DownCellar with Jim Bryant

Barrington resident Jim Bryant is pursuing his passion and love of wine as an international wine consultant. This follows a 30-year career in senior financial and general management positions at two Fortune 100 companies. He is the owner of James R. Bryant L.L.C.; contact him at profwino@comcast.net.

MARCH/APRIL 2008

Hail a Cab!

For most wine experts, Cabernet Sauvignon represents the Holy Grail of wines. During most of the past three centuries, it most assuredly represented the apex of most connoisseurs’ wine game. In large part, this was and still is due to the long history of success growing Cabernet Sauvignon in the Bordeaux region of France. However, Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively easy to grow and accordingly is now available from many parts of the world.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

Drifting into Port

As winter settles in for the long haul, my attention turns to Port, which seems to ease the harshness of the season. Port is one of the easiest categories of wine to understand. Essentially, there are Tawny Ports and Vintage Ports, as well as minor subcategories such as Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage, and Single Vineyard Ports.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

Ah, Tuscana!

While I believe my heart belongs to Piemonte, I’ve come to believe my soul belongs to Tuscana. As many of you know, I have been going to Piemonte to harvest for more than a decade, and even though I currently import wines from only this region, I realized I always found an excuse to visit Tuscana on these trips.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

Uncorking the Mystique of Wine Ratings

As almost all serious wine consumers know, wines are rated by many individuals and institutions and graded on a point scale. Robert M. Parker conceived the widely used 100-point scale in the late 1970s, and most others have more or less adopted it. I acknowledge the need for reference points, especially for those just starting out on the wine adventure, but I would like to offer some insights.
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JULY/AUGUST 2007

Stories from My Wine Travels

One of the benefits of having traveled extensively to vineyards throughout the world is meeting some very interesting people and gathering up some very fond memories and fun stories. One of my closest friends (who has heard all these stories) suggested I relay a few for others’ enjoyment. Lest I forget, anyone who missed my homage to Len Evans in the November/December issue of Quintessential Barrington should reference that article about the wine person who most impacted me.
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MAY/JUNE 2007

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Most wine aficionados are well aware that Robert M. Parker is one of the most influential people in the wine industry. Through his publication, The Wine Advocate, he rates various wines on a scale of 50 to 100, and many retailers have a love-hate relationship with him. If Parker rates a wine above 90 points, retailers have a hard time getting the wine, and if it rates 89 or below, they can't sell it.
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MARCH/APRIL 2007

The Fine Wines of Bordeaux

While it’s true that there has never been so much good wine available from so many worldwide viticultural areas, the currently available and highly praised 2003 and 2005 Bordeaux varieties now being offered give us a wonderful reason to look at this famous region.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Jimmy’s Wine Rules

Over the past 40 years of serious studying and drinking wine, I have developed what I call “Jimmy’s Rules,” which I hope might facilitate your own learning curve in the enjoyment of great wine. Santé!
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

In Memoriam: Len EvansDown

While I always enjoy bringing you the latest information on great wines, this month I wanted honor one of the wine industry’s most notable individuals, Len Evans of Australia, who died on August 17, 2006. Len was the most famous personality in the history of Australian wine. He is known to be the person who conceived the strategic plan behind Australia’s significant wine success story of the last ten years. But Len was far more than a successful businessman.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

Exploring Great Barbecue Wines

As the temperatures moderate in September, I spend more time thinking of wine and food matches. Even into early fall, weekends are serious barbecuing time. It’s still warm enough that great shellfish and fish can be cooked outdoors, and they go well with the wines reviewed in our last two issues. Try wild salmon with one of the French Chardonnay wines we’ve discussed, or pick a Pinot Noir as many in the Pacific Northwest do. Alternatively, grilled shellfish go perfectly with any of the “ABC” (Anything But Chardonnay) wines from our last issue.
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JULY/AUGUST 2006

Calling All ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) Wine Enthusiasts

Many wine lovers have reacted to the Chardonnay overload of recent years by moving to the “ABC” (anything but Chardonnay) school of choosing wine. And great alternatives to Chardonnay do abound.
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MARCH/APRIL 2006

The Wine of Kings, and the King of Wines

The cooler temperatures of late winter and early spring beg for a hearty red wine, so let’s take a trip to my favorite wine region, Piemonte. It’s an Italian region that includes Torino (the site of the February 2006 Olympic games) and is the home of Barolo, a robust red often described as the “wine of kings and the king of wines.”
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