Another reason I like Asimov

[Andrew Zachary]

Eric, not Isaac, writing about St. Joseph:

The region is home to the syrah grape, yet most people who have been weaned on the syrahs of California or Australian shiraz, as syrah is known there, are shocked when they taste a red from the northern Rhône. The exuberant fruitiness they expect is nowhere to be found. Rather than sunny optimism in a glass, the best Rhône reds present a bleak smile of wisdom, a world-weariness that tempers the easier cheer of the New World wines with an awareness born of centuries of hard-won experience.

 

[Peter Creasey]

It's hard to discern what his point is. If only he would just make his point straight out instead of the mumbo jumbo.

For me, the Rhone wines far outpace the California Syrahs and the Australian Shiraz(es) in terms of return on investment.

. . . . Pete

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Peter Creasey:

It's hard to discern what his point is. If only he would just make his point straight out instead of the mumbo jumbo.

Nothing mumbo jumbo-ish in that quote. Seems pretty straightforward.

 

[mlawton]

Return on investment seems an odd measure, especially when the better Northern Rhones are pushing $40-50 + the cost of 15+ years of cellaring, while people like La Clarine Farm are making a delicious Syrah in CA (which doesn't *need* 15+ in the cellar, IMHO) and selling it for $26/bottle. Or Mr. E of ESJ. Nothing wrong with his wines, and priced very fairly.

My tastes generally run to the old world but I can't say I can quantify any bottle of wine in terms of return on investment, unless I was planning on selling it rather than drinking it. Which has happened. Mostly because I didn't like the wine.

 

[Lou Kessler]

originally posted by mlawton:
Return on investment seems an odd measure, especially when the better Northern Rhones are pushing $40-50 + the cost of 15+ years of cellaring, while people like La Clarine Farm are making a delicious Syrah in CA (which doesn't *need* 15+ in the cellar, IMHO) and selling it for $26/bottle. Or Mr. E of ESJ. Nothing wrong with his wines, and priced very fairly.

My tastes generally run to the old world but I can't say I can quantify any bottle of wine in terms of return on investment, unless I was planning on selling it rather than drinking it. Which has happened. Mostly because I didn't like the wine.

Agreed with the CA wines you named but they are the exception not the norm IMHO.

 

[Steve Edmunds]

standard deviation, that's my motto

 

[Christian Miller (CMM)]

originally posted by Steve Edmunds:
standard deviation, that's my motto

I never buy anything without calculating its beta vs. the rest of the cellar.

 

[Peter Creasey]

Michael, As is often the case, I raced too speedily with my reply.

My reference to "return on investment" was not intended to focus on monetary yield but rather the whole yield in terms of enjoyment, pleasure, style, etc., etc. for the tariff.

. . . . . Pete

 

[Jeff Grossman]

You were speaking colloquially, then?

 

[BJ]

Ah, the highs and lows of WD, nicely represented here.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

The correct measure is ROA, not ROI.

 

[kirk wallace]

BJ -spot on, as usual.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

originally posted by Peter Creasey:

It's hard to discern what his point is. If only he would just make his point straight out instead of the mumbo jumbo.

For me, the Rhone wines far outpace the California Syrahs and the Australian Shiraz(es) in terms of return on investment.

. . . . Pete

I take it, from the hard time you seem to have with metaphors, that you do not enjoy literature much.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Je suis mumbo jumbo.

 

[Peter Creasey]

the best Rhône reds present a bleak smile of wisdom, a world-weariness that tempers the easier cheer of the New World wines with an awareness born of centuries of hard-won experience.

I take it the group considers this to be a favorable assessment.

. . . . Pete

 

[Jay Miller]

Finally met Eric (other than being in the same room at large events) at Rieslingfeier. Would have preferred a venue where I didn't have a headache from the noise and was struggling to hear right across the table (which is where he was) but seemed like a very nice and erudite guy.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by Peter Creasey:

the best Rhône reds present a bleak smile of wisdom, a world-weariness that tempers the easier cheer of the New World wines with an awareness born of centuries of hard-won experience.

I take it the group considers this to be a favorable assessment.

. . . . Pete

I certainly do. Remember, most of us here oppose pleasure.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

I don't oppose pleasure, but, yes, wisdom and and awareness won from hard-won experience are usually construed to be favorable qualities.

 

[Cole Kendall]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
The correct measure is ROA, not ROI.

As a former finance instructor I must disagree; this is one of the rare cases where IRR is the correct measure.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by Peter Creasey:

the best Rhône reds present a bleak smile of wisdom, a world-weariness that tempers the easier cheer of the New World wines with an awareness born of centuries of hard-won experience.

I take it the group considers this to be a favorable assessment.

. . . . Pete

I certainly do. Remember, most of us here oppose pleasure.

We are still the Wine Taliban, are we not?

Mullah Lipton