Charger's Wine (and Beer) Club

[Charger]

What's the time offset for Finland? Is it the CET or are you on Russia time?

Neither!

We're GMT + 2

[Zzzptm]

OK, Dallas is GMT -6, so your Thursday night will be around my mid-day.

You have 48 hours in which time to drink a beer, Mr. Charger.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Except we're on British Summer Time at the moment... does that affect your maths?

[Zzzptm]

Except we're on British Summer Time at the moment... does that affect your maths?

Oh dear me, yes it does.

Maybe Charger should just start drinking at noon and carry on for 24 hours, straight, just to cover all time zones.

[Charger]

Yeah...daylight savings time here too so techincally it's GMT +3 then...but if GMT is on daylight savings time too then it's +2 but is GMT always the same? Not affected by the clock shift? I don't even know...

I've never drank 24 hours straight...don't think I could...not even if I'd just have one beer an hour or so...

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

BST is basically GMT shifted by an hour so assuming Finland change at the same time we do then you'll still be +2.

[Charger]

We change on March 29th and October 25th this year.

[Zzzptm]

I hate how every nation on summer time has different start/end dates. Makes scheduling meetings a nightmare.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

We change on March 29th and October 25th this year.

Yep, last weekend in March and October here too.

[Charger]

^^^
I thought they might be the same...

I hate how every nation on summer time has different start/end dates. Makes scheduling meetings a nightmare.

Which is why I think this whole stupid moronic and idiotic daylight savings time thingy should be abandoned ASAP!

[Charger]

Well back to business..

Charger's Wine Club...well...WINE edition!

This time we have a red from the Castilla region in Spain called Sequeral Seleccion Especial 2017.

The Tempranillo grape red has a sweet and rich taste with flavours of dark berries, fruit and even an herbal undertone.

With tempranillo it is hard to go wrong, the grape is so sweet and rich in flavour and the tannins are usually very subtle.
This is no exception. A great tasting wine that is quite affordable which makes it even more special and proves once again that you don't have to pay 90€ for a bottle of very enjoyable wine if you are just brave enough to step outside the regions of Italy or France.

As usual I'm giving this one a wine magazine rating from 85 to 95.

And I gotta say this deserves a hgh rating for two reasons, the great taste and the great price.

94

[Zzzptm]

That's something the wine industry has to come to grips with: there absolutely are places outside the "prestige" growing areas that produce very drinkable wines. There's no point in disparaging a region simply because it's not mentioned in the Duke of Burgundy's Book of Hours or something like that. It's a matter of chemistry, finding the right grape for the right ground with the right climate. Once you've done that, you've got the potential for a great wine.

Yes, it will vary from year to year as conditions vary along those years, but you can begin to identify places with the best "terrois" and focus on viticulture there.

And then there's the matter of blending vintages and grapes - wine forgers have known for years that blending grapes and vintages can duplicate tastes from pricier bottles so that, if opened, the forgery will match the real thing in terms of nose, taste, etc. So if we can replicate the flavors, why not? It's the same as the argument against lab-produced diamonds, the idea that there's something more "authentic" about the compressed carbon if miners risk their lives digging it out of the ground than if it's pushed out for pennies in a lab. At the end of the day, if it sparkles as brightly or tastes as subtlely, what's the difference?

I know I don't drink, but I like to watch shows about those who do. I loved following Oz Clarke and James May going through France and California, arguing about wines.

[Charger]

^^^
Indeed...and on my wine travels accross the west coast of the US I found some of the best wines I've ever had. Best one being from Washington State out of all places if memory serves me right. So that too means something.

I do love some Italian wines too...and some french ones but I've found atleast equally enjoyable ones from other various other countries too. And Spain is one of them...in fact I'd like to say that you have a better chance at getting a good tasting wine from Spain than from France by just random picking.

After Shiraz I think Tempranillo is my favourite grape! So yeah...suck it Cabernet Sauvignon!

JAMES MAY did a wine show!??!!!?!? How in the hell don't I know about that?!?!

[Zzzptm]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oz+and+james%27s+big+wine+adventure

"Oz and James' Big Wine Adventure"

Season One is France, Season Two is California. Then there's Oz and James Drink to Britain, where they dabble in various alcohols of the British Isles. That one gets into beers and distilled spirits, where the first two are strictly wines.

Best parts are where James May gets after Oz for being "a wine ponce".

[Charger]

Well hotdamn!

I'll be checking those out then!