WineLovers Discussion Group

Wade Hostler (from another BB) visits Finland fairly regularly and has slowly been introducing me to Californian wines. Every once in a while I feel like drinking a big bruiser of a wine, an unashamedly spoofy wine. These days happen about once or twice a year, but today was one. With the chunks of bloody meat I made, this paired very well. There was surprisingly high acidity (6,4 g/l) and moderate alcohol (13,5%) for the region. I wouldn't call this elegant, but it was balanced. Moreover it fit my mood perfectly. I think on most other days I would have made a wicked note that James Roscoe hoped for, but not today. Sorry for the disappointment

• 1997 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/1/2006)
  Very dark and youthful. The nose was rather closed, but opened well with a 2 hour decanting: much oak, much depth, much dark fruit, some earthiness and a nice freshness and lift from the cranberry-like fruit and cassis. The palate was voluptiously fruity, with surprisingly fine acidity compared to most Californians I've tried. There is fine depth to the palate as well. The tannins, though soft, are very plentiful and coupled with the fine fruit and high acidity, I feel that this has quite a while to go before being at peak. But it is enjoyable now also. A fine Californian and not at all as over the top as many others I've tried!

Posted from CellarTracker

I wonder what the etymological origins of the terms, "spoof" and "spoofulated" are. I really missed the boat when they coined them words

Good wines from CA do exist, you just have to know which ones.

Otto--Lou said it well. Beringer makes a decent product at the very high end, the kind where all the things you normally don't to happen to a wine make sense. But do beware, this doesn't apply at the other end of the Beringer line. Their low and mid-range products are not for you!

On "spoofulation", Paul see http://www.datamantic.com/joedressner/?1788

On "spoof", the OED gives the following history:

Invented for a card game by Invented by A. Roberts (b. 1852), comedian.]

Starting in the 1880s, attrib. and as adj. Hoaxing, humbugging.

Regards, Bob

Thanks Jenise for the explanations. I've tried the Sbragia LR Chardonnay recently but thought that was way over the top for me. So apparently we should narrow it down to only the top reds? Any idea on the Cab 94 PR? We've got that for the same price so I thought I'd give it a shot the next time I feel like spoof or then put it in some tasting.

-Otto-

Hey, Bob,

Who's that picture of? I've seen various photos--I THOUGHT--of Joe Dressner, and that bat-wing beard and blonder color is definitely not the Joe of my imagination.

Jenise wrote:and that bat-wing beard

That sure is an innovative facial hairdo, if I do say so myself. I don't think I've ever seen a bat-wing beard before I saw that picture. Whoever it is in the photo, he sure looks like the classic sort of "I did it my way" guy.

About the strangest thing I've ever seen on a guy's face was a chin beard greased up and shaped to look like a downward-pointing unicorn's horn.

Jenise wrote:Who's that picture of? I've seen various photos--I THOUGHT--of Joe Dressner, and that bat-wing beard and blonder color is definitely not the Joe of my imagination.

Doesn't Mr. D frequently post wacky photos in place of his own? My understanding is that he's 3 feet 6, weighs 350 pounds, and is as bald as a cue ball, and thus prefers not to post his own picture for the obvious reasons.

It's tough to say who that is, Jenise. There are many flavors of Joe Dressner on the internet -- and having met and corresponded with him in person and online, there are many flavors of Dressner in his head.

This image, posted by a reputable third party, is very close to the human image I've seen in person and who asserted he was, and who several other people agreed, was Joe Dressner:

http://www.wineterroirs.com/images/slvl ... essner.jpg

But I wouldn't swear to it by any means.

This image from Polaner seems consistent: http://www.polanerselections.com/image.news.php?id=7635

Regards, Bob