'97 Reds

[Drew]

Posted this as a steal deal cause I paid $5.99 for it out of the bargain bin. A lesser bottling of Laurel Glen, this delivers some rich, smooth drinking at a great price. The bottle doesn't indicate the blend but seems to me zinfandal plays a significant role in this wine. Dark purple this wine has port like notes mixed with zinberry fruit. Still a tannic mid palate and finishes long 30+ for a wine of this price range. The only drawback was after 1 1/2 hours in the glass the fruit started to fade and the wine became somewhat flabby...one of the quickest degradations of wine I've experienced. 12.5%Alc/vol.

Drew

[winoweenie]

Drew, I would guess the problem was in the storage of the wine. Reds is always in my summer session for the BBQ's and burgers. Even at the regular price of 7.99 it merits a post in the Deals. WW

[zenda2]

For my note on what grapes went into the blend for the '99 REDS, try:

http://www.wines.com/ubb2/Forum23/HTML/000117.html

[This message has been edited by zenda2 (edited 05-13-2002).]

[Drew]

Thanks Z, I kept thinking Marietta and Cotes D'Oakley while drinkn'.

Drew

[Innkeeper]

2000 Laurel Glen Reds ($8.99 The Clown, Belfast, ME). The Clown is a small chain here in Maine owed by some folks who also own a winery in Italy. When I get some of their's will post later. At any rate they still net three stores. They had one each in Portland, Stonington, and Blue Hill. They couldn't compete with The Blue Hill Wine Shop, so they closed it and opened the one in Belfast. They are just around the corner from the Belfast Coop, so don't know how long they will be here. I think they were about a dollor high on the Reds, but thought I should buy something on our first visit.

It was a lovely bottle of wine, and certainly deserves its rep as one of the best under $10 California Red Wines. For those of not familiar, it is a blend of field grapes a la Marietta Old Vine Red. Gives you dark fruit and spice on the nose and upfront, surprising complexity across the palate, and finishes nicely. Had no chance of staying in the glass for one and half hours as Drew did with the '97, so can't compare there.

We had a house full, but no other wine drinkers, so Mother and I enjoyed it with a double batch of Hamburgers a la Orsen Wells that we grilled without smoke for the crowd. Great start to the weekend.

[Botafogo]

Carl, which winery do they own in Italy???

[marleyspud]

Hello all! Sorry for the 'silly question', but can some of you describe in detail how a wine becomes 'flabby' and what that means. I appreciate all the help with my never-ending questions :-) MS

[Drew]

flabby
In wine parlance, a descriptor for a wine that's heavy on the palate. Such a wine is seriously deficient in acidity, structure, and, subsequently, in flavor. This descriptor came from epicurious wine dictionary. Oxidation will cause flabbiness. The next time you're drinking a wine that you like leave a little in the bottle for 5 days or so and sample again. The experience is similar to a soft drink going flat. Bad winemaking can also produce wines that are flabby as well as some wines produced for the masses. These wines are produced as easy drinking wines, extremly smooth, low acidity and very little tannic bite. A flabby wine will lay heavy in the mouth.

Drew

[Innkeeper]

Roberto, the winery is Podere Tramonti of Castellina in Chianti. Wines are imported by Vindandia of Kennebunk, ME which I think they also own. Picked up their journeyman sangiovese ($13.99) and will report on it sometime soon.