WineLovers Discussion Group

Another month gone by already!? Where do they GO?

Anyway, let's hear your nominations for an interesting, conversation-starting topic for January, folks!

How about a "Cabernet Sauvignon theme"? Wide-ranging but someone here could maybe come up with a suggestion?
Carignan comes to mind too, especially from S America.

"South American Carignan"? Somehow I have a hard time seeing that yielding an active month of wide-ranging conversation.

Cabernet Sauvignon is an awfully broad concept, in the other direction, and to some extent it's like Pinot Noir where good isn't cheap and cheap isn't good.

Keep those ideas coming in, folks, and remember the most interesting topics come about when we settle on a wine that's fairly easy for everyone to get and also interesting enough to inspire tastings and discussion.

South American Carignan? I've been to both Argentina and Chile in the past 4 years, and rarely ever saw that grape.

How about Bordeaux? Lots out there that is not crazy expensive, and it's less extreme as well.

How about Diamond, the grape not the company(s). It was one of Tom Wark's favorite wines for 2013.

Carl Eppig wrote:How about Diamond, the grape not the company(s). It was one of Tom Wark's favorite wines for 2013.

I reckon that would be right up there with South American Carignan in availability ...

Carignan, there are 3 here in Edmonton .

Here is an article of interest http://www.winesofchile.org/2013/10/red ... old-vines/

Robin Garr wrote:

Carl Eppig wrote:How about Diamond, the grape not the company(s). It was one of Tom Wark's favorite wines for 2013.

I reckon that would be right up there with South American Carignan in availability ...

There are least three produced in the Finger Lakes.

Carl Eppig wrote:

Robin Garr wrote:There are least three produced in the Finger Lakes.

And distributed where? Seriously, Carl, I'm not picking on you, but for Wine Focus to thrive, we really need to pick a subject wine that's both interesting (okay, Diamond has that potential), and widely available so the whole crew can compare tastings and discussion. I honestly think that DIamond has a problem in that regard.

Okay, let's look at it this way: Wine-Searcher.com finds exactly 11 matches for a searchon the Diamond variety, and they're all Eastern wines lacking wide distribution.

http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-2005-diamond

This seems like a Wine Focus problem for me, although this is certainly not to shut down the idea of an Open Mike or even just a TN with extended discussion.

Robin Garr wrote:

Carl Eppig wrote:

Robin Garr wrote:There are least three produced in the Finger Lakes.

And distributed where? Seriously, Carl, I'm not picking on you, but for Wine Focus to thrive, we really need to pick a subject wine that's both interesting (okay, Diamond has that potential), and widely available so the whole crew can compare tastings and discussion. I honestly think that DIamond has a problem in that regard.

Okay, let's look at it this way: Wine-Searcher.com finds exactly 11 matches for a searchon the Diamond variety, and they're all Eastern wines lacking wide distribution.

http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-2005-diamond

This seems like a Wine Focus problem for me, although this is certainly not to shut down the idea of an Open Mike or even just a TN with extended discussion.

You obviously can't take a joke!

So it's going to be freaking cold later this week. How about Chateauneuf du Pape, as it goes great with hearty winter fare. Other GSM blends can work as well.

Carl Eppig wrote:You obviously can't take a joke!

David M. Bueker wrote:So it's going to be freaking cold later this week. How about Chateauneuf du Pape, as it goes great with hearty winter fare. Other GSM blends can work as well.

I love CdP, although the price of entry might be a bit of a barrier. "CdP + GSM = Fun", that sounds like a good option, though!

Keep in mind that other GSM includes a certain guy's Rocks & Gravel!

As for price of entry, Clos du Mont Olivet is still quite affordable.

David M. Bueker wrote:Keep in mind that other GSM includes a certain guy's Rocks & Gravel!

As for price of entry, Clos du Mont Olivet is still quite affordable.

I think we have a winnah ...

CDP + GSM seems like a perfect Focus topic, but as part of our farewell to Bob's South Americasn Carignan idea I would like to thank him for his link to the Carignan page on the Wines of Chile site. I see this oft despised grape does have an interesting history in South America, and I'll be in Argentina and Chile with out neighborhood wine merchant and will be sure to look into it.