Friday evening drinking thread

Submitted by sadeto on

It's been a long week for me, and I'll actually have to write tomorrow, but I'm taking a break and enjoying a 2011 Ann Amie Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. It is Federal proposal season so I will be writing intensely for months but this weekend I will also have to install a new oak entry threshold and try to get my motorcycle running. Electrical problems with an old Honda. What ales you tonight? 

MGoBoard

Frankie J

April 24th, 2015 at 9:03 PM ^

Isn't it kinda pathetic that you worked so hard this week just to sit and drink an overpriced cup of grape juice? And pretend that you enjoy it?

Joined: 04/21/2015

MGoPoints: 51

Optimism Attache

April 24th, 2015 at 9:13 PM ^

I don't begrudge a man his favorite cup, no matter what it is. 

That said, a number of well-done blind taste tests have shown that people really can't taste the difference between cheap and expensive wine. That is different than saying people can't identify and have preferences for different varieties of wine. But given the science, it just doesn't make sense to pay a lot of money for a specific brand and vintage. 

Joined: 09/13/2011

MGoPoints: 24005

EGD

April 24th, 2015 at 9:39 PM ^

I haven't drank Mad Dog in close to 20 years. But I always thought the stuff tasted pretty damn good--especially the Banana Red and Kiwi Lime flavors. The banging headache I could do without, but I don't recall taste being the issue.

Joined: 09/16/2009

MGoPoints: 35199

sadeto

April 24th, 2015 at 9:26 PM ^

There are so many variables in wine appreciation, even temperature, that distinguishing the good from the great can be a challenge for most. But "cheap"? Depends on what you mean by cheap, but most cheap wines fall pretty far short of comparing to even a decent $25 wine. The bottle I'm emptying now was $23 and quite nice. Could I distinguish it from a $75 bourgogne? Yes, easily. Could I distinguish the $75 from a $200 bourgogne? That's tough.

Joined: 01/17/2014

MGoPoints: 10469

Optimism Attache

April 24th, 2015 at 9:49 PM ^

I am not saying that you personally can't taste the difference, but these experiments have tested truly cheap (~$5) wine versus stuff that cost ten times that much. On average, people can only identify the pricier stuff by the smallest of margins. Even experts give totally opposite-than-expected reviews when experimenters switch the labels of a common table wine with a very fancy one.

It seems to be all about expectations. The brain registers more pleasure when one drinks from the bottle with the higher end label--it's just that switching the wine out makes relatively less difference.

http://www.newyorker.com/tech/frontal-cortex/does-all-wine-taste-the-sa…

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/10/you-are-not-so-smart-…

Joined: 09/13/2011

MGoPoints: 24005

sadeto

April 24th, 2015 at 10:00 PM ^

I will gladly participate in this type of test, maybe even tomorrow evening. It will be fun. My girlfriend says she never appreciated craft beer or good wine until we met. She grew up in northern China drinking sorghum liquor, which is interchangeable with tractor fuel. I'll have her try too.

Joined: 01/17/2014

MGoPoints: 10469

Bigfoot

April 24th, 2015 at 10:52 PM ^

A lot of those experiements are flawed due to "palate exhaustion." Basically, after tasting like 5 different wines, you should probably stop, cuz you're not goona get much more out of it.  

 

That being said, cheap wine is usually really well made-- a lot of the talented kids from UC Davis go to Gallo and KJ- they get big salaries and good benefits.  They make good wine.  

 

A lot of "expert" wine people are total BS-- talk a big game, but shut up when you bring out a paper bag.  That being said, I've seen some pretty amazing blind tasters-- you can paper bag a wine for Ed Kurtzman that he made himself, and he will usually say, "ooo! I made this wine." insane.

At higher levels of wine you are paying for an expression of the site in that vintage.  In winemaking you want first, a balanced, stable wine, and second, a wine that expresses the site.  You dont necesssarily want a wine that "tastes expensive". Leave that to mixologists.

Joined: 11/19/2012

MGoPoints: 2027

LSAClassOf2000

April 24th, 2015 at 9:06 PM ^

If I may say, it is taking rather a lot of Weihenstephaner to get through the Tigers game, so if the modding gets a little inconsistent, that would be why. I ran out of the Weissbier, now just working my way through the "Original Premium", as it is labelled. Very good either way, just a little miffed that the store was out of Paulaner or Franziskaner Weissbier. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130669

ESNY

April 24th, 2015 at 9:22 PM ^

Started with margaritas on the rocks at the local mexican joint. Gave the kids a bath and moved onto a homemade barrel aged Manhattan while watching the Yankees crush the Mets. Will most likely end with a Ardbeg neat as a nightcap.

Joined: 11/06/2008

MGoPoints: 12310

KO Stradivarius

April 24th, 2015 at 9:28 PM ^

Cerveza De Julius, mexican style lager.  Got a sampler 6 pack and this is the last one.  Was awaiting warmer weather, but, you know...

I did enjoy a couple of the other short's brews in the 6-er.  Chatterbox is one I recall liking.

Joined: 12/16/2014

MGoPoints: 30674