The Wine Commonsewer

Halftime In America

2012-02-09T10:03:07-08:00

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Did you get that part? 58% of Chrysler is owned by a foreign corporation.....Grazi from Fiat, America.

As Always,

TWC

Over 100 Billion Glasses Served

2012-02-06T08:56:51-08:00

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

As Ever,

TWC

Tip of the glass to Wine Vine Imports, offering exclusive wine accesories and gifts for the wine enthusiast.

Wrought Iron Gate on an Alley Between Royal & Bourbon Street

2012-02-02T00:27:00-08:00

TWC

2009 Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel

2012-02-01T17:47:53-08:00

Visit and buy wine online today!

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

In terms of production, Bogle is the 14th largest winery in the US, yet it remains a family operation, producing consistently good wines at affordable prices. Odds are, Gentle Reader, that you've seen Bogle wines on a menu, at Sam's Club, or in the groceria (assuming you live in a progressive enough state where wines are allowed to be sold along with bacon and beans).

Bogel's Old Vine Zinfandel continues the tradition and TWC found it to be quite an enjoyable wine. If you are interested to know what ten dollar (or under) wine ought to taste like, pick up a bottle and give it a swirl in your glass.

There are a lot of entries in the $7.00-$10.00 price niche and, unfortunately, many of them are not good. Too many wineries are looking to dazzle and schtick, hoping to attract novice buyers with clever labeling and funky branding. Some of them are just okay, others are just plonk, still others offer up cloying cough syrup with a fumey alcohol aroma. Pass.

The tasteful label, clear description, and good looking bottle give us a good idea of what's inside. Nice aroma of black fruits, a little raspberry and strawberry (I *was* eating strawberries, so maybe that's why) on the palate, nice finish, structured tannins.....what's not to like? This is a very good wine which garners a 42% rating on TWC's Standardized Wine Price/Value Ratio®.

WINEMAKER NOTES

Head-trained, dry farmed vines are prized for their production of small, concentrated clusters of grapes that are vinted into incredibly rich and intense wines. For years, Bogle has sought out these gnarly old vines to create our Old Vine Zinfandel.

Scents of sun-warmed, wild raspberries bubble up to the surface in your first impression of the Zinfandel. Notes of ripe berries and nutmeg follow, while touches of black pepper and subtle spicy oak compliment the fruit. Full-bodied, the mouthfeel is rounded out and finished with earthy notes and soft tannins.

As Always,

TWC

Keeping the Peace on Bourbon Street

2012-01-30T11:15:00-08:00

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

I want the bracelet. Not his bracelet set. Hers.

They don't call them peace officers anymore, but I like the idea of a peace officer on horseback. A visible presence that is easily seen above the crowd. This strikes moi as a safer and more effective police presence than walking the beat or kickin' it in a cruiser, a few blocks away.

It seemed as though these cops were an integral and non-threatening part of the street scene. You were confident that they weren't going to hassle you. It felt like they belonged here and that everyone was comfortable with their proximity. That goes a long way toward erasing the posturing (on both sides) that comes with the us v them line in the sand.

The Boy chuckled when he saw the photo and painted me a verbal picture that went something like this: Three weeks later the cop gallops up to our wrought iron gate on his very tired and dusty horse shouting something about it being illegal to take photographs of the police.

UPDATE: I planned to send this blog post over to NOPD with a note, but then I reconsidered. Sure would suck of there is a departmental policy which prohibits cute chicks from petting the horses. TWC would not want to cause that cop any unwarranted grief. Sure, just because *you're* not paranoid, doesn't mean they ain't out to get you.

BTW, the police officer is not looking at me, that is a Disney-esque, portrait-hanging-in-the haunted-house, trick of the lighting. Trust me. I looked at the original, full resolution photo. He's looking back over his shoulder after hearing a little commotion in that general direction.

Happy Mundane,

TWC

A Rose by Another Name? Softclix: Marketing Brilliance

2012-01-29T18:08:14-08:00

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

This box contains needle sharp lancets. When used as intended, a diabetic places a lancet into a plunger-like device that is a bit shorter and a bit more rotund than a mechanical pencil. Once loaded, the flat, round bottom end of the device is placed against your fingertip and then the plunger is activated. The spring loaded lancet quickly pokes a hole in your finger, If all goes well, there is enough blood flow to allow a blood glucose test. It feels something like when the doctor pokes you in the finger for a quickie blood test.

Every time I look at a box of these needle sharp lancets I marvel at the name: Softclix. Who thought that up?

Sheer marketing genius.

As Always,

TWC