Funniest wines ever

I know, what the heck does he mean "funniest wines". Well, my father is selling his house and I went over on the weekend to help him go through his cellar. And he's saved some pretty odd things (as well as let a great many wines expire, including cases of decent French reds that should have been drunk before the turn of the century), and in amongst the interesting things (case of 1985 Dom Perignon, anyone?) I found these two laughter-inducing items.

This first one is just, well, sad-funny. A 1974 bottle of fine Canadian port, from Bright's. I'm almost tempted to taste it, but not quite:

brights.jpg

Then there was this. Yes, this is a red Ukrainian champagne, dateline about 1976. Second picture assuages your doubts with a clear picture of the champagne cork and the egrafé. I had some vague knowledge that they made wine in the Ukraine, but never suspected that they were experimenting with red champagne in the 70s. I suspect it had something to do with communism.

cork.jpg

Krimskoye.jpg

Enjoy and happy new year. (And anyone interested in two cases of 2 Chateau Gourgazaud 1996? I thought not.)

Won't go to the Canadian "Port"---although it does say it's full-bodied!---but I can attest that they make a great deal of bubbly in the Ukraine. It's very popular there, and has been for a good while.

What with the Iron Curtain and all, there wasn't a lot of export to the free markets. Also something of a problem with *ahem* quality of the state-owned production.

I tasted some of that stuff, but it was a goodly while ago. Haven't the faintest what the current stuff tastes like. Not overly eager to learn, to tell the truth. Guess I'm not as adventurous as I used to be.

I'd be happy to essay a bottle of the 1985 Champagne though, if you'd like to send it down.

Re: the Dom. Do you want the whole case, or just a bottle?

And are you telling me you've actually tried red Ukrainian champers? Ugh. And to think people trust you on this board ...

Re: the Dom. Do you want the whole case, or just a bottle?

And are you telling me you've actually tried red Ukrainian champers? Ugh. And to think people trust you on this board ...

I've had some older bottles of Dom that were, surprisingly, very, very good. Briefly, once opened, it's true. But still very, very good.

And how much worse can Ukrainian red sparkler be than Sparkling Shiraz...or Sparkling Cabernet Franc Ice Wine from Canada (I kid you not).

As to trust...I think I abused all but the most gullible of that many years ago, Michael.

Sparkling wines (champenoise, charmat, whatever) from the Ukraine, Georgia or most of the former Soviet states are wonderful....................... but only on the condition that served nearly frozen, actually with ice in the wine as it is poured. The moment the ice melts the bottle should be discarded to pour another one. If you make the mistake of letting them warm (reds or white), you will finally understand what Jancis Robinson had in mind when she coined the phrase "cat's pee on a mulberry bush".

Best
Rogov

Sparkling wines (champenoise, charmat, whatever) from the Ukraine, Georgia or most of the former Soviet states are wonderful....................... but only on the condition that served nearly frozen, actually with ice in the wine as it is poured. The moment the ice melts the bottle should be discarded to pour another one. If you make the mistake of letting them warm (reds or white), you will finally understand what Jancis Robinson had in mind when she coined the phrase "cat's pee on a mulberry bush".

Best
Rogov

Don't be reticent, Daniel: tell us how you really feel about Ukrainian bubbly!

Michael,

"KPbIMCKOE" is "Krimsko(y)e", sparkling wine from Crimea (= Krim in Russian and German).

"Krim-Sekt" (sparkling wine from Crimea) once was quite popular in Germany, expecially during the 1960s and 70s, both the Soviet and the German palates preferring sweetness above anything else.

As Daniel said: serve it very cold, and expect to get somegthing relly swetish.

HTH a little!

Didn't some of the Iron Curtain countries used to trade wine for cola (Coke) syrup because they couldn't take American dollars?

My notes indicate that in 2006 I had a wine I noted as NV Krimskoye Premium Crimean Red Champagne, Ukraine. So this stuff gets imported into the U.S.A. It was rather forgettable. Still, I like to support my quirky neighbourhood wine store which carries wines that I don't usually see elsewhere from the likes of Romania, Montenegro, Moldova, Peru, India, etc. If you try the wine, do post a note!

Alex, a local liquor store with 600 different beers, yes 600, has 2 bottles of Ukraine bubbly. I passed needless to say, was on top shelf and hard to reach!!!

Hoke, the Langlois Carmin Dry from Loire is 100% Cab Franc. You don`t know what you are missing. Seriously!

If my 1981 Pat Paulsen sauvignon blanc isn't the funnniest wine ever, it's made by the funniest producer ever.

If my 1981 Pat Paulsen sauvignon blanc isn't the funnniest wine ever, it's made by the funniest producer ever.

Funnier than Dan Aykroyd Wines?

I thought Paulsen was funnier than Akroyd. Also funnier than the Smothers Brothers.