The Asian Winehunter

What has all this got to do with wine?? Not much I guess. Just in a nostalgic mood this evening (where's that Burgundy from the 60's I've got stashed away?). Anyway - since I'm on a roll here's another one. Sorry - just couldn't get it out of my head after the movie. T-Rex - "20th Century Boy"

When John Fogerty wrote the lyrics to the song "Have you ever seen the Rain", he was referring to the eventual breakup of his brother Tim from the band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). This song was released in 1970 and whenever I hear this song it rings nostalgia all over. For people of my generation (you know who you are) this will probably be true as well - for other generations perhaps not. Either way, it also seems like appropriate lyrics for the economic downturn and the credit crisis. By now everyone has seen the rain (or flood or Tsunami). Hopefully the sunny days will come back soon... Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have you ever seen the rain? Someone told me long ago, there's a calm before the storm, I know; It's been coming for some time. When it's over, so they say, It'll rain a sunny day, I know; Shining down like water. CHORUS: I want to know, Have you ever seen the rain? I want to know, Have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day...

Some thoughts on wine descriptions and your sense of smell. Years ago, I would read all the literature out there. Tasting notes, buy the wine, try it and then read the notes again. We get phrases like "...smells of Lychee, organge zest, pineapple, banana, buttery...." blah blah blah. For every 10 descriptions I would be lucky recognizing and picking up one of them. Perhaps my sense of smell wasn't as acute, taste buds dead, sensory memory lacking?? Maybe there is something wrong with me? Stop right there. Years later and many bottles down the road - I have yet to meet too many people who were truly missing these god-given abilities to taste. People may not know how to surgically dissect and analyze the wine but they surely know if it's good or not very quickly - there is no fooling that. The exceptions were usually people with a flu, Chain smokers, some other overriding impediment or cranial damage. If you enjoy food and can smell and recognize it; you should be abl...

For many who follow the comic book God's Drop or "Kami no Shizuku" - some will know that a limited 8 episode TV series began earlier this year in Japan. The final wine or "Kami no Shizuku" literally meaning "God's drop" was no other than the 2003 Chateau La Puy. Yours truly bumped into this wine by chance recently so here are the tasting notes. 2003 Chateau La Puy. Well, for something which was the wine of God - this is a bit disappointing. On the nose, this had the smell of a Burgundy with a bit of age (15+ years?). Earth, plums, tea - surprising and getting my hopes up as this is totally unexpected for an '03 Bordeaux. On the palate with....Disaster!!! Thin, astringent, slightly coarse tannins; can't believe this is an '03.  Mid-palate and finish is nothing to write home about.  Don't see how this could be construed with something close to perfection and showing "eternal qualities" - anything but. Wine of God - hmmm don...