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Ah, but I used 'baited breath'. I was fishing for the answer you see.
Yep. That's the etymology we done wanted. I guess I really thought @BigAl 's breath was baited rather than abated.
Thanks for that Mark, I had always wondered.
A bunch of wise guys in this forum to be sure.
(For Sandra) Ja! - In der Tat! Well, without some playfulness I fear this world would be that much more difficult to deal with. I also think the time has come for more honesty in this world. But that's another story that ranges far and wide beyond the boundaries of mere fermented grape juice.
Yes indeed.
The email reminder has been sent out today.
My review for the Stina Cuvee White 2020 (above, somewhere...)
The 2020 Stina Cuvée is a nice not-quite-yet golden colour, with components of Chardonnay (10%), Vugava – a Dalmatian islands specialty, and once quite rare – often compared to Viognier (20%), and bulked up with Pošip ( a white grape from Korcula Island). Generally, the bouquet is citrus and stewed white fruit (perhaps pear, with a hint of guava) – somewhat in the direction of a Chardonnay blended with Viognier (maybe 20% the latter). This is top notch Taverna wine.
Entry is more neutral than anticipated, but with a balanced alcohol, acidity and sugar. Finish is dominated by citrus (more toward the orange and away from the lemon peel). The wine is clean and well above average for a workhorse label. I would say at this point we have an 88 point or 3.5 Glass assessment with a recommendation to buy by the case for a Croatian wedding!
Very interesting combination of varietals there @SteveZodiac.
Lynn won’t be coming over tonight, so I pulled a comparable for our Croatian wine. On the left is a 2018 Gitana Winery ‘Rara Neagra’ from Moldova. This should be interesting too.
A Moldovan Wine. Rare. Only had one or two whites in the past. Difficult country to travel to unless you are somewhat perverse and want to die in a hail of bullets when you enter Transnistria. Another Putin client state in frozen conflict with Moldova. Settled by Russians after WWII by Stalin, I believe, when the country was a Soviet state. Ethnic Moldovans speak a dialect of Romanian.
As you can see, it came from the Unwined Wine Shop. I think we bought this earlier this year, maybe in the spring.
Oh, before I forget, it's Cat Tuesday! Here is Horacio.
Love the name of the store (Unwined).
That cat looks like the Transformer Kid from some earlier photos.
So we're going with the 2020 Zlatan Otok Marina Cuvée. This is a white blend of 25% Maraština, 25% Pošip, 25% Bôdanuša and 25% Prc none of which I've tasted before. This reminds me a bit of a cross between a Loire Chenin Blanc and a CA Sauv Blanc. Nothing really exciting or earth moving but a decent white that would go well with seafood at a reasonable price (~$15).
Well, this is as close to a Croatian wine that I have.
And once again I am murdering a Lagier-Meredith baby.
That’s quite the blend! Yes, not a bad wine for the price. Sandra said that Maraština varietal is closely related to the Italian Malvasia Del Chianti.
Sandra is home and dinner was just served.
Both our wines are quite tasty. Sandra prefers the Moldovan wine but I would select the Croatian bottle. Both rate a four bottle’s assessment.
These are our 2 wines that Katleen brought over tonight!
Very different. Please elaborate.
@EMark - How is that Tribidrag varietal?
I just poured it. Give me a few minutes.
Although Peggy snuck a sip behind my back and reported that she liked it.
Our 2017 Grgic and the Stina 2016 For Inspiration are both made from Plavac Mali grapes from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia (Southern most region of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. )
Plavac Mali is a well-known red wine grape in its homeland of Croatia, providing the basis of many of the nation's most sought-after red wines. It is one of Croatia's most planted varieties. Plavac Mali is known for producing dense and robust reds with black cherry flavors and notes of pepper, smoke and spice. They are often quite high in alcohol and tannins, and have excellent aging capabilities, a trait not often seen in Croatian wine. The variety's name comes from the appearance of the grapes: mali means small, while plavac – a prefix given to several Croatian varieties – refers to the blue color of the berries. These are small and thick-skinned with high sugar concentration, giving structured, tannic wines that are sometimes produced with a little residual sugar to provide a softening effect.Hey Al' I'm listening to "The Ring Without Words" as I am sitting here. I know that is one of your favorites.
Of course it has nothing to do with Croatia.
Some online research to provide some explanation of my choice tonight.
Tribidrag is a red wine variety from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia which has suddenly become much more important.
In the 1960s it was noted that Californian Zinfandel and Primitivo from Puglia in Southern Italy were similar. Both the wines were similar and the grapes were similar. The more researchers looked, the more similarities emerged. By the twenty-first century DNA analysis removed any doubt that the two varieties were genetically identical.
A debate ensued as to just how the same variety could come to be used in two parts of the world under different names, and which name was the oldest and hence the correct one.
Primitivo took the lead early as the first written reference to that name was in 1799, while the name Zinfandel did not appear before the 1830s.
But where did the variety originate? Well the search for the origins of the variety was launched in the late 1990s and dubbed Zinquest.
Early in the 2000s an older named vine was discovered on the Dalmatian coast. It was called Crljenak Kastelanski. So we had a new oldest name for the variety.
One more twist in the tale. In 2011 an even older named variety Tribidrag was found to be genetically identical. This name has been on the record since at least 1518 so the convention says that this is the correct name.
As it turns out the names Primitivo and Tribidrag are words derived from words meaning "early" in Latin and Croatian respectively. They both refer to the variety's characteristic of ripening early.
Carole Meredith was one of the researchers from University of California at Davis who helped solve the mystery of Zinfandel/Primitivo.
Well, I am enjoying my wine quite a bit. On entry I get only moderate levels of dark fruit in this not-really-full-bodied wine. There is fruit, here, but it is so pleasant—not a hint of sweetness. Some subtle but warm spicy sensations arrive mid-palate suggesting, more than anything else, cinnamon. Not terribly tannic nor acidic, it is an easy wine to drink, but, if not an infant, it seems like a pre-teenager. I can’t help but wonder what multiple years of aging might do for this wine.
Peggy is a Facebook friend of Carole Meredith, and, in fact an ardent admirer. If I ordered a ton of Lagier Meredith wine, and the UPS truck was accompanied by a forklift, she would be OK with it. Maybe I should give that some thought.
Both our wines are fairly similar being of the same varietal! Deep ruby in color. Notes of dark fruits like Blackberry, Plum, Blueberry, and a little earthy. Medium to full bodied and pretty smooth. Reminds all of us of a zinfandel maybe with a little Port taste mixed in but not sweet at all. The Sinta is the drier of the 2.
Interesting research on Zinfandel and Primitivo! Also interesting that the names Primitivo and Tribidrag are words derived from words meaning "early" in Latin and Croatia, which both referring to the varietal ripening early. Love facts like that!
Orchestra-trial highlights from The Ring Cycle?
Very interesting information @EMark. Thank you.