MoCool bulletin: Help push a topic!

Once you break bread and drink wine with the 3 Noland Brothers at MoCool you are in! You are also our Spanish wine mentor ... if not for you, I would not have the 2005 Laxas Rias Baixis albarino in my cellar right now.

Hi, I am here to interrupt the topic and address your favorite subplot. I am here to put on my populist hat and shamelessly ask for your help in applying political pressure to the MoCool organizers.

After a preponderance of signs and hints, yours truly submitted for MoCool 2007 two worthy themes: Spain-Portugal ("Trans-Iberian Express"), and Spain-Chile-Argentina ("Hispanic World" or something more clever).

I was astonished that the organizers did not find unanimity on either!

People: you are MoCool as much as we are. Prevail upon us and challenge the notion that these wines are not in people's cellars, or that too many comers will bring the cheap stuff and not seek out great juice in the marketplace. This is as close to holding sway on a MoCool theme as you'll ever be!

[Robin Garr]

Jay, thanks for posting! This is WAY too hot a topic to bury inside a Riesling TN, so I've taken the liberty of breaking it out as a separate thread. Stand by for incoming!

Heck, NiagaraCOOL is two months before MOCOOL and I haven't thought of a topic or planned the menu yet. I'd better get busy. For MOCOOL, the Trans-Iberian Express rings well.

Thank you, sir, for helping us up to the top line for a little while.

So the underlying question for all of you is this: is Spain-Portugal too narrow a focus for a MoCool theme?

If so, how could it be broadened while still keeping Spain-Portugal a main component?

If not, what makes you confident that it isn't too narrow? What kinds of wines could an Iberian-deprived wine geek bring to MoCool, that is "worthy of MoCool"?

(For most of us, "worthy of MoCool" means ageworthy and cellared, or else newer with strong scores and a price point starting in the modestly "serious" range ($20? $25? $30?), and up. We hate to make anyone feel that they are not welcome by setting minimum price/quality requirements, because you are all either dear old friends, or future dear old friends. But at the same time, the spirit of MoCool is to find the old, or new, treasures and let us all share in the discovery and pleasure. All we have ever asked, I firmly believe, of MoCool guests that they "try harder." And enjoy being our guests for a great meal with great wines, and some of the finest people (each other) that you will ever meet.)

For me it is the excuse that I have been waiting years for, to pull out a couple of bottles of well-aged Tinto Pesquera, which I never quite decided when to drink. I have a few one-off Prioratos from the 1990s. I swear I have a bottle of early 1990s Vega Sicilia Valbuena '5 Año', too... just haven't been able to find it lately! If I find it, I'll bring it, along with an old Duero or Priorat, a Porto (of course!). And a Rosado (of course!). And with that, I will have committed the usual MoCool wretched excess.

Other ideas?

After a preponderance of signs and hints, yours truly submitted for MoCool 2007

Jay,
Just seeing the words "MoCool 2007" caused me to tear up. I'll get back to you on the theme when I regain my composure.


JuliaB

[David M. Bueker]

The theme sounds good. You can co-produce an episode of This Old House, using the Spanish wines to do the framing.

Jay,

I propose the theme " LATIN LOVERS" based on the countries of Latin Europe: Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. As these countries are defined by their use of romance languages, we could play with the concept; something like, "Wine, the original language of love".

I know you did the Mediterranean theme back in '97 but that was 10 years ago! Those regions deserve more than one shot!

Anyway, that's my $.02 so far. Thanks for bringing this the forum.

JuliaB

PS. You know I would come even if the theme was "Wines of Appalachia" !

. . . the countries of Latin Europe: Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. As these countries are defined by their use of romance languages,

If the criterion is the use of a romance language, you'd have to include Romania as well, no? And I think they speak Romanian (or at least a romance language) in Moldova as well. Of course, they are not contiguous with the rest of Latin Europe . . .

I've been trying to get to MoCool for a couple of years and a Trans-Iberian theme would DEFINITELY push me over the edge to head up the road. I'm not as familiar with Portugal, but the variety available in Spanish wines seems like a worthy theme to me.

. . . the countries of Latin Europe: Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. As these countries are defined by their use of romance languages,

If the criterion is the use of a romance language, you'd have to include Romania as well, no? . .

Yes, Keith, I considered Romania as well. For some reason, I was narrowing the field but..hey, what the heck! I'm up for anything!

Laura..really, you are IN Michigan! No excuses, you must come!

JuliaB

[James Roscoe]

WHEN is MoCool? I doubt I can come, but some dates would be nice. (Be quiet JB!) Of course if you do LATIN LOVERS as a theme do you include all of Spanish speaking South America? What about Brazil?

Laura..really, you are IN Michigan! No excuses, you must come!JuliaB

I know! The only thing that has prevented me is that it occurs near my husband's birthday, and we often travel for his birthday. That may not be the case this year, so I'm starting to plan on attending. Make it Spanish and I'll even twist his arm!

PS. You know I would come even if the theme was "Wines of Appalachia" !

Appalachian wines? I have those fairly often. The most recent one was an Appalachian Pauillac Contrôlée!

Sorry. I'll get me coat...

-O-

[James Roscoe]

PS. You know I would come even if the theme was "Wines of Appalachia" !

Appalachian wines? I have those fairly often. The most recent one was an Appalachian Pauillac Contrôlée!

Sorry. I'll get me coat...

-O-

I could show you some pretty decent wines from Appalachia Americana. They might not blow your socks off, but they would show you the potential of the region.

Oh, I'll get my damned coat too.

Hi Jay, it is awfully nice to know that things are underway for Mo'Cool 2007, and I hope you don't get too mad at me. However I am not sure that a trans Iberian theme wouldn't be too narrow. I was kicking around in my head a couple nights ago after your post, and thought about the parties that Gary Kahle used to do on Mo'Cool Thursdays. IIRC, Gary's only requirement about what wine to bring was "don't bring any crap wines" and that worked wondrously well.

I wonder how well that would work as a Theme for Mo'Cool Saturday.

At least I succeeded in moving this back to the top of the list.

[James Roscoe]

"NO CRAP WINES"

Bob, that might be pretty narrow for some people.

Just bumping.

But James, you have already said that you can't come!

[James Roscoe]

But James, you have already said that you can't come!

Am I not allowed to fantasize?

I'm not sure I can get the days off to come but will try. I could live with Trans-Iberian. It also could be expanded by calling it GASP! (Germany/Austria/Spain/Portugal). I'm still partial to the theme I suggested about three years ago--Northern Exposure. Wines from above a certain latitude--could be set to include Canada, Oregon and Washington, Burgundy, Germany, etc. I can just imagine the Noland brothers' shirts with a Northern Exposure moose.

I'm not sure I can get the days off to come but will try. I could live with Trans-Iberian. It also could be expanded by calling it GASP! (Germany/Austria/Spain/Portugal). I'm still partial to the theme I suggested about three years ago--Northern Exposure. Wines from above a certain latitude--could be set to include Canada, Oregon and Washington, Burgundy, Germany, etc. I can just imagine the Noland brothers' shirts with a Northern Exposure moose.

Too much like 2004 when the theme was When PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Germany, Spain) Fly.

I'm still partial to the theme I suggested about three years ago--Northern Exposure. Wines from above a certain latitude--could be set to include Canada, Oregon and Washington, Burgundy, Germany, etc.

Can I split my vote to have some go to this idea too?

[James Roscoe]

So when is MoCool? My plans are in a state of flux as I was able to convince the powers that be to move the start of school here to after Labor Day.

James, usually it's the weekend before Labor Day weekend but I do not know for sure.

,some dates would be nice.

James,
This is the same quote that appears next to your picture in your high school yearbook!


JB

bump