Normally, I'm not big on recommending Baja wines but this is an exception. Went to Bibayoff winery today and sampled several 2007 selections. The
Chenin Colombard is very fruity yet slightly acidic...a nice combination and priced right at $12.
But the grand prize winner is the the Zinfandel. A velvety and buttery mature tasting wine with very heavy pepper. I normally wouldn't choose
a Zinfandel except as an accompaniment to a hearty meal but this is one wine that can stand on it's own. A bit pricey at $18 but...excellent.noproblemo2 - 3-27-2010 at 06:41 PM
Where can we purchase this? Would love to try it..Mexitron - 3-28-2010 at 08:58 AM
Thanks Dave, good to know....I'm a big Zin Fan...I would think that would be the grape of choice in that climate. Got to get out there tasting one of
these days....Woooosh - 3-28-2010 at 09:43 AM
Please tell me you are talking about the spicy full-bodied red Zins, not that white Zin koolaid garbage.
guadalupe valley zinfandel
sylens - 3-28-2010 at 10:43 AM
the owner of the restaurant mi kaza, between costero and primera in ensenada, has started growing his own wines in the guadalupe valley and has an
outstanding zinfandel called nativo. check with him at the restaurant...DENNIS - 3-28-2010 at 10:47 AM
Hi Lili.......Long time no see. Bajahowodd - 3-28-2010 at 11:53 AM
Kinda interesting that Mi Kaza is not exactly the kind of place one would go for good wine. Or any wine, for that matter. They do killer breakfasts,
however.
mi kaza
sylens - 3-29-2010 at 07:26 PM
still does not have a liquor license, so there is no alcohol available. not beer. not wine. not nuthin'. the owner plans a tasting area when the city gives him the license.
meanwhile, he will sell you a bottle "pa' llevar."sylens - 3-29-2010 at 07:28 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Hi Lili.......Long time no see.
hi dennis. seems we only meet at home depot. nice to see you're still here,
though.Martyman - 3-30-2010 at 08:45 AM
Speaking of zin. I went to our home winemakers club meeting last night up heres in Sonoma Co CA. The speaker was Carol Shelton and we tasted 5 of her
zins. All very nice. Got some good tips for my next wines to be made in the fall. Zin is the only truly CA wine.capt. mike - 3-30-2010 at 09:12 AM
agree.....let he who is without Zin cast the 1st box of crummy store wine.....Mexitron - 3-30-2010 at 10:31 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Martyman
Speaking of zin. I went to our home winemakers club meeting last night up heres in Sonoma Co CA. The speaker was Carol Shelton and we tasted 5 of her
zins. All very nice. Got some good tips for my next wines to be made in the fall. Zin is the only truly CA wine.
My all-time favorite is Saucelito Canyon Zin, from the area inland of Arroyo Grande---what gives me hope about the Guadalupe Valley is it has the same
climate--hot, dry days,chapparral, but cooling off at night with the sea breeze...JESSE - 3-30-2010 at 10:59 AM
Haven't tasted a Mexican zin that i like yet, so if i see it i will give it a try. My current favorite if 2007 Opolo mountain zinfandel, 17 bucks and
way ahead of anything Baja makes.DENNIS - 3-30-2010 at 11:00 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
---what gives me hope about the Guadalupe Valley is it has the same climate--hot, dry days,chapparral, but cooling off at night with the sea breeze...
Arn't there a minimal amount of "Frost Days" requisite for a palatable wine, 20...21...something like that? I heard from a real expert that the
Guadalupe Valley most often comes up short in the annual count.capt. mike - 3-30-2010 at 12:20 PM
Jesse - if you get anywhere near where it is avail..
Klinker Brick Zin, Sonoma. or Lodi maybe.
$17 each .
made me see the Central Scrutinizer....Mexitron - 3-30-2010 at 12:53 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
---what gives me hope about the Guadalupe Valley is it has the same climate--hot, dry days,chapparral, but cooling off at night with the sea breeze...
Arn't there a minimal amount of "Frost Days" requisite for a palatable wine, 20...21...something like that? I heard from a real expert that the
Guadalupe Valley most often comes up short in the annual count.
That's surprising---those interior valleys tend to really cool off in the winter (a similar locale in SoCal would be the Capistrano Valley and Coto de
Caza area which gets lots of frosty nights) but didn't know that about Guadalupe.Pompano - 3-30-2010 at 02:39 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
.....
Arn't there a minimal amount of "Frost Days" requisite for a palatable wine, 20...21...something like that? I heard from a real expert that the
Guadalupe Valley most often comes up short in the annual count.
Don Jorge...I hear you get some good 'Frost Days' now and then up your way? Maybe a good zin from around the old farmstead. I have the name ready:
Chateau Last Tuesday NodakJESSE - 3-30-2010 at 02:42 PM
Guadalupe is capable of producing world class reds IF many things go right, that includes weather, terroir, and the ability of the wine maker. But in
my experience, that doesn't happen very often. Guadalupe Vallley wines are decent wines, but too expensive for the level of quality they offer. I have
pretty much given up on them for now, they simply cannot compete in quality and price against whats coming out from Spain, Argentina, or Chile,
specially now that we are in a buyers market in the wine industry. I can get a outrageous bottle of Rioja for 20 bucks that will blow away anything
currently coming from Mexico.Martyman - 3-30-2010 at 03:13 PM
I love rioja! What do you recommend?JESSE - 3-30-2010 at 04:50 PM
Bodegas reserva
Marques de Murrieta
Muga
I am also growing very fond of the Toro region, awesome wines.Hook - 3-30-2010 at 10:36 PM
Of the "affordable" Zins (supply your own definition, mine is under 30 bucks), I'm partial to the ones from Ridge, Sapphire Hill and Seghesio. All
from California.
I'm headed to my bottle shop in HMO next week: I'll look for this one, Dave.Mexitron - 3-31-2010 at 06:22 AM
Ridge....yeah, always, but which Ridge? Lytton Springs, Paso, etc.?
Anything that has grapes from the Duzy vineyard in Paso is probably going to be top notch. Out here in Tejas we're getting a Boeger Winery Zinfandel
at Cost-Plus for $10 which is pretty decent. At this point in time its possible to get an excellent wine on the cheap but you have to do lots of
research and I intend to do lots of research this weekend! Hook - 3-31-2010 at 06:30 AM
Usually partial to Lytton Springs.
It's been a while since I had Boeger, but they were always a good value Zin.
Other inexpensive "wineries" to look for in this varietal; Ravenswood and Rosenblum, although they have expensive bottlings, too.capt. mike - 3-31-2010 at 07:35 AM
Mexitron -
have you been to the wineries at Del Rio in TX?
i liked them when i was there but it was a long time ago.
they also had a brandy infused tawny port which was velvety with substantial octane...yummmMartyman - 3-31-2010 at 08:14 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by JESSE
Bodegas reserva
Marques de Murrieta
Muga
I am also growing very fond of the Toro region, awesome wines.
Thanks Jesse
I wrote them down and will look for them at the local Bottle BarnMexitron - 3-31-2010 at 10:59 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
Mexitron -
have you been to the wineries at Del Rio in TX?
i liked them when i was there but it was a long time ago.
they also had a brandy infused tawny port which was velvety with substantial octane...yummm
To be honest I've done pitifully little tasting out here...the few that I have tasted were overpriced and generally substandard. That said, I think
the burgeoning Tejano wine industry has learned a valuable lesson--that is, they tried to grow the usual varietals (Cabs, Merlot,etc.) when the
industry started taking off a couple decades ago. However the Texas climate is not kind to those varietals that are used to a Mediterranean climate.
The summers here are tropical, brutally hot, with the temp not dipping below 80 degrees, even at night, for about four straight months. So, now they
are experimenting with more heat tolerant grapes---some of the Spanish varietals for instance. And, they're experimenting with grafting some of these
varietals onto native Texas grape rootstocks which of course love the heat. So stay tuned, they're likely going to get better.
That it was a Port you tasted in Del Rio makes sense--the Port is great with a lot of heat to produce high sugar content.
Interesting factoid: it was a Texas botanist who was experimenting with native Texas grape varieties that saved the French wine industry around the
turn of the century (?)---the French vines were being wiped out by Phylloxera and this guy found some Texas vines that were resistant to its effects
and grafted the French wines onto them...voila!
the owner plans a tasting area when the city gives him the license.
. nice to see you're still here,
though.
