Renwood 2000 Syrah, Sierra Series

[hotwine]

Retailer talked me into this yesterday when I stopped by to pick up another '92 Warre's LBV. Opened as a sipper before supper last night. Very fruity and spicey up front, mellows on the palate, moderate finish, 13.5% ABV and about $10. Better at lunch today with oak-grilled burgers and oven-fried spuds; the fruit and spice have both moderated and allowed other flavors to emerge, including juniper berries, vanilla and pipe tobacco. I still prefer Cline Syrah, but this is OK as an alternative.

[Thomas]

Hotsie, I guarantee if you got your hands on a 92 (or ninety-anything) Nieeport LBV, you will never go back Warre's.

As for the pipe tobacco: how long ago since you quit smoking?

[hotwine]

Foodie, I had my last unfiltered Camel at 9 PM on 16 Jan '91.... but who's counting? Could field-strip 'em with either hand in under five seconds, a hard-learned skill that's now lost to the ages. Instructor was one of the orneriest platoon sergeants in the Army. (The alternative to learning that most useful skill was low-crawling around the company area and policing up cigarette butts in our teeth. A couple of bouts of that, and I quickly learned field-stripping.) When out of Camels, I'd bum a filtered something or other and rip off the filter, or sometimes even hand-roll pipe tobacco; but would gladly walk a mile or three instead, and quite often did. The fond memories of the flavors remain, and I still enjoy even the hint of tobacco notes in a wine.

[Thomas]

Yeah--amazing how those things stay with us, it's the power of alcoholism, drugs or any other addiction! You know you've won when the reminder does not kick you into action. Of course, pipe tobacco is not exactly the smell of Camel...

[winoweenie]

Them camels are really, REALLY foul-smelling critters, 'specially after it rains. WW

[hotwine]

You're right, Foodie, Camels don't have the taste profile of pipe tobaccos. But I also smoked a pipe now and then, and chewed cigars, too, when trying to quit cigarettes (chewing was especially useful in 'Nam when in the field, so as not to send up smoke signals on my position). So all of those wonderful old tobacco tastes are still filed away, taking up increasingly valuable real estate in memory.

WW, I've heard that the smell of a wet camel is kind of like that of a wet, really dirty dog, only many times worse. Dunno personally.

[wondersofwine]

I've never been a smoker (had maybe a dozen cigarets in my life-- one the night I graduated from high school, one on a ski trip, etc.) But on dares I tried chewing tobacco (not particularly enjoyable but I didn't get sick) and smoking a pipe. The pipe I liked, and avoided in future because I didn't want to become a pipe-smoking lady like Andrew Jackson's wife or others.

[winoweenie]

But think of how " Tony " you'da looked WOW.WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Kcwhippet]

Hotsy,

I beat you, but only by a few hours. January 16 is my wife's birthday and I quit on her birthday - at midnight on January 15, 1991. Still get the occasional urge, but being able to actually taste good food and good wine is so much better than the after taste of burning leaves.