The book photographed next to a man for scale

Wine Grapes, the new and amazing tome by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz has been adopted as our Bible, Talmud, Quran, Book of Mormon etc.

It will be used as the authoritative word in resolving deputes about synonyms, clones etc. No more arguments like:

“Brunello is an independent grape variety!”
“I believe that it’s actually Sangiovese.”
“How would you know? Do you know more than wine makers in Montalcino??!!!!”

If you don’t have a copy yet, check out the official site: Winegrapes.org for the best deal on it worldwide.

Filed under: Grapeness by Steve De Long
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If you’ve been waiting a little long for your certificate, please rest assured that they are currently being fined, filtered and finished and will be sent December 1st.

Thank you for you patience. We will mail no certificate before it’s time. . .

Filed under: Hello Everybody, Uncategorized by Steve De Long
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Grape Count:

179

Please post your wine name and grape varieties tasted below in the comments below.

Running Total:

1. Kerner
Chardonal
Cabernet Sauvignon Terry Sullivan
Vermentino
Nuragus Jim and Patricia Breed
Chardonnay
Castelao
Camarate
Tinta Miuda
Touriga Nacional Bob Gregg
Piedirosso
Aglianico Tim Faust
Pinot Noir
Sauvignon Blanc
Semillion
Gewürztraminer
Syrah
Nerello Capuccio
Nerello Mascalese
Blaufränkisch
Zweigelt
Merlot
Viura (Macabeo)
Palomino Fino Dennis Sullivan
Roupeirio
Antao Vaz
Perrum Diane Freeland
Agioritiko Mark Freeland
Viognier Dave Highfield
Godello
Aragonez Steve & Deborah De Long
Moscofilero
Assyrtiko – Sofoklis
Tannat Peter Conway
Moscatel
Viosinho
Arinto
Fernao Pires
Gouveio MaJ
Tintilla
Listan Negro Will
Savignan grape Susanne Kuehne
Vidal
Chambourcin
Cayuga
Carignane Peter Conway
Pinela Mary Williams
Brianna
LaCrescent
50. Muscato
Himrod Rosemary
Grenache
Mourvedre
Cinsault Bob Halifax
Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo)
Touriga Franca Brian & Maureen
Roditis
Malagouzia Anna S
Barbera d’Alba
Nebbiolo Corner Wines
Mencia Enotrends
Dornfelder Matt Pruyn
Bobal
Prieto Picudo
Juan Garcia Jamie Webb
Sagrantino Benito
Plavac Mali Candy Arbour
Grenache Blanche
Marsanne
Chenin Blanc
Pinot Gris gil kulers
Cabernet Franc Marilyn Nash
Matrasa Denis Roudenko
Sovereign Opal Larry Burr
Saint Pepin wm. darrell lee
Jacquère Chris Herbert and Nancy Welch
Savatiano James
macabeu
parellada
xarel·lo Steve and Deborah De Long
Traminette
Villard Noir
Lagrein Susan Blomeley
Brachetto d’Acqui Sande
Xinomavro
Riesling
Zinfandel
Petite Sirah Holly Settles
Rabigato
Gouveio
Roupeiro Margaret and Bill Goldstein
Bourboulenc
Clairette Tim Faust
Roussanne Paul Mims
Gamay Dale Cruse
Seyval Blanc Dale brock
Sumoll
Monica
Bovale Sardo
100. Gaglioppo
Egiodola Steven Moore
Ruche Jeff Carroll
Colombard
Ugni Blanc
Gros Marseng Aaron Mandel
Merwah
Obaideh Robin Garr
Lumassina
Tsolikauri Kevin Mosser
Clairette Jay Schneider
Bonardo Phil Watkins
Cynthiana Robert Austin
Zilavka Jackie Rogers
Blatina Bob Rogers
Oküzgözu
Bogaskere
Grolleau Noir
Pineau d’Aunis
Rkatsiteli marc
Edelweiss Susan & Brian Geraghty
Corot Noir
DeChaunac
Noiret
Valvin Muscat
Folle Blanche Kramer
Verdelho
Petit manseng
petit verdot Richard Leahy and Aimosaur a k a wineosaurus
Prosecco/Glera
Tamaioasa Anatoli Levine
Malbec
Primitivo Dennis Sullivan
Catarratto
Albarino Clark D’Elia
Passerina Bill Frazier
Petite Milo
Epicure Bob Halifax
Freisa
Ciliegiolo
Dolcetto
Petite Rouge
Fumin
Premetta
Corvina
Montepulciano Chris Hamm
Tinta Barroca
Musque ra
Fiano Steve and Deborah De Long
Sylvaner
150. Auxerrois
Chaselas Nick Underwood
Mavrud Ann Salisbury
Maria Gomes Kevin Armstrong
Picpout Blanc Vincent Williams
Lesvos paul
Inzolia
Trepat
Pinot Meunier Olli Heikkilä and Timo Jokinen The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine
Mauzac
Pecorino
Arrufiac Alex Bardsley
Schiava Alan J. Hess
Chardonel
Romorantin Tom Reagan, Dennis Sullivan and Parks Redwine
Mececata
Tibouron Greg Kozar
Norton Greg Teese
Rhoditis
Fileri Russ Frates
Merenillo
Tallet Tom Wolff
Samso Claude Nobauer
173. Calkarasi Susan
Tocai Friulano
Corvina
Molinara
Rondinella Tony Fletcher
Caino Tinto
179. Pedro Ximénez Debbie Attias

Filed under: Events, Grapeness by Steve De Long
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To mark our lucky seventh anniversary, we’re going back to basics. We’re once again going to see how many grape varieties that we can collectively taste on one day. Hopefully we can beat our formidable record of 314 grape varieties collectively tasted.

Wherever you may be, please raise a glass on June 9th of the most obscure wine that you can get your hands on. And if at all possible please post a short note about the wine you had in the notes below. The note can be as simple as the name of the wine and its grape variety(ies).

Filed under: Events by Steve De Long
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It’s come to my attention that being President For Life is going out of style. To lower my risk of exile or a long embarrassingly sad reign complete with bad haircuts, I’ve decided to abdicate my position starting this fall. Since my eldest son is too young, an election will be held. With great reluctance, I’ve allowed UN observers to watch the stuffing of the ballot boxes monitor the election.

The specifics are still vague but will materialize in the next month.

Filed under: Grapeness by Steve De Long
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I hope you like our new site. It was necessary since the old site became corrupted. Not in a political or economic sense, but it just stopped working. If you visited here in the past 6 months, you probably noticed. It was embarrassing.

The main innovation in the new site is the ability to post new events and meetups. I’ve posted the first one, a casual meetup in my local place in London. Have a look and use it as an example if you would like to post a meetup yourself:

Meetup in London

Filed under: Grapeness, Hello Everybody by Steve De Long
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After thoroughly checking the applications for synonyms, clones, steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, we now have an official winner.

Thomas Reagan, Jr of Georgia is the champion with 431 grape varieties.  He just edged out Michael Mangahas of Maryland who had 419 grape varieties.

Congratulations, Tom!

Filed under: Grapeness, Rare Grape Spotting by Steve De Long
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I have two giant applications that I am still assessing for duplicates.  We will have a winner later today!

Update . . . lots and lots of synonyms to check . . . count is going into the night . . .

Filed under: Rare Grape Spotting by Steve De Long
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There’s an excellent article about the Wine Century Club in today’s Wall Street Journal: Drink, Drink and be Merry.  Perhaps the best quote is by Walter Rachele: “It’s a serious hobby that’s gone awry.”

Filed under: Press by Steve De Long
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We’re currently 779 members strong, with 28 doppel members, 5 treble members and one quattro member. While membership is increasing dramatically, more and more members are continuing their quest to Doppel levels and beyond.

To honor this sense of adventure and crazed obsessiveness, I am announcing a contest and award for the most grape varieties tasted by any one member: Le Grand Prix du Cépage!

Entries are due November 12, 2010 5PM EST and the winner will be announced on November 15th.

A big help in the quest for Doppel+ membership is the expanded application and database developed by Dr. Thomas Mercer-Hursh. You can find both on his site, A Muse in the Cellar.

Filed under: Grapeness, Uncategorized by Steve De Long
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That’s 95 more than Heinz’s 57! And in one bottle no less!

Through the generosity of Tom Reagan (our reigning champ with 426 varieties) I was able to try the 2005 Giribaldi Cento Uve Lange DOC a wine that our sole Indian member, sommelier Subhash Arora, has written about.

Obviously this wine poses a problem for the Wine Century Club. Since we allow all the grapes in a blend to count towards our totals, it makes things far too easy – one sip and Bob’s your uncle – wham-bam welcome to the club. Where’s the adventure in that? Something must be done!

I convened an emergency executive committee meeting where we came up with a ruling: the 2005 Giribaldi Cento Uve Lange DOC can not count for initial membership in the club but the grape varieties in it can count towards higher levels of membership (ie Doppel).

Whew!

So how was the wine?

It’s about 50% Nebbiolo which is interesting since Nebbiolo is rarely blended with other grapes and some would say that, like Pinot Noir, it’s a grape that shouldn’t be blended. Initially it was fairly closed and not very interesting, but opened up into a very aromatic and enjoyable wine – floral, roses and violets along with a big splash of Dr. Pepper with cocoa and cherries coming out on the palate. The tannins were abundant and chewy but also drying which would usually indicate that it needs a few more years in the cellar, however in other ways it already seems fully matured. I wouldn’t wait, especially if you’re working on your Doppel level! It was perfect with grilled sirloin.

Filed under: Rare Grape Spotting by Steve De Long
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Fellow Centurian Hardy Wallace wore his OFFICIAL WINE CENTURY CLUB TASTEVIN in an video interview for a cushy marketing position at Murphy Goode Winery.  He got the job over 1,700 other applicants!  CONGRATULATIONS, HARDY!

He’s obviously a talented and funny guy, but we like to think that the talismanic properties of the tastevin propelled him to victory!

Remember, it can work the other way:  member Randy Boyles lost his OFFICIAL TASTEVIN last May.  Ten minutes later, he caught gingivitis from a chewable toothbrush purchased from a vending machine at Detroit Metro Airport.¹ Don’t let this happen to you.
¹This is a dramatization based on a true story. The names and facts have been changed to protect the innocent.

Filed under: Hello Everybody by Steve De Long
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