cw (08/06/82)
Alexis Bespaloff has recently published three short wine articles in New York Magazine (not New Yorker) that may be of interest to the group. I will not summarize; if you like the titles, you can find them in most public libraries. May 10, 1982: To Every Wine There Is A Season recommends 81 Beaujolais and 77 ports June 28, 1982: Good News From The Northwest discusses the new vineyards from the Pacific Northwest; my tastings of these wines have suggested that they are worth some investigation and some of the whites have been very good. July 26, 1982: California Sweet California late-harvest Rieslings; good stuff for after dinner The question about a wine cellar suggests that a brief summary of post (excuse me, port) recommendations would be worthwhile. Best recent vintages: 60, 63, 66, 70, 75, 77 remember, vintage port only happens once in a while and a vintage year is when a largish number of shippers all put out vintaged bottles. 1977 recommendations: Wuarles Harris Quarles Harris (mistake on previous line) Taylor Fladgate Warre Croft Smith Woodhouse Sandeman Fonseca Niepoort Dow and Graham Obviously, not to be drunk now, though Bespaloff suggests trying one bottle of 77 and a bottle from the same shipper from 60 or 63 at the same time to learn what the effect of age is. Prices range from $17 to $23 a bottle for 77's and vary by a dollar or two from store to store. Charles