DISQUS

Hi, Ryan-- I'm sort of peripheral (?) to all this, but if things aren't coming together as fast as they need to for yr preferred dates ( -- tho i?m pretty sure you'll get it done) I had the bright idea post-crush might be areally rally good time-- like a build up to an expat Thanksgiving, as late as 1st or second wkend in November...




I'll have to see if I can get a ticket at all from Puerto Rico on that last week in august...





anyway, all the best... let's see if I can manage to be a part of this somehow...





djr

PS, any chance you have tried Laureano´s wine? (nedless to say, I haven't)




here's a link to his site, in case not--





<a href="<a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>

"><a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>







I've also had some contact with Joán Gómez Pallarés, as the man is a veritable encyclopedia on grape varieties & subvarieties, & I must say I'm looking forward to meeting him, as well as Gabriella & you!

PS, any chance you have tried Laureano´s wine? (nedless to say, I haven't)




here's a link to his site, in case not--





<a href="<a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>

"><a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>







I've also had some contact with Joán Gómez Pallarés, as the man is a veritable encyclopedia on grape varieties & subvarieties, & I must say I'm looking forward to meeting him, as well as Gabriella & you!

PS, any chance you have tried Laureano´s wine? (nedless to say, I haven't)




here's a link to his site, in case not--





<a href="<a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>

"><a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>







I've also had some contact with Joán Gómez Pallarés, as the man is a veritable encyclopedia on grape varieties & subvarieties, & I must say I'm looking forward to meeting him, as well as Gabriella & you!

PS, any chance you have tried Laureano´s wine? (nedless to say, I haven't)




here's a link to his site, in case not--





<a href="<a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>

"><a href="http://www.serres.net/


http://www.serres.net/

/>







I've also had some contact with Joán Gómez Pallarés, as the man is a veritable encyclopedia on grape varieties & subvarieties, & I must say I'm looking forward to meeting him, as well as Gabriella & you!

Ryan,




I don't know how I'm going to schedule all i want to do this year. I'm still holding on to the possiblity of putting my name on a barrel of 2008, say, Bonarda, before I quit Mendoza. Even if that doesn't work, I believe I'm developing some relationships for the longer term.





I celebrate my 25th graduation anniversary from NYU this year, & I hope to contribute a half-case of Italian wine i couldn't get sent to Puerto Rico towards an informal gathering of NY based wine bloggists-- let's see who turns up on short notice!





As for Spain, I've had some contact with Laureano Serrés in Terra Alta about making the wines I'd like to vinify as natural as I can bear to risk it-- he offered to be 'on call' for support, so I was planning to return the good will trying to make myself useful around crush in Catalunya...but of course, as long as I'm looking at being around 'las Espanyas' as Harvest gears up, i hope i can lend you a hand in whatever logistics & language issues I can be halfway efficient at. Onward & upward--



un abrazo, David J

I had an artisanal Bonarda from Catamarca I just posted on & Andrés the journailist & sommelier keep harping on its being 'varietally incorrect'.




I think 'terroir', when understood with broad correction (ouch) is a positive context for discussing variations in varietal character & expression as related to geoclimactic circumstance.





Whether we enjoy these variations or not (my case with Santa Lucia Pinots, for example) should not be a pretext or excuse for dismissing the results out of hand.

Thanks for the good wishes. I just posted on my first asado. & guess what-- found & tried some local fuet!




News at eleven!

Ryan & Gabriella,


Saludos desde Mendoza. I envy you so, it's parched heat here & I miss game & bolets season, all of the Fall...





finally managed a posting...maybe, if all goes well, I can be back North & across th pond for next November & help celebrate a Catalan San Guibin!!



all the best, djr

Probably- but it could be Bobal, also...




(Bobal I *think* is not as deep-hued, though)

Glad you've discovered Masies d'Avinyó-- but what I'm most interested in is how their recuperation of Picapoll (French Picpoul) is going. The seat for DO Plá del Bagés is in Manresa, one of the things I'd love to read about is your take on the positives & negatives of DO's regulations-- could be part of your 'acopio de datos' para el Atlas del Vino Español!




I have a lonnnng story of my passionately conflicted relationship with La Mercé





(la festa, y la Virgen!) for when we finally meet up- maybe next year--





Salut-- e forza...!

Heard raves about this, it's over a $100 here in Puerto Rico.




Intrigued by the Carignan/Samsó ddichotomy--





we need the UC Davis DNA team to get on this case!





--availability stateside--





<a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans ">http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans Muralles/2/USA-/USD/A/-/0



I'm a total grape geek & a fool for rare Catalan varieties: Picapoll, Trepat, Callet, Fogoneu, Mantonegro--last three from Mallorca...





Search 'em out! You won't be sorry, would love to 'hear' your opinions & learn if there's increasing acreage being planted.

Heard raves about this, it's over a $100 here in Puerto Rico.




Intrigued by the Carignan/Samsó ddichotomy--





we need the UC Davis DNA team to get on this case!





--availability stateside--





<a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans ">http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans Muralles/2/USA-/USD/A/-/0



I'm a total grape geek & a fool for rare Catalan varieties: Picapoll, Trepat, Callet, Fogoneu, Mantonegro--last three from Mallorca...





Search 'em out! You won't be sorry, would love to 'hear' your opinions & learn if there's increasing acreage being planted.

Heard raves about this, it's over a $100 here in Puerto Rico.




Intrigued by the Carignan/Samsó ddichotomy--





we need the UC Davis DNA team to get on this case!





--availability stateside--





<a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans ">http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Grans Muralles/2/USA-/USD/A/-/0



I'm a total grape geek & a fool for rare Catalan varieties: Picapoll, Trepat, Callet, Fogoneu, Mantonegro--last three from Mallorca...





Search 'em out! You won't be sorry, would love to 'hear' your opinions & learn if there's increasing acreage being planted.