that I recognized the original intent as well, but
> sometimes those of us with competitive instincts just can't help
> playing "What wine is this?" or any of its flavors (I am currently
> addicted to trying to figure out ports of call from photos on a web
> site- spending too much time on google earth but having fun>)
>
> The crazy thing is that Parker must have liked this wine (91 points
> IIRC) but when you read it just doesn't sound that appealling, sort of
> like when you read about the petrol in riesling, yes , you know it is
> a *good thing, but it doesn't really make the right connection when
> reading as opposed to sipping it.

So was it Parker or one of his minions?

lleichtman wrote:
So was it Parker or one of his minions?

It was Parker. He's still in charge of the Rhone Valley which, along
with Bordeaux, may be only area he's still reviewing for TWA. He's
relinquished the rest of France, Italy, Spain, Australia and now
California, too.

Mark Lipton