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+--- Thread: Matt Attacks Toasty Oak (/thread-13370.html)
- Innkeeper - 05-29-2002
Matt Kramer, the columnist many of you love to hate, or hate to love, has come out four square in the current (6/15/02) edition of WS as a firm opponent of tasty oak. He even disapproves of it in certain reds! The ranks of AB(TO)C seem to be growing and growing.
On another board recently, someone asked the odd question, "What are your ten favorite whites?" The responses were amazing. Of the two dozen or so people who replied, only one started with chardonnay. All the rest started with riesling. Of those that included chardonnay on their list at all, most caveated it with words like "in Chablis", "unwooded", or "in Maconnais."
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 05-29-2002).]
- Thomas - 05-29-2002
IK, I have discovered there are two types of people who love Riesling: those who try it and those who try it. All those who won't try it generally fall into two other camps: those who haven't a clue that there is such a thing as wine beyond what a magazine talks about, and those who simply haven't a clue...
- wondersofwine - 05-29-2002
Well phrased, Foodie.
- Bucko - 05-29-2002
Foodie just reminded me of a joke:
All people have a photographic memory.... some just don't have any film.
- winoweenie - 05-29-2002
Or as we say here in the sticker patch..." He has a photographic memory that was never developed," WW
- vinman - 05-29-2002
Yes!
You guys did a nice job of getting me involved with Jay McDonald. Now it is costing me plenty! But, his choices of Riesling and more recently Pinot Gris have been awesome, subjugating such over-exposed and sun-tanned Chardonnay that you now mention!
Thanks!
- Bucko - 05-29-2002
BTW, hats off to Matt. The oak craze has been slowing IMHO, but still way overdone. That is one reason that Riesling and SB from NZ and Sancerre have been house favorites.
- Thomas - 05-30-2002
On Memorial Day weekend I was asked by someone at the bbq whom I had just met what I thought of the wine she brought; she said she thought it was fabulous. I tasted it (Chateau Souverain Chardanoak) and told her there was Chardonnay in there somewhere but it will take more than a Memorial Day blast to explode it out of the barrel...
[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 05-30-2002).]
- Innkeeper - 07-07-2002
Matt apparently doesn't have much influence of the rest of rag he writes for. The current editon features California Chardonnay (what was the last time they featured American Riesling?). In the "Best Buys" box they featured twelve wines. Nine of the twelve had the explitive "toasty oak" in their descriptions. One of higher rated ones that didn't was B.V. Coastal (W.S. 87). They just talked about apples, melons, and other lovely things.
So, I picked up a bottle the other day for $9.99. When I got home, I examined the back label (yeah, should have done that in the store!). In B.V.'s own description they use the explitive "toasty oak."
Went to B.V. website to check out the details. They state that the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, and that 60% of is is "oak aged" before bottling. They use this description of the process in two different places on the site. They do not mention barrels in either place. Of course, what else could you expect in a $10 chardonnay?
For the uninitiated, let me explain. They like just about everyone else that sells "toasty oak" chardonnay for less than $15, use oak "tea bags." They take oak sawdust, and roast it. They they either put in giant tea bags and toss it into the tank, or they just toss it into the tank, and wait for it to settle to the bottom.
This is how most of the most popular wine in America is made. Isn't that simply wonderful?
- Botafogo - 07-07-2002
You forgot the part about blending in unfermented (hence still sweet) Muskat or Chenin Blanc so that people who don't actually want a dry wine (and hence would be excellent prospects for the Riesling Revival) can enjoy it....
Roberto