| Some years ago in a book by Lee Iacocca,
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| | absence of flavor or possibly dirty
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| who was President of Ford Motor Co. prior
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| | aromas or flavors.
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| to taking over Chrysler Corp. and leading
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| | 50-59 A wine deemed to be unacceptable."
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| them out of bankruptcy, I read that Mr.
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| | To be sure, you will not find fine wines
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| Iacocca's boss, Henry Ford II, drank two
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| | rated at 96 or above on the cheap, 15%
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| bottles of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
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| | off or not! However, it is entirely
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| every day. Two bottles per day is an
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| | possible to find wines rated in the upper
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| awful lot and wouldn't be advisable, but
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| | 80's (very good) or even low 90's (low
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| I did like the thought of drinking fine
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| | outstanding range) for good prices, often
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| wine every day. Today, depending on the
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| | $10 or less on sale! If your wine or
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| vintage, two bottles of Chateau Lafite
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| | liquor store does not display the ratings
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| can cost upwards of $1,000 or even more.
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| | tags, suggest that they do so, or if
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| If your name is Henry Ford you can no
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| | necessary find another store that does.
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| doubt afford this, but most of us have to
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| | The main advantage of the above strategy
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| settle for something a little less
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| | is that you are basing your purchases on
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| prestigious for our nightly dinner
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| | some opinion. If you simply choose a
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| pairing.
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| | wine without knowing anything about it,
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| The point of this article is simple: One
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| | you might still find a pleasurable
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| can drink good, sometimes even excellent
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| | bottle, but the chances of success are
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| wines, at very reasonable prices.
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| | considerably diminished.
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| The easiest way to do this is to wait for
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| | Another resource for choosing fine wines
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| your local liquor store to have their
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| | is a good local wine specialty shop. In
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| periodic sales. For example, about once
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| | our town we have a shop run by a young
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| a month a large liquor store nearby our
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| | man who is extremely knowledgeable about
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| home, which carries a reasonably good
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| | all aspects of wine, from vineyard
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| selection of wines from around the world,
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| | practices to production to tasting, and
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| has a sale for 15% off for those on their
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| | he is truly passionate about the subject.
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| "family plan". So that's obviously the
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| | I have learned to trust his judgment, and
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| time to stock up.
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| | when he recommends a wine, I can count on
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| The next question is what wines to
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| | it being a good choice. Of course he
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| choose. Unless you already know some good
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| | needs to charge more than the large
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| producers and have your favorites, the
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| | volume liquor stores for his wines, but
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| best guides are the little tags which
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| | his knowledgeable inputs more than make
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| give wine ratings by wine critics such
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| | up for the extra cost. So I routinely
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| as Robert Parker of "The Wine Advocate",
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| | make a point to pick up some bottles at
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| the "Wine Spectator", and "The Wine
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| | this shop in addition to stocking up as
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| Enthusiast", among others. Most good
| |
| | described above.
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| liquor stores make a point to display
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| | If you can afford to purchase and cellar
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| these tags for the wines that the
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| | great fine wines, then by all means go
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| critics have tasted. As an example of
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| | for it. But if your wine budget is a
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| wine ratings, here are the criteria used
| |
| | little more down to earth, try the
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| by Robert Parker, considered by many to
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| | procedure outlined above. I have found
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| be the foremost of wine critics:
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| | the wines recommended by the critics are
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| "96-100 An extraordinary wine of profound
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| | almost always good, (nothing is
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| and complex character displaying all the
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| | foolproof, however, as evidenced by a
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| attributes expected of a classic wine of
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| | solidly mediocre Tuscan wine we tried
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| its variety. Wines of this caliber are
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| | last week), but you'll be pleased most of
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| worth a special effort to find,
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| | the time. Personally I like the choices
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| purchase, and consume.
| |
| | of Robert Parker as well as those of The
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| 90-95 An outstanding wine of exceptional
| |
| | Wine Spectator. Also, I like to learn
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| complexity and character. In short, these
| |
| | what I can about the wine, the grapes
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| are terrific wines.
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| | used, and also production methods used
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| 80-89 A barely above average to very good
| |
| | such as oak aging, malolactic
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| wine displaying various degrees of
| |
| | fermentation, etc. This is easily
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| finesse and flavor as well as character
| |
| | accomplished using the LaRousse
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| with no noticeable flaws.
| |
| | Encyclopedia of Wine or other reference
|
| 70-79 An average wine with little
| |
| | books. The more you learn about wine the
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| distinction except that it is soundly
| |
| | more you will enjoy the experience, and
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| made. In essence, a straightforward,
| |
| | you'll also learn more about how fine
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| innocuous wine.
| |
| | wines make food taste better. And as the
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| 60-69 A below average wine containing
| |
| | old adage goes, "life is too short to
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| noticeable deficiencies, such as
| |
| | drink bad wine".
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| excessive acidity and/or tannin, an
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| |
|
