Morrell's 2005 Bordeaux and X Wine's Raves

We received two new email updates regarding wine and thought we'd share.

First was from X Wine Magazine, and included their Top 5 For The Week:
Top Five Picks are defined as "Wines that normal, grocery-store going folk can actually find, buy and drink."

Rating Scale
XXX = Da Bomb (Exceptionally Cool)
XX = Fo Shizzle (Highly Recommended)
X = Gets it Done (Recommended)

Rating XX
Brassfield
2004 Pinot Grigio
Clear Lake $15
Perkier than bikini models in a cold draft - bright, crisp, clean and refreshing.

Rating X
Red Beret
2004 Rose
AOC Cotes du Rhone - France $11
Driving a Yugo up a steep incline - nice and smooth, but could use a little more oomph.

Rating X
Monterra
2004 Shiraz
Monterey County $9
S boarding on M - a little hard-edged, but enjoyable.

Rating X
Napa Ridge
2003 Pinot Noir
North Coast $10
Gettin' some at the discount Ho House - simple, spicy and economically satisfying.

Rating XXX
Echelon
2003 Chardonnay
Central Coast $10
Simply sex-a-licious!

Next up was from Peter Morrell (and his new alliance with Forbes Wine Club) declaring:

"2005: A Most Promising Vintage In Europe

First and foremost, wine is an agricultural product. Both the quantity and quality of every region's wines--their opening prices, age-ability and appreciating value as collectibles are all directly affected by numerous factors. These variables include the number of hours of sunshine throughout the growing season, rainfall, high temperatures both during the crucial vine flowering in the spring and the all important pre-harvest period in the fall, as well as the timing of frost. All affect both the quality and quantity of the grapes.

While human talents can be of great importance, honest winemakers will admit that the finest vintages are made in the vineyard. Simply put, the better the weather, the greater the potential for outstanding wines.

Of particular current interest to us as vintners, and to you as wine lovers, is the question if this year's harvest in Bordeaux has been fine enough to justify our offering of 2005 wines on a "futures" basis after we taste the barrel samples next April.

At this time, I am pleased to be able to report that our most reliable sources of information in Bordeaux are telling us that 2005 is likely to be the best vintage for Bordeaux since the magnificent 2000s.

While the truth always lies in the tasting, as with vintage 2000, all the elements of greatness appear to be present. This year has delivered to Bordeaux a low-yield harvest of completely mature fruit with the highest levels of natural sugars in the grapes in 100 years--which will mean heady wines, higher than normal in alcohol will be made. Additionally, a very dry, very hot summer delivered small-berried grapes at harvest with thick skins. This means high skin to juice ratios, which should result in wines of exceptionally deep-flavor extracts and color, excellent acidity and ripe tannins (the substance from the skins that enable red wines to age). In all, 2005 is most likely to be an exceptional Bordeaux vintage, one that will merit all wine lovers' most serious consideration."

So, now you too know what we do. We'll keep tasting and report our take on their recommendations as well.
Cheers!