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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels September 21, 2004 Off The Vine Wine guides long winded Lorn Razzano Just the other day I came across a few wine descriptions I thought I'd share with you. These descriptors are used in wine articles around the English speaking world and rarely cease to amaze me. Having grown up with E.B. White and a few of his buddies where "less is more" in writing style, I find myself clawing at the descriptions I am reading. Here we go: 1. "This syrah is stylish in an impertinent way. It fancies itself a bigger, more important wine than it is regardless of the deep fruit and concentration one first feels on the palate. The finish is short, the berry nose fades away and the grip on the palate is whimpish at every angle. Honestly, one must wonder why one would be fooled by its pretense in the first place. I am underwhelmed and ask you to move away from this weak kneed, uninspired, weak sister pretender." (ugh.) 2. "Riesling should remind its taster of the soft, gentle and silent south sea winds with hint of mango-guava wrapped around dry pineapple spear immersed in tropical, near mint. Not heavy mint, not knockdown, brutal mint, but a hint, a kiss of mint, just tickling the palate in a cleansing way reminding one of a fresh-dew morning breath. Try with tropical seafood prepared as you remember from the islands." (Right.) 3. "I amazed by the power play, intensity, sock it to me (No!) and overwhelming lushness of this merlot. Deep, garnet squeezed purple expressions under watchful hands lovingly caressed by natures own embrace then moved along the process by pure love. Do not miss this spectacular offering when it is released, I'm sure I know I won't." 4. "Sparkling wine that simply tickles the nose to give one a smile along the road to real (as opposed to unreal?) champagne. Clean, palate cleaving, simply dusty dry without the astringency found in lesser offerings this lovely bubbly begs to be served with fine pate in a Paris bistro. How can we resist this champagne? Really, really magical bubbles, to be sure!" Okay, that is what I have to go through day after day. Here's the hot winery of the week: Casa Girelli. This winery, quite a large concern in Italy, makes three wonderful wines. The first is a flinty, dry and crisp pinot grigio. This wine is thirst quenching and fresh and runs about $12 bucks. The second wine is a primitivo (zinfandel, we think) that offers plush flavors with dark fruit tones. There isn't an angle in this wine, just great depth of fruit and long flavors. The third wine is a nero d'avola-merlot blend from Sicilia. Warm, spicy and rich, I really like this wine. Goes best with grilled meats and cheeses. All of these wines are under the $15 dollar mark and worth a special effort to find. See you next time! DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams