tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30172741068511929162011-08-12T11:10:26.294-07:00Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-45792577241923392602008-07-30T20:08:00.000-07:002008-07-30T20:24:53.100-07:00

Bad. Claret? who calls it claret in the states? Some pretentious wine writers and, yes the PLCB. But this is just one example of the way they treat wine at the PLCB. Have a look here, and then pull down the wine types. California Burgundy, Chianti from Cali and New York? this list is stuck in the 70s. It would be way too much trouble to have a decent search - I dunno let's try type ,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-21541256308926876532008-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:002008-06-15T07:21:21.413-07:00

Well, I signed up to have the PLCB tell me more about the great deals they have, so I get emails from them - my fault I know. With eager anticipation I click and review the selections - $90, $50, $75, and yes, $150. It doesn't matter what they are, I am not buying a $90 bottle of wine for dinner tonight. But wait, let's click further and see if there are more reasonable suggestions you know,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-15049313978181950082008-05-27T20:13:00.000-07:002008-06-06T14:35:55.413-07:00

PA is continuing to make criminal's out of law abiding citizens who are looking for a good wine experience. This state continues to prove it can completely mess up one very easy way to boost the economy. Handing retail enterprise over to the private sector for a commodity that sells is not the way to improve the economy. It's much better to rake in absurd profit margins on poor service.We can

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-56152008529387196582008-03-30T07:31:00.001-07:002008-05-27T20:01:43.738-07:00

I just noticed on the Pennsylvania State Liquor Control Board's website that the PLCB is soliciting bids for a vendor to supply automated kiosks to supply wine to the public in places the state monopoly is not. The stated reason for the PLCB in the first place is to prevent wine from getting into the hands of minors. A human can't open a store and adults can't get wine shipped to their homes but

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-4982839612337328162008-03-27T19:22:00.000-07:002008-05-27T20:08:05.183-07:00

I just finished Natalie MacLean's book "Red, White and Drunk All Over". Ms. MacLean, a Canadian from Ottawa, has a web site full of useful information for beginner oenophiles. The book distills all of this knowledge and experience into 274 pages and its a good read. Much of the book feels familiar, but Natalie takes you on a tour of the wine world with a palpable excitement. I could feel

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-5270530582864221792008-03-05T20:11:00.000-08:002008-03-05T20:38:32.067-08:00

Well I received this reply from an employee at one of the state stores. While I'm not sure I can agree with everything this person says I can sympathize with his (her?) situation. State employees are limited in what they can do while working. They are limited by the state and by the union. Wine knowledge is probably very low on the priority list for the day's tasks.I'm not blaming the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-13520530525614920272008-01-14T19:51:00.000-08:002008-01-14T20:20:06.491-08:00

Stopped in a lunch today to "window shop" and came across a fairly talkative state employee. My experience in the PLCB stores has been that people are people, just not wine people. Some are terse, some are friendly and I've run into 2, exactly 2, who know anything about the subject. I have talked to twice that (yes, four!) who don't even drink wine. Aren't there other jobs they can do in the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-69279133884906857732007-11-20T16:05:00.000-08:002007-11-20T17:37:10.547-08:00

In August I picked up a bottle of Herding Cats, a South African wine, in Delaware and wrote that the PLCB would be well advised to stock this. And now, here it is. I could take credit for it, but I suppose that, given the complete random nature of the PLCB offerings, taking a suggestion would make too much sense. Either way a great deal from the state stores.But this, brings up a topic near

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-39225561763035342792007-10-16T19:30:00.000-07:002007-10-16T20:08:15.054-07:00

Wine Spectator has come out with their list of top values for under $20. Of course you need to subscribe or buy the magazine. However, just to prove a point, I am doing a little research to find these value wines at the State Store - sorry - PA Wine and Spirits. While I did find a few of these, availablity is still limited to a few stores.Here are a few I've found:- Bodega Norton, Malbec

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-57575996163992173222007-10-11T15:18:00.001-07:002007-10-11T15:23:47.406-07:00

Thought this was interesting...there are a bunch of video podcasts available on the Wine Spectator website, free of charge. This is such a great time to live in; there are so many resources available on the web - free - to learn about this great subject. I have included a few on the side here.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-16214052381385582232007-10-01T19:48:00.001-07:002007-10-01T19:50:46.316-07:00

Opened the Simi Zinfandel tonight. Found it very enjoyable, smooth and rich with the right touch of spice.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-70104334180265017032007-09-27T09:52:00.000-07:002007-09-27T09:55:21.077-07:00

Found this site that has great listings of BYOBs and events in all sorts of locations. I have added RSS feeds to the Philly events on this page, and more on the bottom but you can find events in your area here.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-15454430868683894242007-08-31T09:41:00.000-07:002007-09-01T18:22:01.196-07:00

Tons of podcasts on the internet and I stumbled across this conversational craft beer podcast. Nice discussion and worth a listen.Craft Beer Radio

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-24719043419918569252007-08-12T08:22:00.000-07:002007-08-12T08:38:09.088-07:00

Was in Delaware, of course just driving through, and found one of the wines I was looking for - Chateaux Braniare-Ducru (see the Braniare-Ducru Post) and as I was leaving I brought my bottle total to 6 with this herding cats, cab/shiraz mix from S.Africa. Ok, this mix is one of my staple table wines, the price was right ($5) and the label is eye-catching. Definitely would pick this up if the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-67551056159681798422007-08-12T08:10:00.000-07:002007-08-12T08:20:59.855-07:00

Purchased this 1.5L from, yes, somewhere not sure where. Easy drinking Zin, not too spice but give the Zin newbie a good idea at the potential of this California grape. Found the link, but a note to the Delicato folks, if you have a website, you really should put the web address on the label. The review was positive from Robert Whitley at the San Diego Union-Tribune - a great resource if you

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3017274106851192916.post-72367054348132367512007-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:002007-08-12T08:21:57.291-07:00

Chateaux Peyau, 2003Bordeaux SuperiorA Saint-Louis De Montferrand (Gironde) FranceFound this in the local State Store for $9.99. According to PAWineTalk, this is considered a Chairman's Selection. Parker rates 2003 a Excellent so definately worth trying. For $10 bucks I'll get a few for the cellar. Looks like this is coming from the southern edge of Bordeaux.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11023647327762724482noreply@blogger.com0