So, I was gonna do a little writeup on the Wine Guild of Charlottesville’s new blog, but apparently they run an “INVITE ONLY BLOG.” As far as I’m concerned that’s like saying you run a Speak Easy for People Who Snort Donkey Brains (i.e. a not cool club). It used to be open and, lucky for us, we can still spy on them because Google is smarter than all of us.
Check the site history. With descriptions like the following you know cVillains respect you:
The cork showed some seepage, and when it was extracted showed almost complete saturation, but no off odors. The wine itself initially showed aromas of darkly roasted coffee and not much in the way of fruit. A tentative pour and a vigorous swirl or two, however, and this started to open up. This wine was remarkably clean, powerful and well-balanced, showing incredibly ripe fruit backed by solid tannin. A really long finish with no drop off in intensity. The alcohol, which had to have been over 15%, was almost undetectable. I know this wine is 100% grenache–itself more and more a rarity in the southern Rhone–but it presented more like a luscious burgundy from the Cote de Nuits. I enjoyed mine with duck breast, which was an apt pairing. While this wine will no doubt continue to age and develop over the next 2-3 years, I’m not convinced it will gain much more complexity or that the window for really enjoying the fruit will stay open for more than 5 years after that. I’d drink mine over the next 5-7 years and consider myself lucky to do so.
Hopefully they aren’t going to keep it like this forever. C’mon, we want to learn about Charlottesville wine too! Are we not cool enough?
Popularity: 4% [?]
Tagged as: Activities, Charlottesville, Gangs, Gripes, Questions
That excerpt makes me wanna puke! I count myself lucky that I am not good enough to read whatever heapin’ load of horseshit the blog’s owners and contributers have deposited behind their password protected wall.
But that’s just me…
lucky #2
Oh my LORD…. I am rocking silently with inner mirth. One of us HAS to infiltrate their inner circle and bring along a bottle of Boones Farm best rebadged as Inniskillin Ice Wine and see how much crapacious bollocks they would come up with.
I see a window, or should I say a ‘fenetre’ of opportunity tonight to crack open a bottle of Villa Maria and wake up on the couch at 3.30am with dried dribble down the side of my face and an urgent need to piss. Can I join your club?
Ugh, yea that’s some seriously annoying wine writing. Keep it closed, please!
I’ll show them some Cote de Nuits
there should be a cvillain war between the people posting that the wine blog is too elitist and the people saying the recent crowds at OXO are not elitist enough.
I am an insider - if you’re interested in the Wine Guild I am happy to write something up, assuming anyone is curious (I just didn’t want to plug something on this site a la tee shirt guy).
As for the blog now being closed, the Wine Guild is a club with annual dues and the blog (and the info, wine reviews, special offers, etc. it contains) is one of the perks of being a member. It was open to the public after our first open house in November, but we decided to close it down once we started signing up members. If anyone is interested and wants more info, you can email wineguildcville@gmail.com and someone will send you our brochure.
I’ll stop now, as this is starting to sound too much like a plug for my commenting ethics…
Touché magic rat. Touché
Oh Lys… now you’ve taken all the fun out of it. This one could of run, but you seem so …well… nice. Any other clubs out there we can revue with derision and disdain?
Boone’s Country Kwencher baby! Kickin’ it 1987!
I know, I was torn between watching how things played out and the desire to set the proverbial record straight. I accept that I just lost serious snark cred. I’ll just have to comfort myself with a ‘99 Lynch Bages from my cellar…
Wait - Lys, the idea is to have “exclusive” reviews of wine that only paying members can see? Doesn’t that kinda mean you guys are elitist?
I guess the general public is not worthy of that caliber of wine reviews, but I could be a redneck…*WHERES MY BUDLIGHT*
Oh I never said we weren’t elitist - I just said you had to pay to read the blog ; )
Word to Magic Rat.
Not so fun when people don’t like you in their club, is it?
ha, i forgot to add the punchline that it would be a lot of people fighting themselves…but you guys already got that i’m sure.
I don’t think we should let the truth of the matter [# 7] get in the way of a good thread.
What do your dues get you in the Wine Guild? A Washington lobbyist?
Lys, I like this idea of a wine enthusiasts’ club, but the “guild” thing is a bit intimidating - is there a secret handshake? Funny hats? And the wine review excerpt that Thor posted was a touch. . . clumsy. I would love to see something you have written about wine, if such content exists. Based on your comments here you are very articulate and seem knowledgeable about food chemistry. I’ll bet you’d be far more successful in analyzing wines in a way that does not alienate the reader.
I have only minimal experience with the terroir/characteristics of most winegrowing regions outside of NorCal/Oregon/Washington, so I’m always interested in learning more. But it HAS to be in layman’s terms! I’ve finally gotten past the point of asking “what’s its score?” and become more focused on discovering the styles that I like and then finding similar wines.
C’mon, we want to learn about Charlottesville wine too! Are we not cool enough?
It seems that they’re willing to let you join if you’re willing to pay, but I imagine you’d be booted (rightfully) if you posted the comments/reviews for all the world to see. It’s a private group.
Wait - Lys, the idea is to have “exclusive†reviews of wine that only paying members can see? Doesn’t that kinda mean you guys are elitist?
No, it means that they don’t want to give away their work for free, and they don’t want you to give it away either.
Not elitist……. just a new wine business going in a new direction in a town popping at the seams with new wine businesses. You gotta offer something the other guys don’t.
and not in a hurry to make friends.
If you love wine and reviewing it, how is that work?
Oh wait, I’ll just go to the other 40 sites that do wine reviews. *EYES ROLLING*
Mrs. Stormy and I went to the Wine Guild’s open house last night. They had three distributors sampling about a dozen wines. One of the guild members (it would have been nice if he had introduced himself, and any of the other principals there) gave a speech (too long by about half) that said their goal was “more people, drinking better wine, more often.” They’ll try to host wine dinners with winemakers when the makers are doing their tours to drum up business, you can purchase foods - olive oil, cheeses, meats from Polyface, there will be other tastings and by-invitation events. The speaker said the organizers weren’t in it for a financial payoff, instead an emotional one. I’m sure they’re not planning on losing money on this venture though.
We’ll probably join, in part because Mrs. Stormy is an unapologetic wine snob, and I like to see her happy, and I think the prices on the wines they can get will make membership worth it.
Actually, last night’s event felt a lot like the vibes most Cvillain posts give off : pretentious in parts, snarky in others, with a feeling of superiority for being in the know about something that most others are totally oblivious about.
Good times all around!
Add to list stepping on a lot of feet.
If you love painting how is that work? If you love writing how is that work? If you love playing music how is that work?
From the google cache they seem to have some arrangement with a distributer to get ‘club prices’ on certain wines; whether or not there are any real discounts who cares? If they want to have a private newsletter why on earth should anyone’s boxers get all twisted about it?
I, too was at the event the other night. I will certainly join. No sense in paying $15.00 for a bottle at a local wine shop when this local “guild” will get the same bottle to me for $11.00, or any other wine available for sale in the state of Virginia. I don’t mind paying these guys for their time. With the amount of wine I drink, I’d be silly not to. Screw the wine shops for ripping me off for so long!
Oh yeah, no Thor, you do not sound like a very cool guy at all. You kind of come across as a big cry baby. Get over it. Those other forty web sites that review wine also charge annual fees, and they are not getting me wine any cheaper.
cry baby? please continue to enjoy our content and as this is just a test period of 1 month, we are going to start charging for restaurant reviews and the revelation of drink specials. as soon as we make our website invite only, then we reserve the right to call ourselves a guild and call non-member cry babies.
.. man i just said to be nice to strangers… sucks.
Cool, but isn’t there already a website called Charlottesville-Dining.com where other know-nothing-about-food foodies can do that?
I’m just pulling your chain Thor. Is McDonald’s elitist since they charged me for my Big Mac? The Medical field elitist since I can’t write my own prescriptions or perform brain surgery?
I am so not into this thread, but spoon e. love, two questions. First, how subjective do you find wine tasting to be? Second, how do you find the guild members to be?
30 lilith,
Of course wine tasting is subjective, but if a wine is truly well-made, and of a good vintage, it shows, and nearly all of the wine world will agree it is a “good” wine, even if it is not to their particular tastes. That doesn’t mean everybody will like it, and I don’t believe anybody will try to force you to like something that you don’t. The “Guild” isn’t trying to tell us what to drink, but is happy to aid us in finding something we do enjoy, and at a much more affordable price.
As for the Guild members, they seem like genuinely nice people. There was one young couple at the tasting that didn’t know Burgundy was a place. The members didn’t laugh, nor did they give a long-winded explanation to make themselves look smarter. In fact they invited the couple (along with a few others of us who wanted to keep drinking) to stay and drink bottles from their personal collections–pretty cool, (I don’t open my good stuff for people I hardly know.)
Seriously, they aren’t “elitist” or snobs. Between the ten or so of them, however, they are very knowledgeable about the subject (more so than I) If you’re interested, contact them (I’m sure Thor knows the info.), I’m sure they’ll invite you to the next event.
Hope I answered you’re questions.
As for Thor, he knows we’re just playing around, the banter is good for his Blog, which I’m a fan of.
spoon e.,
the blog is 30 lilith’s too.
How ’bout some dirt on Lys or Stormy? We’re perfectly happy to make fun of them if they couldn’t find Burgundy on a map, even if you’re not.
Oh really, it’s Thor’s… didn’t get the memo…
Now I know. Couldn’t tell you who Lys or Stormy are though. But I’ll make something up negative about them since negative comments are the only one’s that get a response– I think they might be child molesters. . .
Thor…. are we staying with this bullshit nice mularky or are you going to let me out of my cage because I am having a fucking cow here.
hey you guys, listen up! floozy has something to say. it’s important, seriously. listen up.
floozy?
Spoon: The local wine shops have not been ripping you off. That is a ridiculous notion. They have been applying a standard mark up on your wine. This allows them to turn the lights on. Have a space. Pay their rent etc. The guild is taking money from you as a fee to join. I’m not sure how that seems so different to you. They do seem like nice people. They are also making some shaky choices in terms of being a member of the wine merchant community here.
I believe Floozy can’t come to the computer… occupied with the blow-up doll. Guys, if you want to keep the sex talk going, get a room.
Bruce,
the guild also has to pay to turn the lights on, rent, proper storage conditions, and the abc license. These wine clubs, getting wine cheaper for their members, for a membership fee have been going on elsewhere in the country for quite some time– it’s actually not an original idea. Being the forward-thinking city we think we are, it’s about time we caught on
We can still be mean to newbies to other sites. Right Thor???
woops wrong html I meant to say:
Your both idiots! Get out of my guild!
I didn’t say it was new, friend.
Floozy wants to attack and isn’t allowed to… Big Daddy Thor told her to be a nice girl and now he’s being beaten up and Floozy can’t help out.
Lilith, that is going to raise some serious eyebrows if they haven’t been following the other thread.
Silmo I love you and want to have your bastard children.
p.s. They keep only a tiny space. Keep no wine in stock and have no employees. Their is a difference there.
I can’t spell but I love the irony
So basically they are using the Guild as a tax writeoff?
Game on!
How ’bout we double date with Fatty Patty and Legless Lucy. They can make out in the bar while we knock back martinis. Yes, I know a few villains will think they’re sluts but most ‘em will enjoy the show. (caroline and oy, come by and I’ll arrange a liitle make out session with the plastic playmate of your choice)
PS: How’d you know they were bastards???
I wouldn’t bother with the spelling. You could waste a lot of time that way.
[…] The Daily Progress did a big writeup on how big wine is getting and why Albemarle will be Virginia’s wine epicenter. We all know that warring factions are already beginning to form. I think the non-elitists will come out on top because they use guerrilla tactics. […]
1st. I wonder what type of license they are operating under and 2nd. the numbers do not make sense and I do not think it will last too long.
3rd. Yellow take sold 621 million cases last year that ought to tell somebody something!
There is a wine for every taste and every pocketbook. I know, I started selling wine in 1963 probably before most of the members were born.
sorry typed too fast I meant to say Yellow tail but you all probably figured that out already.
Hey parlie, is that STAN stan?
I, for one, object to the existence of a new “Stan” or on the blog. For confusion-avoidance’s sake.
Never mind. I can’t type anyway. Stan away, everyone!
Stan, welcome to the party. Stan, Stanley. Stanley, this is Stan. Help yourselves to punch.
Last I checked this was America. Let the Wine Guild have their day. I don’t see them putting any wine shops out of business, nor would I expect this to be their M.O. It won’t be for everybody (I won’t join as I don’t consume wine outside of dinner in Restaurants) But, I do buy wine as gifts and will continue to find mine at Market Steet, Harris Teeter and, heaven forbid, World Market.
Actually stuart this is no longer America. When was the last time you checked?
This isn’t Russia. Is this Russia? This isn’t Russia.
WELCOME TO THE INTERNET
Are they allowing the internet in China?
Wow. Wine snobs. Gotta love ‘em. Because if you don’t the only other pallatable reaction is beating them with an axe handle.
Real men drink beer. Hehe.
Latest Wine column in C’ville sheds some light on this. FYI
Thank you lady!
Yer welcome shug!
Shall I take notes at the meeting tonight?
Just let me know whether ya’ll decide to ignore the fact that I am a guy and let me join in on your fun
Are you all there?
In tha House!