Hollowine
Posts: 334
Joined: 7/25/2008 From: Hood River, OR Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: pbm quote:
ORIGINAL: Hollowine I would probably nominate most wines produced in states east of the Rocky Mountains. I know there are some exceptions such as northern New York for certain varietals, but there is a reason CA, OR and WA have the majority of shelf space in retail. I can't speak for wines elsewhere east of the Rockies but having lived in Northern Virginia we were able to visit a lot of the wineries in that state and there are definitely some producers there making good juice. In particular, we like a 2005 meritage from Rappahannock Cellars. The description from the website: This is a blend of 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 8% Petit Verdot. Big, rich, robust and dark; aromas of cedar, leather, back stone fruit, black cherries, cassis and vanilla, leading to a full palate structure with ?chewy? tannins, and a long, lingering finish. One other observation, retail shelf space is determined by a lot of factors -- not just quality. PBM, you may be right and I guess that is part of the point of this forum, to allow people to share knowledge of wines that some of us may never have tried or even seen. I'm sure there are some good wines made East of the Rockies and that is why I said Most and not All, there will be exceptions, but the few trials I have had in some of the eastern states haven't been that great. I'll watch for the Rappahannock next time I'm at my client in Arlington. Now with that said, this thread particularly has been also calling out the wines that are front and center of famous wine regions that are just downright awful as well. I guess the moral is trust your palate and buyer beware, for anybody can add yeast to grape juice and achieve wine, but there are so many other factors in producing a wine that is truly remarkable, or scarcer yet, one that can be enjoyed through the aging process.
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