decanted

the screwcap letters

Don't be afraid of the screwcap! Many wineries are now using metal screw-on tops instead of corks, which freaks some people out. It's true that uncorking a bottle is a nice ritual, but it's no fun to have your wine ruined by the mold that occasionally grows on corks. (This is known as being "corked", which more specifically refers to the presence of TCA--2,4,6 Trichloroanisole--we know, we know, really interesting.) Screwcaps remove this possibility.

They also affect the aging process differently than corks do, so it's best to buy screwcap wines that don't need to be aged. (Not a problem for us, as aged wines tend to be out of our price range anyway.)

The most recent screwcap we've tried was a 2007 Hirsch Grüner Veltiner #1 from Austria. If you're an avid decanted reader, you'll know that we think highly of this grape. Grüners are great for sipping by themselves or enjoying with chicken and fish. They're complex enough to be interesting, with a slight pepperiness and just a little bit of effervescence.

The Hirsch delivered. Its lemony flavors didn't overpower the pepper notes, and its glycerin-y texture and fatness on the tongue were both classic Gruner Veltliner. Plus, its screwcap would have made it easy for us to keep it in our fridge for a couple of weeks without a noticeable change in taste. It didn't last that long, though-- we polished it off the next night. Taking its $14.99 price into account (inexpensive, but not as cheap as the Hugo Grüner Veltliner we reviewed a couple months ago) we give it a 7.5 out of 10.

groo nah velt lye nah

Part of the fun of drinking a Grüner Veltliner lies in saying the name of the grape. (It works best if you give it a little Ah-nold spin. Try it!)

But another great thing about this white wine most commonly made in Austria is its refreshing taste and often low, low cost. Even the best Grüners are rarely priced above $50, and most of them can be found for $25 and under. In fact, we snagged this 2006 Huber Hugo Gruner Veltliner for $8.99. Designophiles will be seduced by its clean, colorful label, and those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder won't exactly mind its summery, lemony flavor. The Hugo's yeasty scent resembles champagne's. It has some of the dryness of a Sauvignon Blanc. And there's also a bit of minerality lurking within its fatty texture.

This wine doesn't quite have the depth or pleasant pepperiness of some of the Grüners we've enjoyed in the past. But for $8.99, we'll take it, and give it a 7.0 out of 10.

wine

We really, really like wine. And, let's face it, we both like to hear our own voices. We started decanted as a place to think and talk about wine, and maybe even help a friend or two who is looking for suggestions or to join our conversation. We plan to mostly discuss wine, but will occasionally throw in some curveballs, such as thoughts on our other favorite things (various liquid refreshments, candy, random foods). We'll use a scale from 0-10 for wine and will take value into account. That is to say, a wine may be given a bump up if it is a bargain, but good wine is good wine, and price will not greatly affect the overall score.

So, you know when you go to the liquor/wine store and look around and you're thinking you want to get something nice but you don't know what to get. So you talk to somebody and they ask, "How much do you want to spend?" And you say, "I don't know, $25." Some random bottle of red or white or pink is picked out for you and you ask a series of follow up questions that are more often than not affirmed (i.e., "Will this go well with my lamb dish?", "I don't like my whites oaky. It's not too oaky, is it?", or for some of the newbies out there, "Sooo, this is good?"). Then you get home and you open the bottle and you taste it and think that the guy at the store must have been high or lying or both because the rotgut you're drinking tastes like the bastardly combo of Manischewitz and the box wine you drink at church.

Or perhaps you know a little bit more about wine. You've drank some in your time and might even be able to describe a wine if asked to--as long as you don't have to use words such as unctuous or precocious. If handed a wine list with no prior knowledge of what might be on the menu, you could safely land on a nice Sancerre or California Cab. You may have heard of Robert Parker and might even pay attention if you hear a wine nerd talking to a sommelier or knowledgeable salesperson.

Then there are those of you who really love wine and devote a little too much time (probably) and resources (definitely) to the pursuit of your addiction. You might have heard of Eric Asimov and may subscribe to one or more publications devoted to wine. You can usually tell the difference between a Grüner Veltliner and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and maybe even correctly choose which Pinot Noir is from California and which one is from Oregon. Receiving the wine list at a restaurant is a joy and you often feel that it is your duty to take on this daunting task in order to heighten the pleasure of your fellow diners (and yourself).

Whichever category you fall under, this blog is a good place for you to visit. Whether you want to learn more about certain varietals, discuss differences in vintages, compare tasting notes or simply get a good recommendation for your next visit to the store, check back often because we do drink our fair share of wine.