The Comment(s) of the Week
It would have been easy to pick a funny comment for this week's Comment of the Week. Or rather, it wouldn't have because there were so many that had me laughing. However, the original purpose of CofW was to highlight a comment that was insightful, didn't get as much discussion as it deserved (not that anyone seems to comment on the Comment on the Week) or otherwise was worth posting as an entry. I have two this week.
First, Elite Elephant Lover's interesting description of his trip to Reid's winery, which he undertook when I asked for volunteers, and I'm grateful:
Made the trip to Reid Orchard on Saturday to try the wines. It was my intent to tell everyone to avoid east coast wines and only drink French and Italian wines. A funny thing happened. I actually liked three of the offerings and the others were well made but just not a style I like. ...
The tasting room is a wood bench in a metal shed with limited parking. The person pouring the wines was very nice and knew alot about the wines she was pouring but not alot about the world of wine. The wines I like are a white, the Seyve-Villard and two reds, the Reids Red and the Troika. The wines I didn't like are the Pinot Grigio, Vidal Blanc and the Pinot Noir. The prices are very reasonable ranging from $12 to $16 a bottle.
First the wines I didn't like. The Pinot Grigio was very oaky. Alot of people must like over oaked wines since there are so many on the market but I don't. The Vidal Blanc had too much residual sugar for me. I prefer my wines either completely dry or very sweet not semi sweet. The Pinot Noir was like nothing I have ever tasted. Extremely fruity. Very grapey. Not a style I like.
The Seyve-Villard was much drier than the Vidal and showed no oak. The wine is cloudy and is throwing a sediment but that is fine with me. Please don't filter it. It is a wine that would do very well at a crab feast. The Reid Red is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. The Cabernet Franc, which is the grape used to make Chinon and Buergil in the Loire River Valley, is the dominant flavor. Like Chinon this wine will go great with pizza and barbeque along with traditional French bistro food. Unlike Chinon this wine doesn't have the vegetal flavors that Robert Parker finds so offensive. Troika is a blend of Syrah, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. It could easily be mistaken for a southern Cote du Rhone. This will be a good match to a charcoal grilled burger. Chill it a little and set on the deck while the burgers sizzle. Makes me wish I didn't live in an apartment. It would also be a great wine to take along to Mari Luna to enjoy with the fajitas and other beef dishes.
I would like to encourage everyone to make this 50 mile trip. There are several wineries in the area as well as the Gettysburg Battlefield. I also strongly recommend the Appalachian Brewing Company for excellent beer and good food like a burger with bacon and ham.
Posted by: Elite Elephant Lover | July 19, 2009 2:59 PM
Second, I thought this comment by El Generalissimo was worth more discussion. I would imagine these sites have had a negative impact on Zagat's sales and/or influence, but I never thought about the demographics question before:
With the rise of user-based review sites like Yelp and 600block, I can't help but wonder if there's any impact on the demographics contributing to, and reading Zagat?
Posted by: El Generalissimo | July 23, 2009 8:33 AM