Plan ahead for wine buying before fires affect supply, prices - CapeGazette.com

Plan ahead for wine buying before fires affect supply, prices - CapeGazette.com

Plan ahead for wine buying before fires affect supply, prices - CapeGazette.com

Posted: 29 Aug 2020 12:00 AM PDT

The good news keeps on coming. To provide some idea of the scope of the California fires, which was tough for me to visualize, I did a bit of research. Approximately 1.1 million acres, and growing, are affected and 17 percent under control. The entire state of Delaware, by comparison, is 1,266,912 acres. Initially I read there were 12,000 firefighters at work, and I was comforted. Now, with a better perspective, it seems insufficient even to man the perimeters because, at last count, 20-plus separate large areas were afire. The wine AVAs, particularly Central Coast south of San Fran, are especially hard hit. Others are spread through much of the state. Those who are able to afford it might be well served to lay in a year's supply of wine. Between the abnormally hot weather this vintage and the fires, coupled with all the awful news on the health front, prices will likely escalate and supplies will dwindle. In addition to ensuring your supply, your purchases will provide much-needed liquidity to a very stressed West Coast wine economy. Over the next few weeks, I plan on reviewing affordable, well-rated wines from California to help with your selection.

Let's explore a lovely $11 Sauvignon Blanc: Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc 2019, 89 McD points and a Texsom gold medal winner, is a fine selection for those who enjoy Southwestern, Thai, Vietnamese or Chinese food. It pairs equally well with local white fish and crab dishes. I guess purists like beer with their crab pickin', but try Cali SB instead. While it stands up to the spice, it doesn't overwhelm the crab. BTW it is DC (drinking correctness) to drink wine from a plastic cup in some circumstances. Tropical fruit and grapefruit aromas, a bright mineral acidity, medium to full body and muted oak notes provided by resting in neutral oak. The 2018 achieved an 87 McD.

Oak Grove Family Reserve SB, $10, McD 87, plus 1 price point and a different look. Lime and green apple nose, green apple repeats on light body with hints of tropical fruit in its finish. CK Mondavi pops up again this week with its 86-point SB 2018, which can be found under $12 for a 1.5-liter bottle. Look for lemon and herbal aromas in a crisp, medium-bodied wine with grapefruit and lemon flavors. Seaglass SB 2019, from Santa Barbara, will run about $9, 87 McD. Green apple, lime and floral aromas with lime and apple plus grassy notes on the palate, with bright balancing acidity. Fetzer Echo Ridge around $8 rates an 88. Guava and passionfruit aromas, tart green apple and lemon-lime flavors supported by bright acidity.  Goes well with oysters, so saving a few bucks on a case buy may be a fine idea. Although I've suggested this previously, may I remind readers it is advisable to buy a bottle, allow it to stand in a cool place a few days, and then sample it before buying cases.

Moving a bit upscale in price, St. Supery Dollarhide Estate Napa SB 2018 around $17 is definitely worth the candle. Redolent of peach, lime, tropical fruit and mild grassy nuance. Peach and lime repeat on the bright but balanced fruit/acid palate. Very long, dry, palate-cleansing finish. Heitz Cellar Napa SB 2017 is remarkably complex, and I've seen cases priced under $230. It's 100 percent SB sourced from Ink Grade Vineyard.  Citrus, stone fruit, floral and jalapeno aromas evolve to peaches, tart apple, more citrus and a hint of SB grass flavors. The long, dry finish is also complex, with peach, lime, mineral and honeysuckle reverberating throughout. This may be the best value in today's column, 92 McD under $20 add 1 price point. I've barely touched the surface with these, so more will be forthcoming. Keep in mind, many SBs are excellent with oysters. I prefer those with lighter body, bright acidity and salinity hints. SBs with more body, tropical fruit profile and oak notes are less appealing to me with oysters and broiled white fish, but they do well with Asian and Central American cuisine.

This email just now came across my screen and I think the info may be newsworthy: "Today, five wine industry marketing professionals are launching a fundraising campaign for direct relief for those in California's wine country affected by the statewide lightning fire complex." For more information or to donate, go to www.gofundme.com/f/2020-wine-country-fire-relief-fund.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu...
Read more

Catching Dory: selling aquarium fish supports coastal livelihoods in Indonesia | npj Ocean Sustainability - Nature.com

Image
Abstract The global marine aquarium trade has created new local markets across the planet, including in Indonesia, now the second-largest exporting country of marine aquarium fish in the world. Participating in the global aquarium trade has been touted as a potentially sustainable addition to fisher livelihoods, but scant data exist showing the numbers of fish coming off the reef and how those fish contribute to income. To determine how participants in the trade incorporate aquarium species in their livelihoods, we examine source-level aquarium fish collecting and trading data in the Banggai Archipelago, a region in Central Sulawesi that has become a significant source for popular aquarium, also known as ornamental, fish species. Using a sustainable livelihoods lens, we examine this data to understand how participants in the aquarium trade both contribute to as well as benefit from the trade and consider how their participation relates to emerging Blue Justice principles. From one year...
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re...
Read more