421791 Mon Jul 16 19:00:30 -0700 2007 600 34 Wine 0 2755718 Me: I first opened a 2004 Patric Lesec Chateauneuf du Pape "Chasse Temps" I bought at Costco. I remembered another decently low priced CdP from Lesec, the "Rubis", and got this one assuming in would be in the same league. Totally disappointing, no idea what RP was thinking about when we rated it 89-91. No bouquet, no grenache, no nothing. Daughter says not even good for soaking the dried mushrooms. Since I was in the Rhone-ish mood, I set the Lesec aside and opened a tried and true, the 2000 Tardieu-Laurent Saint-Joseph. Here, reverend Robert got it right: "This supple, medium to full-bodied, elegant St.-Joseph possesses superb depth, purity, and balance. " Rated 90-92. An entirely different league. Forget ratings, dear reader, they are meaningless. Summary for the day: one out of two. Not at all bad, I guess... Mon Jul 16 19:00:30 -0700 2007 28703 RicRios 1 2755769 Opened a bottle of 2005 Chateau de Lascaux 2005 tonight - a great wine from Languedoc. Another outstanding Kermit Lynch selection (and only around $17.00) Mon Jul 16 19:14:41 -0700 2007 2755718 15835 Husky 1 2755935 Rainer Wess's 2005 Gruner Veltliner "Pfaffenberg". The remaining half of a bottle opened on Saturday, when it made a wonderful accompaniment to miso-glazed sockeye with the last-of-season local asparagus. Textbook GV, if less than full throttle than some (a good thing IMO). White pepper, light citrus and chalk on the nose, white and green fruit on the palate. Acid bright, bone dry. Long minerally finish. A bit austere so probably best drunk with food, but a fine wine indeed. Mon Jul 16 20:09:16 -0700 2007 2755718 10520 carswell 1 2756017 2005 William Fèvre Chablis Champs Royaux. Lots of green apples, then more green apples, with a faint hint of grapefruit peel. Nice minerals, great acidity, though a bit more chalky than I'd preferred. Should go well with a gruyere mac 'n cheese. A good bargain right at $20 considering his other offerings. My wine guy also invited me to try his Argentine malbec. I think I will next week. Mon Jul 16 20:42:56 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3255467 Love the Argentine malbec, one of the best bargins out there! Wed Jan 02 19:12:12 -0800 2008 2756017 115579 Mother of four 3 4701948 We like Zolo a lot. Wed May 20 16:22:07 -0700 2009 3255467 240293 Lewes17266 1 2759838 had some j lassalle champagne and then some rusack pinot Tue Jul 17 22:25:04 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2759843 Latah Creek Chard, not too bad at all. We went to the 25th anniversary winery party Friday, and sampled their Cabernet-Syrah, their 25th anniversary offering: quite nice, and I was pleasantly surprised not to be overwhelmed with sweetness: I'm definitely a dry wine type. We picked up a mixed case of: Riesling, again, less sweet than the usual, and I like it, and the other half was May Wine, a nice middling easy wine; a case of: Chardonnay, good and reliable; and two cases of their Sangiovese, which is to die for. These crazy people wanted to combine it in some ghastly lemonade summer drink, and I say for shame! It's a great moderate red, and absolutely great with blackened steak. Tue Jul 17 22:31:39 -0700 2007 2755718 109581 dragonfare 1 2771238 saint roche rose; will have some champagne gonet medeville rose later Sat Jul 21 16:07:59 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2771254 Last night had the 2003 Dominus Cab w/steak. Excellent. Decanted for about an hour. Opened up very nicely in the glass as well. Strong sense of fresh berries initially. Good chocolate notes and the tannins were quite sweet and balanced. Stood up very well to the spice rubbed bone in ribeye. Later on the evening finished with some 25 year old Macallan. Thinking about what to open tonight. Might do the 2001 Vieux Telegraphe CdP "La Crau". If so, must decant now. Sat Jul 21 16:15:42 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 2 2773488 Veramonte SB Rsv. on sale for $8.00 in grocery. I thought it was very good. We had roasted chicken with it. Yummy! Sun Jul 22 19:03:22 -0700 2007 2771254 62812 chickstein 2 2791257 Mmm very nice. Dominus and steak is always a nice start to any weekend. Just curious, how do you think the '03 is drinking? I have a couple of bottles that I'm debating between drinking or holding. I don't think the '03 is quite as good as the '02 or the '01, but I thought Laube was nuts when he panned it. Sat Jul 28 02:23:59 -0700 2007 2771254 97069 mengathon 3 2791770 Lately I find myself disagreeing with Laube more often than not. I think there is some weird stuff going on at WS right now. If you look at their scores on a 10-15 basis, there is really no rhyme or reason. Personally I think he was overly generous 10 years ago and now is trying to "regain some credibility" by going the other way? Who knows. The '03 Dominus is drinking quite well. Definitely benefited from some time in the glass and/or decanter, but was not as tight as you'd think upon first opening. IMO, most '03s are drinking well young... a little tight when they first come out of the bottle, but a little air helps. I don't think this will be a huge vintage for ageability... of course as with all things Napa, there will be several to many exceptions. I generally think most Napa cabs aren't nearly as ageworthy as their old world counterparts.... I have very little if any Napa cabs left that are over 15-20 years old... my sweet spot for age in Napa is 8-12 years, and for some, even that is too long. The signature fruit seems to fade and while they may taste and drink fine, they don't get a lot better... quite different, again IMO, from Bordeaux and Burgundy. All that being said, I would drink and am drinking my '03 Dominus bottles now... I MAY save one or two to see what happens, but that's just a maybe. Sat Jul 28 10:28:31 -0700 2007 2791257 10385 woojink 4 2798406 Thanks for the tip. Í think you just convinced me to do a Dominus vertical party with some bone-in ribeyes. I'll post a note on the '04 Dominus when I do. Mon Jul 30 19:48:19 -0700 2007 2791770 97069 mengathon 5 2799588 Great idea. I would really recommend some prolonged decant on the younger vintages. You should try some chocolate at the end as a pairing. To my palate it works really well with most good Napa cabs... go figure. Other cool pairings for cal-cab verticals I've done in the past have been cheese try some parm-reggiano, and other assortments of hard and soft cheeses... you and your guests can have some very intereting flavor profile changes with that experiment. Sounds like a fun. Look forward to the tasting notes. Tue Jul 31 09:00:57 -0700 2007 2798406 10385 woojink 6 2807771 That rec is spot on. The consistent chocolate and espresso notes in Dominus are probably why it's my favorite California cab. I'll keep this in mind next time I try to make my bitter chocolate crusted steak. Now I won't have to figure out another wine for desserts. Thu Aug 02 12:15:44 -0700 2007 2799588 97069 mengathon 1 2773681 2003 Red Car Wine Company "All Night Radio" Syrah very good. Sun Jul 22 21:57:05 -0700 2007 2755718 113663 domaine547 1 2775812 A very pleasant Italian Rose, recommended by the folks at Moore Brothers. It's Corte Gardoni Bardolino Chiaretto from the area of Lake Garda, and for $12 it's become a summer favorite. Mon Jul 23 14:01:35 -0700 2007 2755718 49600 CindyJ 2 2790635 Lucky you! I can't find any chiaretto around here. Fri Jul 27 17:24:19 -0700 2007 2775812 14610 bropaul 1 2775882 A really delicious Ruffino Chianti called Colognole. And very reasonable at about $16. Mon Jul 23 14:16:06 -0700 2007 2755718 29732 cherie 2 2779691 Chateau Tour de Mirambeau 2005 -- a white Bordeaux that I picked up on a whim at the wine store where I work. Surprisingly lovely; I guess I wasn't expecting much since I knew so little about it. I paired it weirdly, with a hummus/tapenade creation on baguette, and it was still really nice, herbal with a tangy finish. Yummy. Tue Jul 24 16:13:52 -0700 2007 2775882 13164 SLOLindsay 1 2780185 not representative of what I drink everyday but '96 Clicquot le grande dame Tue Jul 24 19:12:20 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 2780616 Adding insult upon injury... I broke the neck today of a 1999 Dom Perignon I bought at Costco for $109.99, and let me tell you somehing: it was as good as it gets. Tue Jul 24 22:45:40 -0700 2007 2780185 28703 RicRios 3 2780632 Robert Sinskey Rose of pino noir, I love this stuff and now the winery is sold out. Does anyone know where to get more? Tue Jul 24 23:00:01 -0700 2007 2780616 98831 chowpiggy 4 2783351 If you're looking for the rosé of pinot noir, I think the RS still has them. If you're looking for the vin gris of pinot, not sure where you live, but this is where I got mine. http://www.popswine.com Wed Jul 25 15:51:44 -0700 2007 2780632 97069 mengathon 4 2798763 I think they have it at K&L though for your money I think the ken brown is better Mon Jul 30 22:56:24 -0700 2007 2780632 113663 domaine547 3 2781607 Did you really break the neck or did you pull the cork as most of us have to do? Wed Jul 25 08:52:15 -0700 2007 2780616 26666 FrankJBN 4 2781851 Somehow the verb "dégorger" gets in the way whenever I think "champagne". Wed Jul 25 09:42:50 -0700 2007 2781607 28703 RicRios 3 2784282 gotta live life well Wed Jul 25 21:33:42 -0700 2007 2780616 31795 ibstatguy 2 2781129 Great wine. '96 was a really good vintage for Champagne IMO. My fave right now from '96 is the Taittinger Comtes Champagne Blanc de Blanc. Absolutely wonderful. I'm down to my last half case. Wed Jul 25 07:08:24 -0700 2007 2780185 10385 woojink 3 2791966 try to track down some '96 jacquesson, particularly the "Avize"; you won't regret it Sat Jul 28 12:25:38 -0700 2007 2781129 31795 ibstatguy 4 2795223 i love the '96 bernard bremont. hard to find, though. love the '96 Comtes. it blows so many other champagnes away for my taste. Sun Jul 29 23:08:42 -0700 2007 2791966 22959 revets2 5 2813409 only have 1 '96 comte de champagne left...no self control. have some '96 le grande dame, '96 jacquesson...kicking myself for not having bought more '96 Sat Aug 04 08:40:24 -0700 2007 2795223 31795 ibstatguy 1 2780629 Blue Mountain Vineyard Striped Label 2003 Pinot Gris. Price unremembered - I claim under $20 British Columbian. (1$BC == 1$ Canadian) Just a nice easy sommertime drinker. Actually went really well with a Black recado Belizean veggie soup I whipped up. Tue Jul 24 22:58:21 -0700 2007 2755718 114182 dancingTimmy 1 2787942 Just tried a very interesting cab from Ramey. The Pedregal Vineyard '04, Oakville. I'm a big fan of David Ramey - GREAT accomplishments in the past from Chalk Hill to Dominus to Rudd, and now his own label - for a treat, try his Hyde and/or Ritchie Chards. I think his efforts using the fruit from Jericho Canyon have been be absolutely stellar. SUPER nice guy to boot. The '04 Pedregal was really, really good, although I fear, I opened this bottle a bit too early. Glad that I have several more. Took about an hour to open up to a level beyond super tight. Great soft fruit however. Strong notes of chocolate and coffee... can't wait to see how this wine matures. Excellent cabernet. Had it with a very nice lamb and spinach risotto. Thu Jul 26 20:21:26 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2790853 2005 Vinos Sin-Ley (Diego Fernandez) Monastrell 3, a pure Monastrell aged in stainless steel, from La Mancha ($11). It's going extremely well with a nice thin-crust margherita pizza from Mangia Neapolitan Pizzeria in Boston's South End, and the Red Sox game. Aah, the Sox just won. ¡Salud! Fri Jul 27 19:13:42 -0700 2007 2755718 10143 MC Slim JB 1 2791262 Finishing off a bottle of 2004 Black Mountain Fat Cat Cab we'd opened for an informal dinner party (curryfest) last weekend. Hadn't had this before and was caught by surprise how fruity and well constructed it was (it's a TJ wine for like $6 or something absurd). A little overly hot in the tannins, but a really great value - a solid wine. Too bad there was only 2/3 glass left to drink. Sat Jul 28 02:55:31 -0700 2007 2755718 24421 Panini Guy 1 2795218 Tonight we tried the '03 Sherwin Family Cabernet. Very Good. Didn't start out that way. Very Young, Very, Very Young. I figured it might be a little tight, so decided to decant. Glad I did. Decanted about 3.5 hours before dinner. When I first opened it, BOY was it tight. Astringent nose, completely shut down. Thought I'd blown a bottle. Have a bunch, but still. Let it sit while contemplating a backup bottle. Didn't need it. Turned out to be fantastic. Lots of fruit... strong chocolate notes and pretty good balance. Due to it's youth, very strong tannins, but needed them to hold up to the spiced rib eye. Really strong representation of Spring Mountain. Based on the profile, thought it might be a good foil for chocolate. It was. Really good actually. Great wine. Sherwin Family... so far, they've always been great. Hopefully Parker will continue not to review them. They are hard enough to get already. Really good. Happy happy. Sun Jul 29 23:05:45 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2796136 This past weekend had: '05 Rusack Sangiovese - I'm a fan of Rusack's pinots and they make a solid bordeaux blend. My sis brough this sangiovese to dinner and we drank it with a variety of apps i.e. heirloom caprese, lobster bisque, roasted beet salad). First off, I was happy to see that the alcohol came in under 15% (14.3); always a good start. As you'd expect, there was a lot of fruit upfront (sweet cherry/raspberry) along with oak/vanilla; soft, lingering finish and very easy to drink and matched well with the food. As far as Cal-Italian wines go, this was a good effort, but not of the calibre of Palmina. '02 Gypsy Dancer Gary and Christine's Pinot - I've always been curious about Gary Andrus' pinots and found this bottle hidden within a wine shop's overflowing shelf. After the sangiovese, we had this with our entrees (rack of lamb, parmesan-crusted halibut, portobella mushroom ravioli, veal chop with morels) and it was superb! Dark crimson color, rich with black cherry, earth, a touch of sweet oak and a slightly spicy finish. Nice acidity that paired perfectly with our dishes. Would love to find more of it... Mon Jul 30 09:36:24 -0700 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 2798415 2006 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie, Domaine de la Pépière with sushi. Yum. Mon Jul 30 19:50:11 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 2840267 yum! Mon Aug 13 08:53:57 -0700 2007 2798415 16728 kenito799 1 2798641 2005 Sirch Malvasia "Fornalis" from Venezia-Giulia. 2003 Vina Ijalba Rioja produced from Graciano varietal. Mon Jul 30 21:35:57 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 2798655 Te Bheag Nan Eilean Unfiltered Gaelic Whisky The lable claims it is pronounced "chey vek". I like "tea bag" better. Mon Jul 30 21:47:16 -0700 2007 2755718 114182 dancingTimmy 1 2801327 I just got back from Lake Chelan (Washington) and picked up a couple bottles of my favorite chardonnay - Benson Vineyards... I am not a chardonnay fan in general - too heavy with butter and oak, but Benson's is unoaked, and at the winery you can purchase it for only $13. Any other suggestions for a delicious unoaked chardonnay? Tue Jul 31 16:17:20 -0700 2007 2755718 104631 wino22 2 3585885 Four Vines "Naked" chard, if you can find it. Fri Apr 11 16:22:23 -0700 2008 2801327 132857 dockhl 1 2802055 Cameron Hughes Lot 37 for this week (I have one bottle per week, a glass per night for 4 or 5 nights, use Vacu Vin or Private Preserve to keep the oxygen out). This one is a no brainer - it's GOOD. $8 at Costco, $10 direct. Plenty of fruit, refreshing, excellent balance. Tue Jul 31 20:33:10 -0700 2007 2755718 10764 monkuboy 1 2802392 tonight with friends: - Movia Chardonnay, 2003, Slovenia - Marcassin, 1997, Marcassin Vineyard, Sonoma - Gaja Sperrs, 1996, Piemonte - Sassicaia, 1995, Toscana - Il Palazzone Riserva, 1999, Toscana - 2 small glasses of Moscato d'Asti as digestif, producer unknown Wed Aug 01 00:52:50 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 2 2803246 Great wines! How did the Gaja drink? Did it need time or did it drink well immediately? Wed Aug 01 09:22:58 -0700 2007 2802392 10385 woojink 3 2803315 Not enough, apparently ... actually enjoyed a good 2004 Siduri "Clos Pepe" pinot over the weekend. Hard to find sometimes, but good. Wed Aug 01 09:44:52 -0700 2007 2803246 45170 lrostron 3 2806007 very nicely. violets, dried apricot, a little bit of tar. decanted < 30 min. think it was drinking perfectly. don't agree with others that it has another 5 in its future. great structure. and feeling very lucky to have had it! WYWT Thu Aug 02 00:14:16 -0700 2007 2803246 22959 revets2 2 2862942 Most impressive list, but how was the 1996 Sassicaia? If it was anything like some of the earlier vintages, it should be drinking beautifully. In fact, we have had two 1977s in the past couple of years. They still were wonderful. Mon Aug 20 13:12:37 -0700 2007 2802392 119551 Bradford 1 2807788 Everyone is posting great wines. I'm going with a dud. 2004 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon. Had this at a restaurant and it was like grape juice, sickly sweet. Gave them another try last night and it was just as bad. Coq au vin it is. Thu Aug 02 12:18:31 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 2813439 Wines of late: Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2005 (delicious, off-dry, lots of zingy acidity to cut through the fats of salmon and shellfish). Cono Sur "Limited Release" Viognier 2006. Has all the fruit-forward apricot punch one expects from a Viognier. Sumac Ridge "Private Reserve" Gewurztraminer 2006 (a BC wine). Prominent grapefruit and lime flavours, this wine boasts loads of mineral flavour. For Reds: My sweetie and I cracked a 2001 Sot Lafriec from Penedes. It had been in our "passive cellar" (i.e. our basement) for the past 2 1/2 years and we decided we did not want to risk spoilage due to temp fluctuations. This sumptious red from a region known for Cava was one of the best wines I have enjoyed all year. It required a few hours in the decanter to open up, but once it had, it boasted intense berry flavours, chocolate (I'd say more milk chocolate than dark), and a slightly pruny/raisiny character reminiscent of zinfandel. It had a lasting finish and there were some faint herbacious, minty notes. The word "sumptious" comes to mind. I have been enjoying some new world merlots, too, particularly a 2002 Tinhorn Creek "Oldfield" Merlot from the Okanagan. This was the perfect foil for our meal of BBQ ribeye that had been marinated in quality olive oil, dried italian herbs, fresh-ground black pepper and French sea salt ground with mortar and pestle. We also enjoyed a linguine tossed with black truffles, gaeta olives, a little olive oil, and topped with some grated pecorino-romano cheese. My aunt and uncle from Idaho gifted us a pack of Columbia Crest "Grand Estates" wines. I know that this will probably turn the noses of some of the elitist foodies, but I actually consistently find the C Crest Grand Estates Merlot to be a heavy hitter for its price (around $11 in the US; around $20 in CAN). The 2004 had flavours of prune plum, strawberry, and some leathery/tarry nontes that kept the wine from being overly sweet and simplistic. Sat Aug 04 08:58:46 -0700 2007 2807788 99971 anewton 3 2822599 the 2002's from the Okanagan have been drinking nicely. mine (meritage mostly) probably need another decade. Tue Aug 07 13:29:57 -0700 2007 2813439 22959 revets2 3 2847843 I'm a big fan of the Col Crest Grand Esates wines. I've had the Cab Sauv, Shiraz an Merlot and enjoyed all of them. Here in WA you can often find them for $8 each and they are so much better than the other $6 bottle "everyday" wines. Wed Aug 15 09:41:02 -0700 2007 2813439 85878 stolenchange 1 2825436 Just splurged on a few bottles of "Lail Vinyards", J Daniel Cuvee. Unbelievable. This is the real thing. Price: Don't ask! Enjoy, CocoDan Wed Aug 08 10:16:11 -0700 2007 2755718 12643 CocoDan 1 2827832 '02 Ruston Cab Franc, Stagecoach Vyd, I think Wed Aug 08 22:19:17 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2829571 Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Reserve Thu Aug 09 11:20:51 -0700 2007 2755718 17087 Munchkin 2 2830556 05 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec from TJ. Thu Aug 09 15:00:21 -0700 2007 2829571 83409 drewames03 3 2831480 Tonight, a Tobin James '04 Reserve Cab Franc to accompany a delicious homemade pizza. However, Sunday was a great wine day. We had some friends over to swim & bbq & cracked open a Dunning Merlot (I think '04), an '04 Turley Old Vines Zin, an '04 Linne Calodo Outsider, plus of course some rose earlier in the heat of the day. Our friends brought a very delicious & refreshing Mandolina Malvasia Bianca (loved it, even though I usually don't like whites). Thu Aug 09 20:32:36 -0700 2007 2830556 64009 LANative 4 2831627 Woops; forgot we also opened a Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel on Sunday; REALLY great wine day... Thu Aug 09 21:47:45 -0700 2007 2831480 64009 LANative 5 2857142 What year? I find the 2003 to be yummy and approachable. The '04 needed more time at last tasting! Fri Aug 17 22:35:50 -0700 2007 2831627 11931 Phood 3 2875405 Thanks for this tip...I bought some Trapiche Oak Cask 2005 Malbec tonight for $7.99 and I LOVE it...have seen some other references to it on this board...I also recently tried Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec and I liked that very much also--might be considered a "hot wine" tho' with 14%...still, I liked it and would buy again...I found the Paula for $9.99 here in SW FL. Thu Aug 23 15:55:57 -0700 2007 2830556 11983 Val 1 2831542 '05 Lang & Reed Cab Franc Thu Aug 09 20:56:03 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2832645 The other night - 2000 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurtzraminer Hengst and 1998 Whitehall Lane Reserve. The ZH blew me away. Amazing. Has quite a bit of time left in it. Very small amount of heat in the middle... but has calmed down considerably... not surprising with a 16%+ alcohol content. The Whitehall as another, IMO, great representation of what a good producer/winery can accomplish in a bad vintage. Considerably less weight (big surprise) than the ginormous '97, but a really good to great wine nonetheless. Tonight will be opening an older Bordeaux. Likely the '67 Latour, yes a poor vintage, and likely well past its prime, but it's sentimental. Although I am encouraged by a '67 Lafite I had a few years ago and how (surprisingly!) good it was. Will definitely have some good back up bottles standing by. Fri Aug 10 08:53:17 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2837417 2005 Torbreck Cuvée Juveniles, Barossa 60% grenache, 30% mataro, 10% shiraz, 14.6% ABV I got it on sale for $15/bottle. Opened the first one tonight. It was a little alcoholic, nothing out of the ordinary really for Ausie GSM, but mostly because I've been drinking the summer whites and sparkling. The bouquet was astounding: cassis, cigar box, anise, faint amounts of eucalyptus and mint. Very perfume-y, almost good enough to wear. I should have stopped there. In the mouth? Not so good. The sweetness was a little heavy. But it'd go great with BBQ, or takeout Chinese. Or better yet, red coconut curry with duck. Sat Aug 11 23:56:20 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2837440 '95 BR COHN OLIVE HILL ESTATE RESERVE well behaved, drinking perfectly, slight tobacco start like a nice maduro wrapper, nicely balanced, bright fruit, surprisingly awake in the bottle for over a decade. Sun Aug 12 00:28:09 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 1 2846649 2004 Domaine Valette Macon-Villages. 2002 David Fulton Petite Sirah. Tue Aug 14 21:09:07 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 2850035 Have had several bottles of the Fulton and enjoyed them all Wed Aug 15 20:21:07 -0700 2007 2846649 31795 ibstatguy 1 2847098 NV Pedro Romero Manzanilla San Lucar de Barrameda "Aurora" Wed Aug 15 05:38:37 -0700 2007 2755718 16728 kenito799 1 2850038 '05 Hamilton Russell pinot, South Africa Wed Aug 15 20:21:39 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 2850052 Stuck in a hotel in Mount Vernon IL (from Southern California) driving the son to Louisville for college and in this heat I am so glad that I brought my own wine so tonight I am drinking the 2006 Chateau Martinette Cotes de Provence Rose and I am about to bring it with me to the whirlpool tub....makes the 8 hours in the car very worth it. Wed Aug 15 20:26:07 -0700 2007 2850038 96905 bubbles4me 3 2857123 ah, being able to travel with your own wine, a thing of the past now since its much more difficult to fly with it. Fri Aug 17 22:24:44 -0700 2007 2850052 31795 ibstatguy 4 2857197 I've been checking it as luggage in styro shippers. Works very well. On short flights temps not an issue, on longer flights, I throw in a freezable gel pack or two and you're good to go. I stick to younger wines though... older wines might be more susceptible to travel shock. Fri Aug 17 23:51:27 -0700 2007 2857123 10385 woojink 2 2850227 How was it? Have you had their chardonnay? Wed Aug 15 22:14:18 -0700 2007 2850038 74451 vinosnob 3 2857125 excellent and I give it a strong thumbs up; have not had the chardonnay but will start looking for it. will give a rec though to Wedel chardonnay, Central Coast CA Fri Aug 17 22:25:59 -0700 2007 2850227 31795 ibstatguy 1 2850328 2002 Nero D'Avola Gulfi simply incredible. smelled of a traditional burgundy with loads of dirt and terroir on opening. 20-30 min. into it opened into a remarkably balanced rich, berry, lush, refined glass of heaven. highly recommend. Wed Aug 15 23:29:42 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 1 2857128 tonight, '03 Dom Drouhin...I love this stuff Fri Aug 17 22:26:50 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2860852 NV Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé, Premier Crû. Absolutely fantastic wine at great value for daily or weekly bubbly drinking. It's very food versatile, and offers a good change-up from the regular white champagnes. Had it pre-dinner tonight with an oven roasted corn on the cob, as well as a baby spinach salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, and balsamic dressing. We finished the bottle at the end of the night on its own. I think I may have a man crush on Nic. 2003 Beaulieu Vineyards, Tapestry, Reserve, Napa Valley Proprietary meritage blend. From Wine Spectator, James Laube: -Dry, austere and minty, with more camphor-laced tannins than fruit, leaving it with a hollow midpalate and chalky aftertaste. 79. I cant agree with any of it. It's softer and less domineering than other Napa predominant cabernet sauvignon blends, but still has a lot to offer. The fruit and the oak were both very restrained, and the tannins were soft. It was a little surprising to not have to decant it. But it was neither hollow nor chalky. Most importantly, it was balanced. It wasn't the perfect pair for a choice shell steak on the grill, as I would have prefered something heavier, but accomplished its purpose as a calm and unintrusive accompaniment for a quiet Sunday evening dinner with friends. Sun Aug 19 21:08:22 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2876284 2004 Dupasquier Altesse Rousette de Savoie 2006 Grosjean Petite Arvin Barbolini Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro 2000 Joseph Swan Mourvedre 2004 Adanti Montefalco Rosso Thu Aug 23 21:44:02 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 2876329 Wineguy7, we may not agree on Turley, but I concur that the Grosjean Freres Petite Arvine rocks! Thu Aug 23 22:02:50 -0700 2007 2876284 97345 Vinny Barbaresco 3 2878270 Vinny, about Turley, that incident really soured me. Most of my wine tastes lean toward the traditional. Turley, in general, *was* the exception. Fri Aug 24 12:09:32 -0700 2007 2876329 12275 wineguy7 1 2880005 2002 Priorat Mas Igneus incredible 30 min. out of the bottle. lush, complex, viscous, a very elegant wine. Fri Aug 24 23:36:01 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 1 2881913 2005 Two Hands Brave Faces, Barossa Valley 65% Shiraz 35% Grenache Strong scents of cherries. Unexpected but pleasant acidity. Long, elegant finish. Perfectly balanced even at ABV 15%. Beautiful wine, great bargain. Awesome with coq au vin. Sat Aug 25 21:16:28 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2882465 Since Tuesday... 2002 Turnbull Estate Cab 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape - Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau" 2001 Turley Zinfandel - Lodi, Dogtown Vineyard 2005 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley 2004 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir - Weir Vineyard 2002 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon - Jericho Canyon Vineyard 2004 Blankiet Cabernet Sauvignon - Paradise Hills Vineyard 2000 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon Did not keep tasting notes on each one, some thoughts, though... The Karl Lawrence was pretty tight and astringent right out of the bottle, and deteriorated rapidly in loss of fruit. Hopefully it was a bad bottle, I will try again soon. Ramey rocked. Love this wine. Giant fruit with great balance. Turley was very good. I think this is about the age limit for these wines however. Selyems were also great (both of them) but the Weir was amazing. Big difference between the two, a bit sad for opening them young, will hold my single vineyards longer to see what happens. Appelation wines will be drunk younger... just my opinion. Telegraphe - continues to be one of my fave CdP's and this bottle just reinforced. 20 minutes after opening this one really started to shine. Blankiet - great wine. I think it should get more love. Opened it early and young. Sun Aug 26 08:12:39 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 2 2885102 heckuva line and agree with you re Blankiet, a great wine that is seemingly under the radar Mon Aug 27 08:02:11 -0700 2007 2882465 31795 ibstatguy 1 2885167 Hi I just started here and see that your from San Diego is that right? I sure miss it I just moved out to Missouri, what a difference. I miss Hodads do you know it? Mon Aug 27 08:19:23 -0700 2007 2755718 122485 Angeldove 2 2891572 haven't been in a long time but guess you must be hankerin for one of their burgers. was at 3rd Corner for lunch a few weeks back. bet your dollar goes a lot further back there! Tue Aug 28 22:16:35 -0700 2007 2885167 31795 ibstatguy 1 2885640 Over at a friend's house for a bbq, several wines were in action, but these are the ones I recall the most: '06 Crios Torrontes - decent acidity, but a little too sweet for my palate and closed with a "rubbery" finish. I'd like to give this grape another shot; preferably on a really hot day eating spicy spare ribs. '05 Porter Creek Viognier - rich, lush mouthfeel with apricot, well balanced; probably would benefit even more from more time in the bottle '05 T. Solomon Wellborn Pinot Noir - bright cherry/strawberry flavors and notes of sweet oak and suprisingly not over-the-top like pinots can be from this region (SB). Exceptionally smooth finish. Easy drinking and perfect for a casual bbq; not for pondering life's greatest ambiguities Mon Aug 27 10:19:27 -0700 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 2 2885686 Love me some Torrontes...super floral and the best have tanginess a la NZSB. Try Pircas Negras or Colome (the latter is more unctuous like a Gewurztraminer). Mon Aug 27 10:27:02 -0700 2007 2885640 16728 kenito799 1 2885976 For my birthday... I went on a 20 mile bike ride thru the desert with my man (eek... actually it was a 7 mile thru sand dunes) but we took a picnic... really good soft brie and fresh baguette and we got a Box (Yes I said box!) of 'rabbit' pinot noir. I was shocked at how good it was... inexpensive and a really a surprisingly half decent wine. The box thing is great for the beach... the boat, picnics... anyway just surprised to find myself drinking wine out of a box!!! Mon Aug 27 11:26:44 -0700 2007 2755718 122529 marvellousmilf 1 2891574 '03 Famiglia Bianchi Cab (Argentina) Tue Aug 28 22:17:11 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2893612 2001 Gonzaga San Lorenzo, decanted 30 min. beautifully balanced. still needs time. Wed Aug 29 12:48:04 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 1 2894280 1999 Silver Oak Cab Sauv Wed Aug 29 15:25:30 -0700 2007 2755718 111770 robgm 2 2894578 Bodega Real Roda II Tempranillo from Spain. 2001. Yummy. Wed Aug 29 17:01:22 -0700 2007 2894280 121675 hungryphillip 1 2900553 Last night with grilled Tri Tip and steamed fresh veggies: 2005 Erna Schein Jersey Boy. A blend of 41% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah and 6% Petit Verdot. A fruity powerhouse of a wine that needed red meat show well. Deep purple, with lots of cherry / blackberry flavor and no discernible heat. Fri Aug 31 10:49:27 -0700 2007 2755718 78406 scrappydog 2 2903060 that's from the folks who brought you Behrens & Hitchcock; last night for me, Cune rose and '04 Joel Gott Zin Sat Sep 01 11:02:06 -0700 2007 2900553 31795 ibstatguy 1 2903962 Paired a sub $10 bottle of Colosi Rosso 2004 with some Humboldt Fog. Delicious. The wine still shows young, big bodied turpeny/blackcurrant against the ash and tang of the Fog - who says you have to have vintage wine to enjoy cheese? Sat Sep 01 19:57:39 -0700 2007 2755718 24421 Panini Guy 2 3652249 I am a big fan of the Colosi Sicilia IGT reds. The 2003 and 2004 were especially good. We just recently started buying up the 2005 bottles, and pair it with all types of everyday pastas, cheeses and even pasta e fagioli :) Fri May 02 20:56:42 -0700 2008 2903962 102095 vvvindaloo 1 2904090 2006 Kir-Yianni Xinomavro Rose 2005 Mas Gabinelle Carignane Sat Sep 01 22:34:37 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 2905075 Belated birthday dinner at the home of good friends. All wines and the stew were served double-blind. Aperitif and with sushi: - Champagne NV, "Extra Brut", Jacques Selosse The yellowest champagne I've seen. Lots of foam but only a few streams of the tiniest bubbles. Brioche and yellow fruit nose, monolithic at first but gaining depth and complexity. Oxidized flavours reminiscent of a aged wine. Winey, rich and long. Fabulous match with sushi, especially the smoked eel. I guessed an aged vintage champagne with a high proportion of Pinot Noir (it's 100% Chardonnay). Black bear daube, root vegetables, broiled plums: - Cap Corse 1998, "Cuvée Oriu", Domaine de Torraccia Constantly changing. Hosts said it was searingly acidic on uncorking. On my first taste, about 40 minutes later, the prune, raspberry and beet aromas/flavours and supple texture had me wondering whether it wasn't a cooked big Burgundy. Further aeration brought notes of herbs, dried cherries and terra cotta and slightly drying tannins like those in old-fashioned Sangioveses. I guessed Corsica. - Mas de Daumas Gassac 1998, Coteaux du Languedoc Mostly Cabernet blend. Medium bodied with red fruit (cherry? cassis?), ink, earth and dried herbs and fine but tight tannins. Medium finish. My first impression was a Côtes de Provence with a good dose of Cabernet Sauvignon but the structure was wrong, was more like a Nebbiolo's. I guessed a Nebbiolo blend, saying I was sure I was out in left field. Boy, was I. Blueberry tart - Gewurztraminer 1988, Sélection de grains nobles, Hugel (375 ml) Fluid, not particularly sweet or deep but long and delicious. Hosts said a bottle opened two years ago was more opulent. Citrus on the nose, the hint of metal on the finish and relative dryness put me in mind of certain late-harvest Muscats; the lychee flavours suggested a Gewurz. Went with Muscat then recanted and guessed a 1996 Hugel Gewurztraminer vendange tardive. Fun evening. Sun Sep 02 14:43:28 -0700 2007 2755718 10520 carswell 1 2905353 Dao, Meia Encosta 2005, left-over from yesterday, I left it openned (no cork) in the fridge, and it is as good (well, maybe not as good, but close enoug) as it was yesterday. dirt cheap, $10, and doing it's job as a good wine. Sun Sep 02 18:01:48 -0700 2007 2755718 11828 Maximilien 1 2905754 Tonight: Bogle 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel. Nice bite, dark fruit/berry notes, elegant finish. $12.99 at Whole Foods (Austin). Sun Sep 02 22:51:50 -0700 2007 2755718 20271 bookgrrl72 2 2910882 Tonight, a box wine Chanti. Can't ship wines to my state, have to drive to the next town to get anything that was decently stored. We were shocked at the difference between the boxes of the same brand locally and in the next town. I have decided they turn their air conditioning off at night, and in Oklahoma that is not a good idea for a wine shop! Tue Sep 04 18:46:22 -0700 2007 2905754 10580 Betty 1 2911092 '02 hess collection mt veeder mountain cuvee Tue Sep 04 20:05:09 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2911106 Right this moment at 11:08 PM and waiting for my girls to come in after their last nightly rounds of the perimeter I am having my usual tipple of scotch an d a bit oh H2O Tue Sep 04 20:11:42 -0700 2007 2755718 10285 Candy 2 2911129 Quintarelli Alzero 1985 - This wine would convert Bill Maher into belief in God. Tue Sep 04 20:18:50 -0700 2007 2911106 16959 Caillerets 1 2922309 Last night a science experiment: back at home after dinner out, watching the sunset and the stars rise - 1988 Edmunds St John Sonoma Valley Syrah. Picked up at my local wine shop earlier in the day. Still rocking after 19 years. Although I never had the wine when it was released, I doubt it is greatly improved by so many years of aging, but apparently it was not harmed by it either. Comparable to more recent releases by ESJ. Only 12.5 % ABV according to the label. Sat Sep 08 08:27:35 -0700 2007 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 2923231 I'm having a "La Crema" Sonoma Coast 2005 Pinot noir. It's really warm in town right now, so I left it in the fridge for a few hours, and the fruity aspect of it came out really strong. I like it. Sat Sep 08 16:54:24 -0700 2007 2755718 11828 Maximilien 1 2933069 Faury Condrieu, an excellent bottle of wine Tue Sep 11 21:17:00 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2933537 Coffee, actually. Following a night of too many house Sangiovese at Bertucci's and some Heiniken Lights. I know, I know. It's too early for comic relief. Wed Sep 12 06:05:55 -0700 2007 2755718 121997 BaileysMom521 1 2940081 In the last week: 2001 La Serena Brunello - umm.... wow? Decanted for about an hour. Smooth but powerful. Blew me away. 2004 Andlau Riesling - Marc Kreydenweiss. Deep straw colour, great balance in the acidity. Nice long finish. Love it. 2002 Nuits St. George, "Les Fleuriers" - J.J. Confuron: Drinking very nicely right now. Smooth, velvety. Barnyardy nose. Exactly what I want a burg to be like. 2001 Amarone Tommasi (half bottles). Another, "wow". Didn't have a decanted, but let it open in our glasses for awhile. Really evolved a lot. Port like thinkness, think but smooth. Stunning. Thu Sep 13 20:12:47 -0700 2007 2755718 127190 Cancuk 1 2940269 2001 Brunello di Montalcino, Trambusti. This was the subject of a CH wine board post several weeks ago, $19.99 at Trader Joe's. While almost everything I've bought from TJ's the last few years has been on the disappointing side, this one was pretty good. It's ready to drink right now. Thu Sep 13 21:41:17 -0700 2007 2755718 10764 monkuboy 1 2941162 last night '05 Morgan pinot "12 clones"; nice wine, understandably a bit young, not expensive Fri Sep 14 08:50:12 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2942111 2005 Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges. 2000 White Hawk Vineyards Syrah, Santa Maria Valley. Fri Sep 14 12:26:09 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 2943468 '02 Jobard Les Trezin Puligny-Montrachet Fri Sep 14 21:07:46 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2943968 Cappuccino . . . it's 8:00 am Sat Sep 15 08:16:08 -0700 2007 2755718 28122 zin1953 1 2945564 Dugat py Bourgogne blanc "03. Just a vin ordinaire, but it's from my friend Bernard, so it was delicious, if a bit tight still. next year we'll drink the rest of the case. Sat Sep 15 23:10:13 -0700 2007 2755718 106255 chazzerking 1 2948891 2004 Reserve Chateau desTours Cotes du Rhone from Reynaud, imported by Martine. Superb! Mon Sep 17 10:57:05 -0700 2007 2755718 10359 carter 2 2949963 you start your drinking a bit earlier than do I...that said, the Ch des Tours is one of my favorite "go to" wine values Mon Sep 17 15:27:53 -0700 2007 2948891 31795 ibstatguy 1 2950291 Last night was 2003 Peregrine Pinot Noir Mon Sep 17 17:02:17 -0700 2007 2755718 75002 Megiac 1 2953263 An epic weekend in Vegas dining at B&B (great food, not mind-blowing) and Picasso (incredible all-around experience). My wife is pregnant so it was by the glass pairings all weekend for me. At B&B, started with a rosato from Sicily; sorry don't recall the producer, but it was excellent. Next, keeping with the Sicilian theme, went with an '05 nero d'avola by Firriato (Chiaramonte). Delicious! Deep, inky color, intense dark fruit with a long, smooth finish with a touch acid to keep it fresh. At Picasso: '06 Albarino - wish I could recall the producer; it was exceptional and reminiscent of a fine, dry riesling 2003 Domaines Schlumberger, Les Princes Abbés, Pinot Gris, Alsace, France 2003 Royal Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin (don't recall if it was one of the single vineyards)1971 Toro Albala Pedro Ximenez Tue Sep 18 13:54:35 -0700 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 2953446 Last night... 1979 Baumann Auslese Reisling... yes, 1979! 28 year old reisling. Amazing. 1999 Shafer Hillside Select - WOW. Truly a great HSS. Young but drinking really well, decanted, and let it evolve. Tue Sep 18 14:36:11 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2954271 NV Gruet Brut, New Mexico A touch sweet for brut, but much more depth and a better bargain than Mumm blanc de noirs. Should be good with sashimi. Tue Sep 18 19:24:14 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2954294 2003 Ornellaia tonight. Very young, but clearly will be a big winner. Have several bottles, opened one tonight to see what it was doing. Highly enjoyable. Tue Sep 18 19:34:32 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2963089 Last night,at a group dinner: 2004 Godolphin Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley - someone else brought another Aussie shiraz that was too extracted, fruity and "hot" (15.6), but the Godolphin was a real pleasure. 2005 Descendientes de J. Palacios Bierzo - popped this one first and it got much better as it opened up; soff tannins, silky smooth and very floral kind of like a cab franc. 1999 Dom Perignon - very toasty/creamy with crisp apple notes and touch of honey; needs several more years in the bottle to really shine. 2005 Ici/La-Bas Mendocine Pinot - cloyingly sweet cherry/strawberry, with slight mushroom notes. It was the last bottle of the night so taste buds were well shot. Fri Sep 21 09:51:49 -0700 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 2965215 2002 Dominus. ABV 14.1% 30-60 minutes of decanting is good. The first sips out of the bottle were a little harsh, and tasted of sour cherries, but the potential was obvious. After sitting in a decanter through appetizers, the tannins softened, yet the wine remained firm and had great texture. Nose of red fruit. Hints of chocolate and coffee. Long finish as well. It should be better in another 3-5 years. I still prefer the '01 though. Fri Sep 21 21:37:44 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2967081 NV Champagne Philipponnat Brut Rosé Disappointing overall. The bouquet was dull and the finish was light and slightly bitter. More of an aperitif than a wine for food. Sat Sep 22 20:24:59 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 2968741 2005 3 Rings Shiraz Barossa Valley ABV 15.5% This was like a fire breathing dragon. The alcohol made it almost undrinkable. The pleasant blackberry nose was completely overwhelmed by the alcohol and oak. Tasted like raisins and prunes in the mouth. Somewhat similar to the Torbreck Cuvée Juveniles, but that wine was much better balanced. A lot closer to port than to table wine. Those who enjoy the massive cabernets and zins of California will like this. 2 out of 3 wines this weekend were duds. C'est la vie. Sun Sep 23 16:51:47 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3172494 I actually have to disgree on this review of the 3 Rings 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz. This was actually one of the more pleasant wines that I had tasted in quite some time. It was brought to us by a guest of a recent cocktail party, where there were cheap and expensive wines alike; it definitely stood out among the crowd. I'm actually searching for places to buy it in Boston right now! Sun Dec 02 09:00:06 -0800 2007 2968741 56209 crotch 1 2968831 2004 Five Vintners Zinfandel. 75% Sonoma (mostly Rockpile AVA), 25% Napa fruit. This wine is made by Kristi Raymond who is a fifth generation descendant of Jacob Beringer and the daughter of the owners of Raymond Vineyards in Napa. Deep, dark fruit nose with noticeable oak. More dark fruit on the palate with some elements of tar I think and leather too. Marked black pepper on the finish. This wine is 14.7% alcohol and does taste a bit hot, but I really like it and much of the heat mellows when paired with some great grilled beef. Around $17 in SoCal. Sun Sep 23 17:24:25 -0700 2007 2755718 11405 Midlife 1 2987876 2004 Roar Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, Gary's Vineyard. Delicious, but I have to say, quite dark and heavy for pinot noir. I can see why Parker liked it since that's his bag, but I think I favor Oregon or Burgundy. 2005 Castillo de Daroca Grenache/Syrah, Ribera Del Duero. Tastes at least like a $30 bottle, but it's something like $9 retail. Deep, good acid, but balanced. Loved it with lamb. 2004 Alexander Valley Vineyards Merlot. A good reason to return to merlot. For the price, unbeatable. For the hot days, I would say the Robert Sinskey Vin Gris but alas I cannot find it. It always sells out. Help! Sat Sep 29 02:00:48 -0700 2007 2755718 126908 iwantmytwodollars 1 2989600 '98 aldo conterno barolo colonnello Sat Sep 29 21:35:04 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 2990949 2002 Turley Zinfandel, Tofanelli Vineyard. Drank 3 bottles in one night - not alone, there were 4 of us. Never disappoints. IMO reference level Zin. Sun Sep 30 16:16:42 -0700 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 2992916 Last night for dinner... '06 Ampelos viognier - love it; a really crisp and pure expression of the grape with no ML or oak '04 Turley Duarte Zin - dark berries and cracked pepper finishing smooth and rounded; the 15% alcohol is very well integrated, a feat indeed. However, I think the price point (even with a list member discount) is excessive and I wouldn't buy this again. '03 Chave St Joseph Offerus - dang, corked! Mon Oct 01 10:50:13 -0700 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 2 2993033 I remember when you could buy a Turley for around $30... now THAT was a bargain. The good old days. Things are very quickly getting out hand in the world of wine pricing. Harlan this year was $450!!! It's not just the Bordelais that have lost their minds. I'm buying less (have to) of the "big guys", but in some ways I 'have' to in order keep the verticals going... it's crazy the stuff we complain about... My wife accuses me of not being addicted to drinking wine, but being addicted to buying wine... wait I have to go... another mailer just showed up... Mon Oct 01 11:21:58 -0700 2007 2992916 10385 woojink 3 2993194 Maybe my wife knows your wife because she tells me the same thing. But then I remember that we BOTH win in the end when we share great bottles together. Mon Oct 01 12:01:37 -0700 2007 2993033 74451 vinosnob 1 2993166 This weekends lineup included: 1999 Sasicaia - CORKED. 1999 Clos Pegase Hommage Cabernet 2002 Katheryn Hall Sacrashe Cabernet 2002 Sbragia Cabernet (don't remember which one though) 2003 Moon Mountain Cabernet 2003 E Guigal CDP 2003 Zenato Ripassa 2002 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet 2002 Miner Merlot and two other bottles that will go unnamed because I frankly can't remember. Mon Oct 01 11:55:14 -0700 2007 2755718 124708 mac8111 1 2994471 00 Los Cerros de San Juan Uruguay Tannat Cuna de Piedra Silky smooth, delicious black olives up front, dark wine with a light body and refreshingly low in alcohol (for these days...12.5%). A joy to drink with grilled meats. Did I mention that this wine is inexpensive? 05 Cillar de Silos El Quintanal Vendimmia Seleccionada Ribeiro del Duero Delicious modern tempranillo, blackberries and tar, grippy tannins, wonderful. Did I mention that this wine is inexpensive? Mon Oct 01 18:01:56 -0700 2007 2755718 16728 kenito799 1 2994984 1992 Hess Collection Merlot beautiful. exactly what a merlot was always meant to be. balanced with forward fruit. have another bottle and won't let it go that much longer. Mon Oct 01 21:35:17 -0700 2007 2755718 22959 revets2 1 2996549 vitamin water (revive) and coffee; tonight perhaps some gran fuedo rosado Tue Oct 02 10:46:33 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3002302 2006 Stadt Krems Grüner Veltliner 'Sandgrube,' Kemstral 2005 Chateau Ste Michelle Dr. Loosen Riesling, Eroica, Columbia Valley with Thai green curry and chicken, string beans, eggplant, peppers, and mushrooms. I'm having a tough time deciding which is a better fit. The Eroica is undoubtedly the more interesting, complex, and yummy wine, but the grüner, though it's nothing spectacular, just seems to go with the veggies in the curry better. Wed Oct 03 19:32:08 -0700 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3010611 last night, Dehlinger pinot noir rose Sat Oct 06 11:05:28 -0700 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3010802 2005 Chateau de Mattes-Sabran Corbieres Sat Oct 06 12:53:30 -0700 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3109840 several hours late...last night it was an '03 Robt Nenow Cab, Kenefick Ranch Fri Nov 09 07:15:10 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3123367 2005 Qupé Marsanne, Santa Ynez 2005 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes-du-Rhône, 'Parallele 45' 1996 Champagne Laurent Perrier Tue Nov 13 22:36:30 -0800 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3126090 the 45 must still be one of the best QPRs around Wed Nov 14 17:48:39 -0800 2007 3123367 31795 ibstatguy 3 3127421 Yes, for about $11 in NYC, one gets a bright, versatile wine that's great with food. The other plus is that it's available pretty much everywhere. Even the local liquor store is somewhat likely to carry it. Thu Nov 15 09:03:38 -0800 2007 3126090 97069 mengathon 2 3128950 Mengathon, so glad I could not sleep last night and read your post...tried the Paul Jaboulet 'Parallele 45' tonight...VERY VERY nice! Found it at ABC for $9.00 on sale...yay! Thank you for mentioning it...I also looked it up on Cellartracker--well recieved and well reviewed! Thu Nov 15 15:09:08 -0800 2007 3123367 11983 Val 3 3129133 Glad you liked it. Their CDR blanc is quite good as well, and the '04 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de la Thalabert is one of my favorite wines for its herbal notes. If you're a fan as well, this article might be interesting. Hope things don't change too much. http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Blogs/Blog_Detail/0,4211,1511,00.html Thu Nov 15 16:27:32 -0800 2007 3128950 97069 mengathon 1 3129095 Last night, went to dinner with a group of friends and we all brought bottles... '05 Opolo Tempranillo Chukker Cab Franc Hogue Cab '03 Melville Estate Syrah '03 Perrin & Fils Chateauneuf Pape Sinards '04 Seghesio Passalacqua Ranch zin Seghesio was the standout (no surprise there) and the rest were average to disappointing Thu Nov 15 16:10:35 -0800 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 3129116 At this moment: 2004 Andre Bonhomme Vire Clesse leftover from lastnight's Wine Blogging Wednesday #39 ~Eddie http://oeno.blogspot.com Thu Nov 15 16:20:02 -0800 2007 2755718 139638 Eddie H. 1 3129145 Hopefully the 2003 Lesec is better! I'm been waiting a bit to open mine and drink. Thu Nov 15 16:29:33 -0800 2007 2755718 28002 Sir William 1 3129911 '01 Guigal St. Joseph blanc Thu Nov 15 21:59:25 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3130046 scotch Fri Nov 16 01:04:59 -0800 2007 2755718 70144 Dagney 1 3133123 '03 dehlinger cab Fri Nov 16 21:51:56 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3133933 1997 Quinta do Crasto Vinho Tinto Reserva (Douro, Portugal) Sat Nov 17 10:40:16 -0800 2007 2755718 28122 zin1953 1 3134646 some cune rosado after tennis on a beautiful Saturday afternoon Sat Nov 17 16:43:59 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3135064 2005 Crasto Vinho Tinto (Douro, Portugal) Sat Nov 17 21:00:20 -0800 2007 2755718 28122 zin1953 1 3139932 2005 Rosso di Montalcino, Valdicava 2005 Beaujolais-Villages, Louis Jadot 2006 Paumanok Riesling, Off-Dry, North Fork, LI The Paumanok at 10% ABV was refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity for dessert. Mon Nov 19 15:24:56 -0800 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3147073 Sebeka Shiraz/Pinotage, 2006. Best $8 red I've had in a long time. Wed Nov 21 20:33:49 -0800 2007 2755718 104875 jkosnett 1 3147314 2006 Indaba Chenin Blanc, South Africa Bought it after reading the NYTimes article calling it a best value for $6. It's not bad and drinkable. Enjoyable? Not terribly. Buying again? Unlikely. The Vouvrays and Savennières for 2.5x the price still offer the better value. Thu Nov 22 01:36:03 -0800 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3147466 '02 Chambolle Amoureuses - JF Mugnier - For this wine we give Thanks :) Thu Nov 22 06:25:09 -0800 2007 3147314 16959 Caillerets 1 3171313 '04 Ridge Zinfandel, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley blended with carignan and petite sirah. ABV 14.5% Imagine that! A zinfandel with acidity. Yummy. Sat Dec 01 16:15:53 -0800 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3171722 Yesterday - many wines with a wine group at lunch, but two from my cellar were... 2004 Scarecrow 2002 Quilceda Creek Tonight: 2001 Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau" Chateauneuf du Pape Sat Dec 01 19:59:31 -0800 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 3171974 Past few weeks -> Bokisch Garnacha Lodi 05(?) J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 04 Chateau Tour Simard St. Emilion 99 Preston (Dry Creek) Barbera Cavallo Block 05 Giacomo Vico Barbera d'Alba 04 Penner Ash Willamette Valley Pinot 05 Seghesio Marian's Reserve Blend (zin petite sirah carignane) 04 Bruno Biacosa Barbera d'Alba 04 Gary Farrell Starr Ridge RRV Pinot 04 Preston (Dry Creek) Old Vine Zin 05 Dominus Napanook 03 Have notes on some of these if anyone's interested. Sat Dec 01 23:15:06 -0800 2007 2755718 35525 Frodnesor 2 3174557 May I ask where you purchased the Giacomo Vico Barbera d'Alba 04? I visit Piedmont every year and always enjoy their Barbera, spent a long afternoon at the vineyard in 2003, have finished up all but a 1999 I brought back, but have never found it for sale here in the Boston area. Thanks! Mon Dec 03 06:05:10 -0800 2007 3171974 120073 cassis 3 3175615 Restaurant, not retailer. Mon Dec 03 11:26:46 -0800 2007 3174557 35525 Frodnesor 2 3177056 that '04 JJ Prum is, in my experience, a great wine... Mon Dec 03 18:56:38 -0800 2007 3171974 31795 ibstatguy 3 3177166 Good stuff. I'm not big on many white wines but that one did it for me. Mon Dec 03 19:42:25 -0800 2007 3177056 35525 Frodnesor 2 3243890 Do you have notes on the Napanook? I'm wondering if it's worth picking up a few bottles - I found the 03 at Costco this afternoon. Fri Dec 28 18:10:45 -0800 2007 3171974 19331 cherylmtl 3 3254376 TN on the Napanook '03 - Smooth bodied, with red currant, cherry and hints of spicebox, however, this wine failed to really make much of an impression. Popped and poured and perhaps would have shown better if given some time to breath, though it had not opened up much with an hour or so in the glass. Wed Jan 02 13:46:51 -0800 2008 3243890 35525 Frodnesor 4 3258926 Thanks for the info. I think I will skip buying this one. Thu Jan 03 17:53:54 -0800 2008 3254376 19331 cherylmtl 1 3175130 A few from over the weekend... '05 Porter Creek Old Vine Zinfandel - cracked one over Thanksgiving that was an off-bottle. This time a much better experience, but it took over an hour for this to open up. Definitely my least favorite varietal from this producer. '05 Domaine de la Solitude CDR - closed at first, but then opened up and was quite tasty. Nice acidity, mild tannins and very enjoyable right now. '05 Mas de Boislauzon CDR - I love the CDPs from this producer and was eager to try their CDR. Unfortunately, this bottle needs more time. IMO, it's still overly tannic and even though a few hours of aeration helps soften the wine, I think this one will show brilliantly in a few years. Mon Dec 03 09:23:12 -0800 2007 2755718 74451 vinosnob 2 3176496 We drank our Porter Creek Carignane with Thanksgiving dinner. Also took an hour or two to open, and to my palate was still tight as a screw in the end. But folks seemed to enjoy it with rich food. We are aging the rest of our shipment for at least three years. Before that, we took a little trip to Anderson Valley. The bounty: - 2005? Esterlina cabernet sauvignon, Russian River. Nice and rich in berries, but not terribly complex. - 2006 Navarro gewurztraminer. Killer as usual. - 2006 Navarro "cluster select" late harvest gewurz. - 2005 Londer pinot noir, Anderson Valley. From memory: big and spicy. - 2003 Toulouse pinot noir, Anderson Valley. Not to be missed! Aging nicely. An almost aristocratic blend that may please those looking for Burgundy-style wines in California. The reserve is good, too, but honestly, the non-reserve is just as delicious. - Germain-Robin brandy. Light, delicate, intoxicating. And almost gone! Random wines we've downed of late: - 2006 Seaview Brut sparkling wine, Australia - 2004 Sinskey Merlot. Yummy, but not merlot. Almost a third? cabernet in formulation, and frankly 100% cab in the mouth. - 2006 Sinskey rose. Undrinkably bad. Like rotten strawberries. (Vin gris is always good though.) - 2006 Man Chardonnay. Cheap, clean, good acid. Butter-free. Mon Dec 03 15:42:11 -0800 2007 3175130 126908 iwantmytwodollars 3 3176687 MacPhail does a very nice pinot from Toulouse vineyard. Mon Dec 03 16:40:23 -0800 2007 3176496 35525 Frodnesor 4 3177552 I was curious if there was any connection between the McPhail Toulouse and Toulouse's own. I know Vern sold grapes to people for a long time before starting to make his own wine. Will have to check it out. Mon Dec 03 23:37:06 -0800 2007 3176687 126908 iwantmytwodollars 3 3177140 $2, I need to try that Toulouse. Thanks for the tip. Any other Burgundian recs? Mon Dec 03 19:29:51 -0800 2007 3176496 144856 The Chowfather AKA sobe 4 3177576 You know, I usually suggest Navarro pinots (or a certain few from Oregon). They are not heavy, not terribly expensive, and they are reliably good (but not nearly as good as Toulouse). I should add that Toulouse pinot really varies year to year, which is something you pick up on in the vertical tasting and is due mostly to the fact that they've only got so many grapes and cannot blend their way to a consistent type of wine each year. I love that though, because then the vintage really means something. For instance, the 2003, so fragile and beautiful, is totally different than the 2005, which is much bolder and bigger. From talking to the winemaker, I suspect that he may try and continue in this latter vein. I hope he doesn't (too big!), but that may be his taste. Other pinot noirs I've recently enjoyed (Oregon): Chehalem 3 vineyards pinot noir. Always Beaux Freres. Can't say I love Rex Hill. I've tried, and I done quit it. I did have a very interesting New York state wine (raided Vintage Wines in Soho of all their half bottles) and came away with some appreciation for the Wolffer La Ferme Martin merlot. It is a refreshing 12.8 percent alcohol, which is so hard to find except in French wines, I find. Anyhow, good luck! And if you want Toulouse, you can buy it cheaper at K&L wines than you can at the vineyard! Tue Dec 04 00:00:07 -0800 2007 3177140 126908 iwantmytwodollars 5 3213391 FYI wine spectator gave the 05 91 points. I ordered some of the 03 and the 05. Looking forward to both http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily_Wine/0,1142,4777,00.html Sun Dec 16 15:39:20 -0800 2007 3177576 144856 The Chowfather AKA sobe 6 3227567 You'll have to report back! Fri Dec 21 01:08:35 -0800 2007 3213391 126908 iwantmytwodollars 1 3177052 2004 Bachey-Legros Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau Vieilles Vignes Mon Dec 03 18:54:30 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3177252 Don't usually drink whites but found one I enjoyed that paired well with my stone crabs. 2005 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay. Mon Dec 03 20:10:26 -0800 2007 2755718 144856 The Chowfather AKA sobe 1 3177261 a nice bottle of Marquis and Phillips No. 9 05' shiraz. just wonderful !! Mon Dec 03 20:16:00 -0800 2007 2755718 106255 chazzerking 1 3177357 Tonight 2003 Vice Versa - Cabernet Sauvignon Really good. I think this is the first one I've opened of their inaugural release. Quite good. Drinking really well now. Surprised. Thought I'd have to wait. Glad it was so approachable. Glad I bought several bottles. Mon Dec 03 21:19:08 -0800 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 3180367 2005 Rosenblum Heritage Clones Petite Syrah. Pepper and blackberry on the palate. Paired very nicely with the braised lamb shanks. ~Eddie http://oeno.blogspot.com Tue Dec 04 19:47:42 -0800 2007 2755718 139638 Eddie H. 1 3180582 '03 Ch des Tours Vacqueyras Tue Dec 04 21:37:44 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3203264 1992 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne. Wed Dec 12 17:22:29 -0800 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 3213655 As I sit here web surfing, with a bowl of minestrone: Frogtown Propaganda, a Bordeaux-style red blend from Lumpkin County, Georgia -- lots better than it probably sounds :-). (I had an opportunity to purchase leftover bottles from the Eastern Seaboard Vinifera Winegrowers' Association competition at a very reasonable price.) Sun Dec 16 17:27:39 -0800 2007 3203264 147512 chriscatva 1 3217882 Saturday night Opus One 2000, excellent chewy and firm. I consistently underrate this wine because it tends to be one the non-wine drinkers buy to impress, but I must admit it was execllent Pahlmeyer Merlot 2002, excellent fruit, good balance, delicious Ch. Le Bon Pastuer 1989, wonderful nose, great merlot flavor aging nicely. Tue Dec 18 06:43:36 -0800 2007 2755718 65156 BernieMSY 1 3226712 last night, Lassalle NV and '02 Paradigm cab Thu Dec 20 16:01:13 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3226744 Bouchard 2005 Beaune Marconnet -- unbelievably delicious for 35 bucks. Have drunk 4 bottles, each time I'm surprised that it's as good or better than the last bottle. Thu Dec 20 16:13:08 -0800 2007 2755718 151099 la tache burger 1 3229595 Last night - 2 bottles of 2004 SeaSmoke Ten. Really good. Black cherries and cranberry were highly present. Fri Dec 21 16:57:46 -0800 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 3229789 Cadus Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 from the Mendoza Valley -- a really big wine. I decanted it, which I think made quite a difference (as I'd recently had it straight from the bottle). This wine can easily still age for several years. Fri Dec 21 18:51:39 -0800 2007 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3230931 '05 Bonaccorsi PN Sta Rita Hills Sat Dec 22 11:16:04 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3231249 2003 Volk Mourvedre. 1999 Poggio al Sole Chianti Classico Casasilia. Sat Dec 22 14:10:44 -0800 2007 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3231883 right now a '99 San Vicente; earlier today with friends, '75 Margaux Sat Dec 22 21:18:58 -0800 2007 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3241932 Last night in London... 1995 Chateau Montrose 2004 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Fri Dec 28 01:20:48 -0800 2007 2755718 10385 woojink 1 3243972 NV Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs. Prefer this to the regular brut. 2004 Cline Mourvedre, Ancient Vines, Contra Costa. Eh. Not bad, but not interesting either. 2006 Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir. Yummy and complex. Beautiful after 10 minutes in the glass. Cantaloupes, strawberries, chestnuts, all there from the nose to the finish. My favorite non-champage rosé. 2006 Quady Muscat, Electra. okay, not a real wine with the added acids. but tasty nonetheless. Fri Dec 28 18:45:31 -0800 2007 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3244250 I think that I may have had Cline late harvest Mourvedre a couple of years ago; whomever made made, it was quite interesting. had a "by the glass" of Trinitas Mataro earlier today and am now finishing off some '04 Sea Smoke Southing Fri Dec 28 21:29:45 -0800 2007 3243972 31795 ibstatguy 1 3251519 Last night, Gosset Grande Rosé. Fantastic champagne that really requires and works well with a variety of food to show its best. Tue Jan 01 12:39:16 -0800 2008 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 3252005 New Year's Eve: '98 Clicquot Le Grande Dame and '94 Rayas Cotes du Rhone Tue Jan 01 16:50:40 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3258970 Tonight: Kunde estate syrah, 2003. Had it with leftover refried black eyed peas from NYD. Thu Jan 03 18:07:24 -0800 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 3271564 Dona Beatriz Rueda Verejo 2005 -- with salmon with a sort of hunter-style sauce. Very pleasant wine -- nice and crisp, with a good balance of acid & fruit. Mon Jan 07 17:32:37 -0800 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 2 3271579 I love ruedas; if you ever come across a Naia, buy it! Mon Jan 07 17:38:11 -0800 2008 3271564 74451 vinosnob 1 3303276 '98 remirez de ganuza Wed Jan 16 18:59:16 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3313347 The holidays brought a lot of merriment to my household. A sampling of what we have drunk over the past month: 2004 Calera Ryan's Vineyard pinot noir - Lovely. Not super complex but very drinkable. With dinner at NOPA. 2003 Eponymous red bordeaux blend - Delicious! I think the brand new vintages sell for like $20? This was $65. Definitely a buy now, drink later. I picked up some Edmund St. John Bone-Jolly for around $19. My boyfriend, a big fan of Beaujolais, hates it. I hate beaujolais, but thought this wine was okay. I think though it would be better in five years, not to soften any tannins but to develop complexity. It does however have a very peculiar odor to my nose. Lots of violets, in an excessively perfumey kind of way. 2003 Chateau Faure-Beausejour: our go-to, wallet-friendly Bordeaux. Rich, deep, delicious, and about $13. 2004 Mt. Veeder Winery cabernet sauvignon. We almost ruined this by pouring it into a decanter still coated with a veneer of dishwashing liquid (of the lavender aromatherapy variety). Luckily, we only decanted half and were able to enjoy the deep luscious fruit of this wine in clean, non-soapy glasses. Cost $33.99 at a Long’s drugstore. (Only in the Bay Area.) For the price though, you can get better. 2004 Chateau Coupe Roses Minervois, cuvee vignals. Somewhat musty and earthy on the nose with a very palatable raisiny fruit in the mouth. Lightweight without being austere, owing to respectable tannins. We love this stuff. $18. My favorite wine of the last two months, however, has to be the Domaine Serene Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. $35. It is a bigger pinot, but utter heaven. Sat Jan 19 22:30:30 -0800 2008 2755718 126908 iwantmytwodollars 2 3331782 If you can, try the ESJ Rocks and Gravel and if you can spend more, one of the single vineyard syrahs. I purchased these a while ago and tasted recently and they're superb. Fri Jan 25 09:17:04 -0800 2008 3313347 74451 vinosnob 3 3351033 Thanks for the rec, vinosnob. I will see if I can get my hands on some Rocks and gravel (is it truly minerally as the name suggests?) As a side note, I am waiting with unabashed excitement to open my 2001 Foppiano petite syrah reserve. I'm going lamb that night, I think. Thu Jan 31 01:03:48 -0800 2008 3331782 126908 iwantmytwodollars 1 3330075 2001 Paumanok Assemblage, North Fork, Long Island, 13% ABV 44% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 21% cabernet franc Bottle was a little over the hill. Not bad, but nothing special. I'm sticking to their whites. NV Champagne Aubry 60% pinot meunier, 20% pinot noir, 20% chardonnay Wow, probably the best NV brut, non-rosé champagne I've had at the entry level, less than $40. At $30, this blows away any of the large houses at the same price range. Gorgeous color of gold, with hues of pink. The nose was full of biscuit and toasted bread, with subdued fruit. The bubbles were fine, smooth, and just melts in your mouth perfectly. Awesome value. A belated New Year's Resolution: Drink as many grower-producers as I can. Thu Jan 24 18:41:04 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3348413 From last Saturday, tasting notes kept by my friend Marty as the evening progressed: '90 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill: Bright, rich and expressive on the nose and palate. Seemingly the most mature and ready of the three. Lovely champagne. '90 Bollinger RD: Reticent and dense on the nose and palate. Like a big coiled spring that will take years to unfurl. Should be great, but when? '90 Krug: Intense and mouth filling. It finishes with a whiplash of minerally, mealy fruits. Oh my! Notwithstanding the line up reds to follow, this was hard to leave. Reds: '78 Camille Giroud NSG Les Cazetiers -- pretty, fully mature Burgundy; '96 Chevillon NSG Les Pruliers -- still deep, dark and needing time, but really good; '03 Potel Chambertin -- others liked it, but not for me, although way to young to know where this may go; '82 Cerbaiona Brunello -- in its prime and delicious; '90 Salvioni Brunello -- not ready and not as good as the latter, at least right now; '89 Giacosa Falletto Riserva -- absolutely gorgeous, and just about reason enough for leaving the Krug; '70 Taylor Port Wed Jan 30 10:29:49 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3348629 Last Saturday night, a cold rainy SOCAL evening at home, with a mediterranian chicken stew, Coya Malbec 2004, Oakville, Napa Valley. Actually a great match, but it would pair well with grilled steak also. We did not decant; poured it straight from the bottle. The wine appeared near perfect, as best I can tell. Deep garnet color, smooth and supple with a moderate fruit (blueberry / plum) presence. 14.5% abv. Recommended by a trusted wine shop owner. We generally do not drink a lot of Malbec, and usually look to Argentina when shopping for Malbec, but this wine was excellent. I would buy it again. Wed Jan 30 11:14:02 -0800 2008 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 3358353 last night it was some 2000 Ch des Tours blanc, very nice wine Sat Feb 02 08:41:39 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3380213 2005 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage, ABV 13% Was supposed to have this over Thanksgiving, but drank a JL Chave Silène instead, which was fine, at the time... The color was dark purple, with an almost inky density. And wow, what a nose! So complex. Dark raspberry, chocolate, bacon fat, coffee, grilled herbs (rosemary?), with the crushed black pepper just blasting away. In the mouth, the wine medium-full, with flavors of black olives emerging. The finish is long, vibrant, and begs you to take another sip. The flavors of black pepper and the minerals, especially, just sing on the nose, in the palate, and throughout the finish. This wine would be great with a steak au poivre. Overall, this Graillot is a fabulous bargain at ~$30, and if it's at all indicative of how the '05 Rhônes are drinking now, there's little chance I'll be able to keep myself from drinking them as soon as I buy them. I'm glad I have a second bottle but it's unlikely it'll last very long. This is exactly what I want in a Northern Rhône. And oolah, if you're reading this... I'd just open one now, especially if you have a couple stored away. And you could certainly cellar it for awhile, but personally, I enjoyed the tannins and the structure as they are now. Or maybe they just went well with my ribeye. I would also recommend that you not decant this wine, as after just a few minutes in the glass, the wine was at its peak, at least to me. The first glass v. 2 hour decant v. the next day? The first glass was still the best to me. Enjoy! Sat Feb 09 09:12:17 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3401048 Wow, thank you for these notes. I only have one bottle, unfortunately, but from your description, I'll be drinking it soon. It sounds wonderful. I had a 99 Graillot a few years ago and it's still one of my favorite wines -- this one may top it. Le Du has a magnum of the Graillot La Guiraude at the *not* bargain price of $125, but if you've got the storage space for it, it might be worthwhile. http://www.leduwines.com/sku000000009373.html Fri Feb 15 10:24:24 -0800 2008 3380213 16011 oolah 3 3401704 The '03 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Thalabert was my previous favorite, but this was at least just as good. Quite different styles; it'd be fun to compare the two side by side. Thanks for the tip about Le Du. I like their selections, but their prices are, as you point, um, terrifying. The Bollinger Special Cuvée they have for $60 can usually be found for around $40. Fri Feb 15 12:41:19 -0800 2008 3401048 97069 mengathon 2 3404097 Thanks for the note. I'm happy to have 5 of these but am trying to keep my hands off them for a little longer. Have you tried the Crozes-Hermitage from Alain's son Maxime? Also excellent but harder to find. Domaine de Lises http://www.skurnikwines.com/prospects.cgi?rm=view_prospect_detail&prospect_id=556 Sat Feb 16 09:57:54 -0800 2008 3380213 18626 Nathan P 1 3402737 Vettori Prosecco Conegliano 1999 Poggio al Sole Chianti Classico Casasilia Fri Feb 15 17:49:09 -0800 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3410676 shared the following champagnes over lunch today at Currant in San Diego: '98 Pol Roger rose, Larmandier-Bernier rose and Louis Barthelemy rose. All were very good and all were quite distinct from the others. a great way to spend the afternoon with 3 good friends Mon Feb 18 16:40:22 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3411215 Iron Horse Rose Brut 2003. The nose and flavors are very deep. I got meat, red berries, and mango, both on the nose and in the mouth, with a long finish. I served it with sirloin just seasoned with salt and pepper, and berries for dessert. It did completely different things with the meat and berries, but worked well with each. This is a very big sparkler. The color is a deep coral salmon. It's very different than any other sparkler/Champagne I've ever had. Mon Feb 18 19:08:13 -0800 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 2 3422444 the color of the L-B rose really has to be seen (and the wine to be drunk)...terrific stuff Thu Feb 21 17:21:28 -0800 2008 3411215 31795 ibstatguy 1 3422987 2002 argyle willamette valley brut. 22 bucks at safeway. probably the most interesting american sparkler i've had, in that it really doesn't seem to be attempting to be something it's not, i.e. champagne. it's got great bubbles, kind of green appley. Thu Feb 21 21:11:56 -0800 2008 2755718 160617 bwan 1 3423516 have a bottle of 2003 Domaine Alfred Morrito PN I'm nervous about opening this weekend. Meanwhile I've been on the zin binge, with Marrieta, Hendry Block 28(?) 2002, Titus 2003, The Prisoner (2005 and 2006). Notable exceptions Mauro 2004, Scholium Project Naucratis 2006 and Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2002(just me or very sweet for sauvignon blanc? paired nicely with dinners though) Fri Feb 22 06:46:13 -0800 2008 2755718 124704 Icantread 1 3426369 2004 Huet Vouvray Sec, Le Mont Tasty stuff, especially with food. Fri Feb 22 21:00:18 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3426961 monday night at a malbec, $10-20 evening: 2005 Clos La Coutale Cahors 2006 Tomero Malbec 2006 Gouguenheim Malbec 2002 Le Combal Cahors 2005 Bodega Sur de los Malbec Gran Reserva 2005 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec 2006 Bodega Renacer Malbec Punto Final (x’s 2 – duplicate) 2005 Bodega Renacer Malbec Punto Final Reserva (x’s 2 – duplicate) tuesday nights cold climate aussie night: 2004 Berry's Bridge Shiraz 2002 Berry's Bridge Shiraz 2003 Tintara Shiraz Reserve 2005 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz Lieu dit Malakoff 1999 Greenock Creek Shiraz Apricot Block 2004 Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Springflat 2004 Heathcote II Shiraz N.V. Yalumba Antique Tawny Museum Reserve wednesday night lounging: 2006 The Bitch Grenache 2004 Jacob's Creek Shiraz Reserve thursday night italian gala at the marriot marquee: about 250 different italians, too many for notes. last night lounging: 2006 Razor's Edge Shiraz tonight long island otbn: i am considering bringing 3 of these, please feel free to help me pick: 2001 Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon EII Napa Valley Red Wine 2000 Château La Fleur de Jaugue 2003 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Mason's 2004 M2 Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Cohn 2005 McPrice Myers Grenache L'Ange Rouge others are bringing: 98 almaviva 93 don mechlor 99 insignia 99 Araujo my liver hurts. :-) Sat Feb 23 07:56:51 -0800 2008 3426369 122578 TBird 1 3445491 Finally I bought some wine off a recommendation from the Board. WOW...I'm speechless. I'm a BIG fan of cult Bordeaux wines. It was a 2003 Chateau Le Puy Cuvee Barthelemy (100% Biodynamic & Organic). This wine is an incredible example of terroir! Soft tannins with a super long finish and a complex nose of currants ripe fruit and hints of coco. The guy who recommended it said it was hard to find in Los Angeles. I had no problem finding this wine. Actually, I stumbled across a really cool website that specializes in French wines and they delivered it to me next day. Check out: http://www.aocwines.com. $100 a bottle. Thu Feb 28 17:43:01 -0800 2008 2755718 126107 JDRoth 1 3446189 Clicquot NV brut, '00 Les Pallieres Gigondas, '04 Cloudy Bay S.B., '05 Sea Smoke Southing... Thu Feb 28 23:43:05 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3467901 Tonight I grabbed a bottle of Domaine Chandon Chardonnay. ($18.00 at B.J.'s) I'm pretty much a newbie, so I pretty much just grab whatever catches my eye and taste away! Anyway, something is bothering me about this wine, and I can't put it into words. I think maybe the alcohol is out of balance. The more I swirl it around and try to pinpoint the flavors, it seems I can only tast the heat. Thu Mar 06 17:42:38 -0800 2008 2755718 136707 TiaRaye 1 3468007 Out with a group at a local Thai place, with everyone thinking beer, I brought a bottle of 2006 Tablas Creek Rose. It was very good with the spring rolls and then everyone switched to beer. Thu Mar 06 18:27:02 -0800 2008 2755718 144441 pasoguy 1 3474354 My latest gem from Trader Joe's. The 2005 Epicuro Aglianico ($5). I've grabbed a couple cases. Get some for yourself if you can! Cheers! Jason www.jasonswineblog.com Sat Mar 08 23:09:37 -0800 2008 2755718 168850 jjrzut 1 3475329 last night an '05 Ken Wright McCrone Vyd; tonight some bdb or a Highfield SB with some shrimp cocktail before dinner, haven't gotten any further on the wine with dinner plans Sun Mar 09 12:27:25 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3496031 Last night we drank Zinie de Potelle 2004 (Chateau Potelle in Napa Valley). It's their late harvest Zinfandel, very sweet. My husband and I enjoyed this very much with a few pieces of chocolate. Sat Mar 15 13:40:00 -0700 2008 2755718 70602 stephtx 1 3504526 '03 Ken Wright Pinot Blanc Tue Mar 18 11:49:20 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3583282 2004 La Madura Saint-Chinian Classic. 30% Grenache, 39 % Carignan, 15 % Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre. Thu Apr 10 21:58:56 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 3585533 sounds like a potentially very nice wine; any notes? Fri Apr 11 14:40:14 -0700 2008 3583282 31795 ibstatguy 3 3585871 Here's their website: http://www.lamadura.com/en/index.php This wine has lovely floral aromas. Tannins are there, but silky, and has excellent spice and minerality as well as great depth and purity of fruit. I think I paid around $18/bottle. I purchased this wine from an interesting shop in San Francisco called Terroir. Here's their location: 1116 Folsom street San Francisco, CA 94103 Telephone (415) 558-9946 http://terroirsf.com/ Fri Apr 11 16:16:21 -0700 2008 3585533 12275 wineguy7 4 3587055 last night: 2005 Château Labat 2003 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard 2003 Outpost Zinfandel 2003 Carlisle Syrah Filtered Bennett Valley 2000 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Eight Songs Sat Apr 12 08:16:41 -0700 2008 3585871 122578 TBird 4 3589400 interesting focus adopted by Terroir Sun Apr 13 08:35:13 -0700 2008 3585871 31795 ibstatguy 1 3587537 Non-vintage Kitma Tselepos Amalia Brut Methode Traditionelle. Made from the Moschofilero grape, this has to be one of the driest sparkling wines I've ever had. Sat Apr 12 11:39:46 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 3620472 2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé 2005 Vital Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2005 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Botella 2005 Kenneth Volk Pinot Noir Sierra Madre Vineyard Santa Maria Valley 2006 Claiborne and Churchill Pinot Noir 2006 Adelsheim Pinot Noir 2006 Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Pinot Noir Cork Dancer 6.1 Santa Barbara County 2006 Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir Reserve Selection No. 41 Santa Lucia Highlands 2006 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006 Babcock Pinot Noir standouts were the KB, the seasmoke & the claiborne & churchill. Tue Apr 22 17:17:29 -0700 2008 3587537 122578 TBird 3 3621209 Domaine Schlumberger 2003 Pinot Gris. Nice mineral on the nose and tongue. Some nice stone fruit. As one would expect, the acid was medium plus. I live in Texas. It gets hot here. It was pretty hot today. As I was grilling, simple monkfish medallions, my wine warmed considerably. Interestingly, the wine continued to show well as its temperature continued to rise. An excellent, moderately priced summer wine. Tue Apr 22 22:12:10 -0700 2008 3620472 69838 Epicurious Esquire 3 3743177 How was the 2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé? I found some and I am wondering if it's worth buying. I can't seem to find any tasting notes on the internet. How would you describe it? Thanks in advance! Mon Jun 02 17:40:37 -0700 2008 3620472 14828 Ali B 4 3743911 on the rose thread there's both good and bad psoted on this wine Mon Jun 02 22:42:43 -0700 2008 3743177 31795 ibstatguy 1 3621257 '02 Jarvis Cab Franc Tue Apr 22 22:48:17 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3630183 Just picked up a botttle of 2005 Iron Horse Unoaked Chardonnay. Going to enjoy it tonight :) Iron Horse is a love of mine, but have yet to try the unoaked, so tonight is the night! Fri Apr 25 14:05:54 -0700 2008 2755718 186650 orl_foodie 1 3630330 Swine and Vine tonight! Or otherwise known as Pinot and pork. Two bottles of 2006 Oregon Shea Estate Pinot Noir, one bottle of 2006 Oregon Tori Morr Pinot Noir, will start decanting and using my Wine Swirl in an hour or two. Maybe sooner, the ribs are on now and I should be tasting as I cook. Fri Apr 25 15:04:58 -0700 2008 2755718 148886 duck833 1 3635284 tonight was a '95 Jasmin Cote Rotie and some Gonet-Medeville NV rose; both were quite nice Sun Apr 27 21:37:32 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3636004 2005 Mattes-Sabran Corbières “Clos Redon”. I think it is all tank-fermented Syrah. Very floral, medium bodied, lots of fruit. Mon Apr 28 07:59:18 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3638607 2004 Louis Martini Reserve Cab Sav - WOW. This was from a wine tasting last year and it was wonderful. I had about half the bottle and if it weren't for working tomorrow, I would have enjoyed all of it! Yum! Mon Apr 28 20:20:10 -0700 2008 2755718 112748 Heyteacher 1 3642061 Fortunate enough to attend a Diageo tasting. The highlights... 1986 Beaulieu Georges de LaTour 1995 Beaulieu Georges de LaTour 1995 Sterling SVR 1997 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 Ch. Haut-Brion 2004 Ch. Margaux 2004 Ch. Lafite Rothschild 2004 Domaine de Bonserine Côte-Rôtie, La Sarrasine 2004 Rosenblum Syrah, Reserve, Kick Ranch, Sonoma County It was my first experience with the first growths. Quite nice with wonderful complex aromas, but dare I say overrated? And also not nearly ready to drink for at least a few years. The 86 Georges de LaTour was incredibly fresh for a wine that age. I wonder how many CA cabernets will be able to claim that in 20 years. But my favorite was the Rosenblum Kick Ranch Syrah. Let's hope his wines don't change after the acquisition. Tue Apr 29 22:06:29 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3652291 '06 Leth Gruner Veltliner Fri May 02 21:30:13 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3654244 I just finished a bottle of Field Stone Sav Blanc from a local Napa/Sonoma wine tasting. It was great on a warm day - nice, cold and crisp. YUM! Sat May 03 19:59:35 -0700 2008 2755718 112748 Heyteacher 1 3654273 Roederer Estates Anderson Valley Sparkling. Just felt like having sparkling wine tonight. And it was actually delicious with cabbage braised in vermouth and seared scallops... Sat May 03 20:26:02 -0700 2008 2755718 52499 ChefJune 2 3656053 2005 Neyers High Valley Zinfandel. A very well made wine with a price around $25. Sun May 04 17:16:27 -0700 2008 3654273 50082 TonyO 1 3659301 last night it was an Vacqueyras: '05 Sang des Cailloux Doucinello Mon May 05 16:07:01 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3659546 Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay 2006 -- with coq au vin. A really nice unoaked chardonnay. Mon May 05 17:18:50 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3659732 '02 Dominus. '05 Ch.Monpertuis CDP Mon May 05 18:22:25 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3660327 how was your cdp and, if you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for same? Mon May 05 23:18:38 -0700 2008 3659732 31795 ibstatguy 3 3661753 Not at all. This was the basic cuvée (Tradition). Monpertuis has another more expensive cuvée (Classique). Or maybe I have the names reversed. I managed to get it on sale at 25% off at $30. I've seen it regularly priced at around $35. The wine itself was a good mix of rustic and a more modern style. Lots of earthy flavors, minerals, some black pepper. Dark raspberry flavors in the background. Medium-full bodied, good length. Compared to the '04, much fresher and better to drink now, but should have enough structure to cellar for awhile. It wasn't the best example of what the '05 Rhones have to offer, but a good QPR nevertheless. Tue May 06 11:06:29 -0700 2008 3660327 97069 mengathon 1 3660246 I cannot help but to continue to comment, base on "now." Biale Hill Climber Rolly Aker's Napa Syrah '05. Great fruit-driven Syrah. New World in style. Seventy-five cases produced. Hunt Mon May 05 22:07:40 -0700 2008 2755718 11329 Bill Hunt 1 3663103 I received a case of half-bottles of Brouilly 2005 from Georges Descombes. Openned one for dinner and it's quite pleasing; quite earthy, but fresh. Will be a summer favorite when I'm not in the mood for openning a full bottle. Tue May 06 17:17:56 -0700 2008 2755718 11828 Maximilien 1 3669304 last night an '03 Blankiet merlot - wonderful Thu May 08 13:04:37 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 3672072 My liver is currently drinking the remnants of last nite's binge. Fri May 09 10:43:25 -0700 2008 3669304 69838 Epicurious Esquire 1 3675304 Last night, a surprisingly youthful 1998 Roagna Barbaresco Paje. Massive and woodier than I recall from previous bottles. Sat May 10 16:14:00 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3675387 2006 Torii Mor Oregon Pinot Noir. I actually opened it last night and had a small glass. Put the cork back in and am now drinking glass #2 (nice big one in a PN glass), day two is wonderful. Soft flavors, great PN. What is even better is I found it at the Scottsdale Costco for $24. Great Oregon PN for the money. I am liking these 2006's a bunch. Sat May 10 16:57:44 -0700 2008 2755718 148886 duck833 1 3676488 Last night's dinner: Linne Calado, Leona's 2006, 74% Zinfandel, 12% Mourvedre, 8% Alicante, 6% Syrah great with short ribs ! Cass Rockin' One, 2005 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah good with gougeres Sun May 11 09:01:00 -0700 2008 2755718 132857 dockhl 1 3677328 For mother's day brunch : Champagne (moet-chandon) 2004 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape (served with BBQ ribs (not too sweet), roasted potatoes and roasted peppers). 2006 Domaine Du Moulin Cheverny (red) (served with cheeses, (laguiole, gouda and Pizy) and nuts, dates and salad) Both wines (excluding champagne) were very good, the Charvin was typical, but not too overpowering, while the Cheverny was fresh and light and hold up well after the Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sun May 11 16:02:13 -0700 2008 2755718 11828 Maximilien 1 3678998 Sunday: '99 Les Pallieres Gigondas with grilled lamb. Nora Albarino and Leth Gruner Veltliner with a variety of cheeses. Mon May 12 09:35:55 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 3680026 How well does the Pallieres Gigondas age? I'm thinking of getting a couple of bottles of the '04 either to drink or put away. Mon May 12 13:22:04 -0700 2008 3678998 97069 mengathon 3 3684955 very well. I love this wine. Tue May 13 20:53:19 -0700 2008 3680026 31795 ibstatguy 1 3679140 Bohemian Highway Cabernet 2004 Mon May 12 10:06:26 -0700 2008 2755718 17087 Munchkin 1 3681146 1964 Ch. Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux. Never had a wine that was older than me! Quite pleasant, but unfortunately a bit over the hill. Mon May 12 19:23:36 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3683857 Mother's Day: 2005 Cigale GSM Barossa. Nice Rhone earthiness. Mild barnyard funk, and fruit. This is a hit at my house. Tonight I'm thinking of a 2006 Macon Solutre White Burg., or possibly an '06 Hugl Weine Gruner Veltliner. Or, like Chef June above, that Roederer Estate. It looks like I'm going to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work today for some fish. Tue May 13 14:36:07 -0700 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 3683910 A silky 2006 Lemberger Spätlese from Württemberg.... niiiiiiiice Tue May 13 14:52:41 -0700 2008 2755718 116513 linguafood 1 3684963 a merlot rose from a VERY well regarded Napa winery. OMG. wish I could tell you more. Tue May 13 20:55:45 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3685057 2006 Graziano Fontana Sauvignon from Trentino. Very fresh nose. Grassy and racy on the palate and BONE dry. Purchased from Biondivino in San Francisco. Tue May 13 22:00:14 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3686579 Karl Ronne of The Wine Thief, in New Haven, CT, is an unusual guy. He waited on me personally yesterday and their selections are amazing. He buys from a distributor who seems to specialize in boutique wineries and smaller lots. You don't find much of his wines in bigger stores. On his suggestion I bought a case of "Inaki", a 2005 red from Chile. This $15 bottle of "no name" red (meaning grapes are not listed) is phenominal for the price. If you can find it, give it twenty minutes to breathe, preferably in a carafe, and you will be rewarded with lush fruit and chocolate worthy of a wine at twice the price. Wed May 14 11:26:42 -0700 2008 2755718 137946 Scargod 1 3687913 Con Class Rueda 2006, with crayfish bisque. Crisp with citrus notes, with enough body to stand up to the rich soup. Wed May 14 17:11:54 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3704832 Catena Alta 2004 Malbec Mendoza. When I bought it, I did not know that Wine Spectator gave it the 23rd slot for its Top 100 Wines of 2007. Beautiful wine - well balanced, lush with notes of dark berry, cedar and spice and a finish that never finishes. It just lingers on . . . To me, it's a wine that almost any red wine drinker will like. Great fruit, but not jammy. Woody and spicy, but not overly so. Tannic, but not overly so. It is "medium" and balanced all the way through. Tue May 20 09:19:58 -0700 2008 2755718 69838 Epicurious Esquire 1 3704882 Unfortunately I'm stuck in the office and had to resort to Coke at the moment. =) -mJ Tue May 20 09:29:43 -0700 2008 2755718 192452 njfoodies 2 3704959 Has anyone ever tried Earthquake Cabernet? I recently had a few glasses the other night and I really enjoy it. Tue May 20 09:46:08 -0700 2008 3704882 193750 Robert Hobbs 3 3705775 I've had their Zin. A very good Zin for the money Tue May 20 12:47:05 -0700 2008 3704959 137946 Scargod 1 3705159 Bodega Colomé Torrontes 2007, with cheesy poached eggs (lunch). More fruit on the nose than on the palate, but a nice citrus taste. Crisp, but full-flavored and rather hot. A wine to sip slowly (at least for me). Tue May 20 10:30:18 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3705479 2005 Marchesato degli Aleramici Rosso di Montalcino -- outstanding! Tue May 20 11:38:12 -0700 2008 2755718 15835 Husky 1 3707068 '03 Ch Vieux Donjon Tue May 20 20:29:05 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 3726045 ooh I have a bottle of that I've been saving. Any tasting notes? I only have one bottle -- drink now, or save? Tue May 27 21:39:59 -0700 2008 3707068 16011 oolah 1 3707379 At a very special tasting, I got to experience probably the best wines of my life. Sorry sir, that spit bucket is unnecessary, and if I may, a tad insulting. The lineup: 1. Champagne Salon, Le Mesnil 1996 2. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Remoissenet Père et Fils, "Diamond Jubilee" 1997 3. Leon Beyer Gewürztraminer, Cuvée de Comtes d'Eguisheim 1988 4. Chambolle-Musigny, 1er Cru, Robert Groffier et Fils, "Amoureuses" 1988 5. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Dom. du Vieux Télégraphe, 1985 6. Pauillac, Ch. Mouton-Rothschild 1998 7. Maury, Vin Doux Naturel, 1925(!) Everything was fantastic. The Salon was my favorite, no surprise given my personal love of champagne, and I'll be singing its praises 'til kingdom come. That said, it is incredibly young and cellaring can only help. The Mouton was young as well, a little closed, and probably needs another 5-10 years before it's really ready. The Télégraphe was in great shape and is at its peak now, according to our host who recently shared a meal with Mssr. Brunier. The Corton and the Chambolle were, IMO, both drinking at peak, and glorious reminders to myself: patience! The Beyer gewurz was the only relative disappointment, only because I loved the other wines. Nevertheless, it was intense and long, and vibrant for its age. If only every night could be like this.... Tue May 20 23:38:55 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3726074 Mengathon, I think that I have been going to the wrong tastings. The lineup sounds great. You make me jealous. Hunt Tue May 27 21:55:47 -0700 2008 3707379 11329 Bill Hunt 3 3738635 Yeah, I have to admit my dumb luck. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I had never been to a tasting where so many great, well-aged wines were featured. And we were very fortunate to have an extremely knowledgeable and generous host who provided the right spectrum of wines, each drinking at the proper time window. OTOH, Bill, if you're ever in NYC, lemme know. If you happen to be here when the next tasting takes place, I think I might be able to sneak you in =) Sun Jun 01 00:50:11 -0700 2008 3726074 97069 mengathon 1 3710687 '02 Ridge Lytton Springs Syrah Wed May 21 22:20:57 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 3710700 Too weird.. I'm drinking an '03 Ridge Lytton West Syrah..it's really good. Wed May 21 22:32:47 -0700 2008 3710687 97452 Beach Chick 3 3711316 we're obviously both quite fortunate ;-) Thu May 22 07:49:59 -0700 2008 3710700 31795 ibstatguy 4 3717414 yes dg, we are! Sat May 24 09:53:03 -0700 2008 3711316 97452 Beach Chick 1 3712866 Had a few glasses of J Lohr's Seven Oaks Cabernet last night. Love the stuff. Thu May 22 14:38:24 -0700 2008 2755718 193750 Robert Hobbs 1 3713348 Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos Bierzo 2006, with steak salad. This is a really nice wine, made with 100% Mencia grapes. It reminds me a bit of cab franc, with with darker fruit and more mineral (and probably less spiciness than many cab francs). I opened this bottle a few days ago and it's even better than at first. Later I expect to have a glass of La Grange Snort 2006 (a port-style wine from Virginia's Winery at La Grange, made from Touriga Nacional & Tannat) -- with chocolate cake. Thu May 22 17:37:49 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 2 3713451 2005 Taz Fiddlestix pinot noir. YUM! Notes at: http://jerseyfoodies.blogspot.com/2008/05/2005-taz-pinot-noir-fiddlestix.html Thu May 22 18:19:21 -0700 2008 3713348 192452 njfoodies 1 3713703 We just had a bottle of Cloudy Bay's Chardonnay. I believe it was a 2006. It's a fascinating chardonnay although could probably stand a little less oak. Thu May 22 20:20:26 -0700 2008 2755718 57993 happyrobot 1 3717489 Itsas Mendi Txakoli 2006, a Spanish white from the Basque region, made with the Hondarrabi Zuri grape -- with fried oysters. Lots of citrus, medium body, fairly complex. An interesting wine, and one I'd drink again. (I'm doing this thing where you try to taste a lot of different grapes, so going for unusual ones to add to my list.) Sat May 24 10:28:02 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 2 3718078 thursday night: 2005 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Les Granits<---huge with tasty dose of vanilla 2006 Domaine Yves Cuilleron St. Joseph Lyzeras Blanc<----minerally and sulpheric which blew off after awhile 1998 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie<---earthy but not really my style 2001 Porter Creek Syrah Timbervine Ranch<----ringer and easily indentified as such. what a NICE wine. seriously. 2001 Les Vignobles Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche<--what i brought and lovely doses of pepper and meat. kind of oily, in a good way. 2006 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30<---brilliant notes of cherry. tuesday night: 2005 Meßmer Burrweiller Schawer Riesling Kabinett trocken 2006 Kutch Pinot Noir Russian River Valleymystery wine(easily nailed by yours truly) 1999 Joseph Drouhin Maranges 1er Cru<--sucked ass and i brought it 1999 Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru Clos du Cellier Aux Moines<---thin and useless 1999 Henri Perrot-Minot Morey St. Denis 1er Cru La Riotte Vieilles Vignes<---closed tight 1999 Frédéric Magnien Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos Baulet Cuvée Unique,----corked 1999 Domain Arlaud Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Ruchots<---finally! delicious 1999 Domaine Arlaud Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes Cuvée Unique<---ended on a great note. wotn. delicious sunday night: 2006 Viñedos de Nieva Sauvignon Blanc Rueda Blanco Nieva<---appetizer! 1997 Pezzi King Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 T-Vine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Bookster Cabernet Sauvignon 1985 Gustave Niebaum Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon 1985 Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 M2 Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 last friday night: 1997 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Viña Tondonia 1967 Marcarini Barolo Brunate 1987 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate Chalone 1997 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 1997 Kanonkop Estate Paul Sauer 1997 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin 1997 Biasca Merlot 1977 Warre Porto Vintage 2000 Château Yon-Figeac plus my liver needs a break. :-) Sat May 24 15:29:27 -0700 2008 3717489 122578 TBird 2 3719488 just discovered that there are rose Txakoli wines so be on the look out for those Sun May 25 12:01:16 -0700 2008 3717489 31795 ibstatguy 1 3718331 I am drinking (literally) right now, a bottle of 2003 Jose de Sousa Alentejano. I am a wine newbie, at least at the level of intellectualizing the whole experience, and I am extremely impressed with the velvety ambery richness of the wine, especially for the price (I think I paid 18 bucks including tax, and this is in monopolistic Quebec, you can get much better deals anywhere else). I can't seem to stop drinking it, despite getting drunker and drunker every moment. I am trying to crack the code of why I like this wine. Too bad, I am left with the whole bottle since partner is not a big drinker, or should I say thank god? Sat May 24 18:06:23 -0700 2008 2755718 53259 emerilcantcook 1 3720504 Last night: 2006 Niedrist Trelaner Sauvignon (91). Tonight: Ommegang Hennepin Sun May 25 22:50:29 -0700 2008 2755718 50041 whiner 1 3721298 last night Gaston-Chiquet, some Lafon Sauterne with foie gras, a Timmoroso (don't recall winery) with pork loin and a Core late harvest grenache for dessert Mon May 26 10:44:15 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3722999 Yesterday afternoon, at a winery opening: Barrel Oak Winery Bowhaus White -- a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Seyval Blanc -- with a charcuterie plate. A nice light patio wine for a hot day here in Virginia. Last night: With a hamburger, Quinto de Cabriz Dão 2005, a blend of Alfrocheiro, Tinta-Roriz (Tempranillo), and Touriga-Nacional. For dessert, Weingut Klaus Knobloch Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese 2000. Tue May 27 05:59:08 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3724430 2004 Betts & Scholl Hermitage Tue May 27 12:42:33 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3724557 Nothing. I'm at work. Tue May 27 13:12:16 -0700 2008 2755718 18825 Summerfield 1 3729590 2003 Blind Trail Central Otago Pinot Noir $14.99. This was wonderful with food, and delightful after the meal was finished. Back to the store for more very soon. Wed May 28 21:38:15 -0700 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 3729950 Last night: Anselmo Mendes Andreza Loureiro 2006 -- a few hours before dinner, w/ cheeses Quinto de Cabriz Dão 2005 -- w/ lamb curry Weingut Klaus Knobloch Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese 2000 -- later in the evening Thu May 29 04:07:45 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 2 3739792 what did you think of the Trockenbeerenauslese Sun Jun 01 15:53:28 -0700 2008 3729950 183241 misnatalie 3 3740785 Very yummy -- and I think could easily have held up several years more. Beautiful golden color, with a lot of apricot and almond. Didn't have quite the complexity of a Riesling TBA -- lacked some of the grassy and mineral components -- but not nearly the price either :-). Mon Jun 02 05:06:04 -0700 2008 3739792 147512 chriscatva 4 3741872 Thanks. Did you purchase the bottle at a retailer? If so where. I've been looking for a nice dessert wine. Mon Jun 02 11:17:14 -0700 2008 3740785 183241 misnatalie 5 3752429 I bought it several years ago at a northern Virginia shop called Arrowine. In general you can find good buys in TBAs made from German grapes other than Riesling (ortega, scheurebe, huxelrebe). Wine specialty stores -- or maybe the wine department at a store like Whole Foods -- may have some wines of this sort. And online shopping is a good option too. Thu Jun 05 09:41:41 -0700 2008 3741872 147512 chriscatva 1 3738638 1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de blancs will never quite be the same. Sun Jun 01 00:52:39 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3743913 rough duty I see... Mon Jun 02 22:44:11 -0700 2008 3738638 31795 ibstatguy 1 3740905 A poweraid, I just got home from the gym :) Mon Jun 02 06:21:24 -0700 2008 2755718 197168 professor_X 1 3743921 '04 Viader Dare Cab Franc Mon Jun 02 22:48:04 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3747534 Hey, as long as the thread's alive, I'll keep coming back. Tonight, it a lovely little Picchetti Bellichetti Vineyards Santa Clara Mountains '05 Zin. Lovely spices and a bit lighter style. It went well with baked ziti and broccoli with IT cheeses atop. For the alcohol folk, it was ABV 14.2%, and lovely with the red sauce on the ziti, along with ground beef. If one wants a "spicy," lower alcohol Zin, this might be the one. I'm about to have it with a few dark, bitter-sweet chocolate morsels, with which I think it will go nicely. Hunt PS - it did, just as I thought. If one really loves Zins, Picchetti (Santa Cruz Mtns. winery), is one to check out. Only problem is keeping up with each of their offerings, as I think I've had over 20, this year alone. Still, that is not a bad comment, unless one keeps score, or tries to buy exactly what they had three months ago. Tue Jun 03 21:07:45 -0700 2008 2755718 11329 Bill Hunt 1 3751055 '03 Argiolas Costera Isola del Nuraghi; very nice wine, reminded me of a So. Rhone; wish I'd bought a LOT more... Wed Jun 04 20:54:21 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 3752415 Valmiñor Albariño Rias Baixas 2006, for lunch with cold potato & leek soup. A really nice Albariño, crisp and citrusy, with a bit of oak. Thu Jun 05 09:39:04 -0700 2008 3751055 147512 chriscatva 3 3753937 Nora is our house Albarino although we've had a fair bit of Bodegas del Palacio de Fefinanes Thu Jun 05 15:43:02 -0700 2008 3752415 31795 ibstatguy 4 3754359 I like Albariños in general -- have had several I enjoy. I'm not sure what my favorite is yet. Thu Jun 05 18:13:00 -0700 2008 3753937 147512 chriscatva 5 3756275 My current favorite, which I've posted about before, is Morgadio. Fri Jun 06 10:37:21 -0700 2008 3754359 74451 vinosnob 6 3756361 Thanks -- I'll have to check for it. (Meanwhile I'm presently finishing up the Valmiñor with a Reuben sandwich :-). ) Fri Jun 06 10:58:36 -0700 2008 3756275 147512 chriscatva 1 3756279 Recent highlights: 2005 Huia Pinot Noir 2005 Nalle Zinfandel 2004 Sea Smoke Botella 2005 Domaine des Croix Cent Vignes 1er Cru Fri Jun 06 10:38:39 -0700 2008 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 3758562 '03 Blankiet Cab Sat Jun 07 08:13:38 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3758605 Well, right at the moment, Diet Pepsi :-). But last night with dinner I had Faunus Cesanese del Piglio 2005 . First time I'd had a Cesanese (blended with a bit of Barbera & Montepulciano). I really enjoyed this wine -- very fruity but nicely balanced. Sat Jun 07 08:41:46 -0700 2008 2755718 147512 chriscatva 1 3772414 '02 Jobard "en la Barre" Wed Jun 11 19:38:21 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3776968 had a great birthday lunch with friends yesterday at Ave 5 here in San Diego and the restaurant was very accomodating on the corkage. had, amongst other things, Sine Qua Non Petition, '94 Shafer HSS, Barthelemy rose champagne, '98 Vieux Donjon. Fri Jun 13 06:18:52 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3789680 Krug Grande Cuvée. A bottle that was supposed to be opened after the Super Bowl. 6 months later, it's for the Celtics! Tue Jun 17 21:54:31 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3793099 2006 Benton Lane Pinot Noir Wed Jun 18 20:49:52 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3795813 2006 Memo Sangiovese Thu Jun 19 16:57:42 -0700 2008 3793099 127433 PeterB 1 3805514 2005 Boasso Barbera d'Alba. Mon Jun 23 11:34:18 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3806026 it was blazing hot on Sunday so we had Dehlinger pinot rose with grilled lamb chops; worked just fine Mon Jun 23 13:17:12 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3807151 This is a thread, with a life of its own. OK, I'm still playing. Biale Grande Zin, and it is sublime. It paired well with ribs last night, and is doing well on its own. Nice firm mouthfeel, a bit of alcohol (do not have the bottle handy, but would guess 14.5% ABV), plenty of black berries. Hunt Mon Jun 23 19:09:57 -0700 2008 2755718 11329 Bill Hunt 1 3818195 1999 Coteaux du Layon, Pierre-Bise "Chaume" - a little past peak. 2004 Paumanok Cabernet Franc - yummy stuff, great nose, texture, with nice green and tobacco streaks, though i do miss the barnyard/mineral qualities of those from the Loire. 2005 Côtes-du-Rhône, M. Chapoutier, "Belleruche" - more intensity than a typical CDR, the syrah seems prominent. Fri Jun 27 00:31:31 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 3819338 Woodenhead Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley Fri Jun 27 10:03:08 -0700 2008 3818195 70602 stephtx 1 3822156 NV Aldo Rainoldi Rose Brut. Nebbiolo from the Valtellina. Sat Jun 28 12:10:21 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3822573 about to have a glass of CUNE rosado Sat Jun 28 15:40:18 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3823022 Just came back from birthday party for my 90 year old mother. We put down six bottles of 2007 Oregon Achery Summit Rose' and six bottles of 2007 Elk Cove Rose'. 4 o'clock party, unusually warm and humid in Eugene today (to bad for Olympic Trials participants), both were nice crisp Rose's, appreciated by all. Sat Jun 28 20:01:27 -0700 2008 2755718 148886 duck833 1 3823185 Last week, in the mountains of SoCal, with my SO: 2004 Domaine Robert-Denogent St. Veran Le Pommards Vielles Vignes 2006 Friedrich Becker Spatburgunder "B" The coming week, in Vegas, with my rowdy friends: Roederer Estate N.V. Brut 2006 Domaine Jean Pierre Seve Macon-Solutre 2003 Blind Trail Central Otago Pinot Noir Sat Jun 28 21:27:43 -0700 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 3825061 Just opened my first bottle of Layer Cake Primitivo from Puglia. I am shocked at how fantastic this is- smooth, incredibly full and velvety for a 13.5% "zinfandel" (which this wine is co-labeled as) and so easy to drink. I am glad I took the chance on it. Sun Jun 29 19:16:19 -0700 2008 2755718 102095 vvvindaloo 1 3832094 Hamilton Russell Pinot; Vincent Girardin Villes Vignes; Palacio Fefinanes Albarino Tue Jul 01 23:09:07 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3833437 2007 R Winery's BITCH from Austrailia. 100% grenache. Wed Jul 02 11:19:04 -0700 2008 2755718 12873 OCAnn 2 3833718 I really like this wine. It pairs up nicely with a wide range of food and is a great bargain at WHWC at $8.99. I like the screwcap also. What did you think of the wine? Wed Jul 02 12:40:22 -0700 2008 3833437 78406 scrappydog 3 3834862 I purchased it completely out of novelty, and was pleasantly surprised. Mr OCAnn doesn't like it, but I find it to be a good table red. I'm still getting used to screw-caps. I intend to buy a case to give out as gifts.... Wed Jul 02 18:51:11 -0700 2008 3833718 12873 OCAnn 1 3836801 last night: Clicquot brut, '99 Les Pallieres Gigondas, '97 Ch Montrose Thu Jul 03 12:13:15 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3838270 Barthelemy rose champagne; '04 Schloss Lieser MSR Riesling Kabinett; '05 Dr Weins-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling-Kabinett Thu Jul 03 23:05:42 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3846064 on the 4th: Cune rose, '04 Nenow Kenefick Ranch Cab; '04 Drinkward Peschon Cab Mon Jul 07 13:45:26 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3851071 Hans Fahden 2006 Merlot Napa Valley. We LOVED the last two vintages of their Cabernet Sauvignon and this youthful Merlot is wonderful as well. Here is my review of the wine: Tasting Profile: Look – Deep ruby red in color with a heart of dark plum. Swirl the glass and thick legs appear slowly before they march slowly down the glass Smell – A wonderful blast of concentrated aromas of earthen cherry, ripe blackberry, soft pine tar and mild fresh mixed salad herbs Feel – Initially velvet soft and then the wine shows lush medium tannins as it coats and then drys the tongue and the roof of the mouth Taste – Big and rich flavors of dark stonefruit, dark cherry, dark smoky blueberry, blackberry and plum, with a slight herbaceous or vegital quality that gives the wine a hearty flavor that follows its initial fruity brightness Finish – Super long-lasting, with smokey fruit then more vegital all over mouth flavors that taper off slowly as the wine coats and the drys your mouth Conclusion – Once again, Hans Fahden winery has us scratching our heads at the high-quality/low-price of their wines. We declared their Cabernet Sauvignon to be an under-priced masterpiece and we say the same of this fantastic, youthful Merlot. The only ‘bad’ thing we could say about this wine is that once it is gone, it’s gone. Okay, to be fair, all wines are like this, but when we asked the winery if there would be a future vintage, they (sniff) said ‘nope’! Tue Jul 08 21:47:29 -0700 2008 2755718 207968 Agent_Red 2 3851157 Sorry, but I think their stuff is just awful. A friend works there, and the winery itself is less than 4 miles away, so I've had plenty of occasion to taste their grape-y, foxy, disappointing wines. Tue Jul 08 22:39:33 -0700 2008 3851071 18222 maria lorraine 2 3852585 I'm sorry to "out" you... but it is truly self-serving and disingenuous to review a wine you're also trying to SELL prominently on your website. Besides, "smokey fruit then more vegital all over mouth flavors"? WTF? Wed Jul 09 10:37:47 -0700 2008 3851071 18222 maria lorraine 2 3852618 First of all it's v-e-g-E-t-a-l, not vegital. Secondly, Maria is right -- "vegetal" in a Cabernet or Merlot is usually a sign of unripe (or underripe) grapes. Your description of this wine makes me want to run away from it, not buy it, but it also sounds typical of every Hans Fahden I've ever had. To be polite, let me just say: not my favorite winery. (FWIW, I am one of those who turned down an opportunity to buy a quantity of these wines at a serious discount, but even then -- I didn't think these wines were worth offering to my customers.) Wed Jul 09 10:46:23 -0700 2008 3851071 28122 zin1953 1 3855969 so how do we know, as Bill Hunt suggests on the "new" thread, if this is one of the longest ever on the board? Thu Jul 10 08:34:13 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 3860248 Ibstatguy, how is the Cune Rose? Fri Jul 11 12:02:53 -0700 2008 2755718 69838 Epicurious Esquire 2 3861720 its very nice, my guess is that it is 100% tempranillo, a heavier bodied rose. 3 btls left from a case buy. would certainly pull the trigger on more. Fri Jul 11 21:37:11 -0700 2008 3860248 31795 ibstatguy 1 3872142 2006 Ioppa Uva Rara. I am told that this is a local name for Bonarda in this part of Piedmont. Tue Jul 15 18:29:21 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 3886727 Are we moving this to the new thread? '96 Duval-Leroy. Gorgeous champagne, probably at its peak right now, and decidedly better and more harmonious than compared to just 12 months ago. Nutty, yeasty, and toasty, and relatively full-bodied, with excellent length and finish. Yet thoroughly confusing when I found out it was 70% chardonnay, while their NV is usually 75% pinot noir, according to their website. Given a choice between blanc de blancs or blanc de noirs, I definitely would have guessed the latter. What gives? Quite unique in that their vintage brut is drastically different in its composition than their NV. I can't really think of another house that does this. Sun Jul 20 22:14:53 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 3886749 '98 Henriot rose; Pehu Simonet NV Brut rose; 2 '02 Paradigm Cab Sauv (triggered by an outstanding '99 Cab Franc with eatemup on Friday) Sun Jul 20 22:25:31 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4000750 2007 Langlois-Château Cabernet de Saumur La Bretonnière Sec ; '04 Rob't Nenow Kenefick Ranch Cab Sun Aug 31 21:00:17 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4002569 2002 Olga Raffault Chinon 'Les Picasses' Nice Chinon. I prefer this with a slight chill. 2005 Foreau Vouvray Demi-Sec How do you like this wine? I think it needs food Drinker 1: I really want some soft cheese. Drinker 2, 20 minutes later: I have a craving for cheese. Note to self: next time when drinking this wine, call ahead and make sure the host has cheese.... Mon Sep 01 21:07:57 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4009469 '02 Remirez de Ganuza; preferred the '01` and '98 Thu Sep 04 16:36:32 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4010201 Such a long thread! These days -- September 2009 -- while it may be a fad akin to the early '80's white zinfandel -- yuck -- we are leaning more toward New Zealand sauvignon blancs. Gotta love the grapefruit on the nose! We also enjoy all things Molly Dooker. My wife has categorically given up Zinfandels, much to my dismay. We enjoy trying new California Pinot Noirs. Thu Sep 04 23:44:52 -0700 2008 2755718 207176 grantham 1 4015752 '06 Dehlinger pinot rose (still wonderful); '02 Havens Black and Blue Sun Sep 07 15:31:33 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4025005 '01 Guigal St Joseph blanc Wed Sep 10 17:16:47 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4030530 Jacquesson Cuvée 732 Citrus, minerals, good amount of earthiness. Quite a long finish for an NV, if one can call it that. Fri Sep 12 15:27:44 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4036501 mengathon - how would you compare the 732 to past bottlings as I have not had the 732 but have had a fair number of the past ones. Mon Sep 15 11:30:38 -0700 2008 4030530 31795 ibstatguy 3 4038187 sorry buddy, cant help you there. i had the 730 awhile ago and liked it, but kept no notes and was absolutely unqualified to give you any sort of useful comparison. we also had it from a magnum, making things even more difficult. Mon Sep 15 21:08:55 -0700 2008 4036501 97069 mengathon 1 4031777 2005 Turley Tofanelli Charbono - Went great with a wilted spinach salad & grilled flank steak. Sat Sep 13 08:04:16 -0700 2008 2755718 213427 Iowaboy3 1 4031906 Last night with a fabulous steak dinner I had a J Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005. This was fabulous with a great price point. Now trying to decide what I could have with lunch today... :) Sat Sep 13 09:10:54 -0700 2008 2755718 134710 taboo 1 4033551 For dinner last night: Donum 2005 Russian River Pinot Noir with grilled beef tenderloin, served rare with roasted garlic sauce and leek-tomato quinoa. Brilliant. Sun Sep 14 06:41:42 -0700 2008 2755718 13003 whs 1 4033655 Edmunds St John "Wylie-Fenaughty" Syrah 2000, El Dorado County with grilled burgers. ABV 14.1%. Outstanding. Sun Sep 14 07:53:37 -0700 2008 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 4036910 Reichsgraff von Kesselstadt Wehlenr Sonnenuhr Grosses Gewacghs Trocken Riesling 2006. Fabulous. The aroma is so full of nuances, powerfull but elegant, fruit and flowers with integrated mineraliy, lots of taste, stellar though refined acidity. Riesling rules! Mon Sep 15 13:34:52 -0700 2008 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4038581 '04 Melis; it may not say Spain but it is very good nonetheless Tue Sep 16 05:55:40 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4045956 2004 Jean-Luc Columbo Cornas, Terres Brulées Thu Sep 18 19:19:02 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4046159 l'Hortus Rose de Saignee 2007. It was wonderful with dinner last night, and even better tonight, the end of the bottle, all by itself after a long day at work. Warmed up slightly and swirled, it has an aroma that I associate with much more "ambititous" wines. Thu Sep 18 21:06:42 -0700 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 4048505 Bollinger R.D. 1990; '05 Thomas pinot noir (OR) Fri Sep 19 18:13:21 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4048687 '03 Franciscan Oakville Estate Magnificat.. Fri Sep 19 19:57:46 -0700 2008 2755718 97452 Beach Chick 1 4051781 '05 Erna Schein family reserve red Sun Sep 21 19:54:59 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4055881 right now: a Fleury from clos de la Roillette, 2006, which is quite delicious, has the Beaujolais Cru fruits + something extra what 'we Europeans' ;=) (and many others as well), like to call terroir + an especially impressive great structure, which often is lacking is these (gamay) wines. Remarkably. ...And I 'have' to mention this weekend's Francois Villard Condrieu 2006, an etheral multifaceted extremely elegant and highly recommended wine! Divine! Tue Sep 23 13:51:35 -0700 2008 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4067461 '03 Viader "Dare" cab franc Sun Sep 28 08:54:50 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4067932 1998 Clape Cornas. Finally starting to show me something. Sun Sep 28 12:59:58 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 4068240 was this the Renaissance? were the tannins loosening up a bit? Sun Sep 28 15:38:14 -0700 2008 4067932 31795 ibstatguy 3 4069556 I don't know what that is. Is Renaissance the name of a particular cuvee? This bottling is 1998 Cornas from Auguste Clape. I bought six bottles from Kermit Lynch when it was released. I've opened three of the bottles now. The last time I tasted this wine was two years ago. That time and the prior bottle (maybe two years earlier) showed no fruit, but lots of tannin and earth. Now the tannins seem to be softening. There was copious glycerin, black fruit, smoky, minerally and meaty notes as well as great length. I will probably revisit this wine in another year. Mon Sep 29 08:23:06 -0700 2008 4068240 12275 wineguy7 4 4070026 yeah, Renaissance is a Clape Cornas cuvee. your notes seem consistent with my and others experience. Mon Sep 29 11:01:52 -0700 2008 4069556 31795 ibstatguy 1 4071500 2006 Roblin Sancerre Tue Sep 30 00:06:54 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4074954 As l am typing in Paris. a Dr Parce banyuls 1990 with a perfect maroilles and a four year old comte, it is heaven Wed Oct 01 13:05:15 -0700 2008 2755718 71113 Delucacheesemonger 1 4075919 robbing the cradle; opened an '03 Vieux Donjon, loads of future here and betting it will be great tomorrow Wed Oct 01 20:51:42 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4082922 '05 Hamilton Russell PN, Walker Bay South Africa; track it down, very nice stuff Sun Oct 05 08:40:54 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4089689 2004 Joly Savennières, 'Les Clos Sacrés' Out of the ice bucket and into a decanter. Yum. Went with everything from oysters to a skate meunier. My friend suggested an apple pie with this, and it probably would have gone great. I'm a convert now... 2005 Mas Igneus Priorat Tue Oct 07 20:55:32 -0700 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4089825 How was the Mas Igneus? I seem to recall enjoying some in the past; perhaps I should be grabbing some up? Tue Oct 07 22:46:06 -0700 2008 4089689 31795 ibstatguy 3 4092470 Quite nice. I didn't jot down the specific blend, but I'm pretty sure it was 50% grenache, 35% carignane and the remainder CS and syrah. The nose was ripe plummy fruit, some red spices, a good amount of earthiness, and very pleasant and subtle oak. Medium body, relatively light tannins, but great, great acidity and carried the +14% abv quite well. I'd enjoy this one young. It should be around $20-25 or so retail, given our price at the restaurant? I'd be inclined to buy some more. Wed Oct 08 23:30:20 -0700 2008 4089825 97069 mengathon 1 4089822 '07 Rombauer Chard Carneros; haven't had something like in a long time. had it with roast chicken. nice Tue Oct 07 22:44:59 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4090734 Currently in Bretagne with a dozen creuses #2 and a bottle of very cheap Muscadet sur lies, my oh my oh my Wed Oct 08 10:28:21 -0700 2008 4089822 71113 Delucacheesemonger 3 4094893 What a great place to be! How envious am I. Nothing goes better with shellfish than Muscadet, no matter what the price! Thu Oct 09 22:53:34 -0700 2008 4090734 207176 grantham 1 4094710 Diebolt Vallois brut Tradition Thu Oct 09 20:14:45 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4099782 '06 Champlou Vouvray; a kermit lynch import; very nice wine on a beautiful and sunny san diego late afternoon. Sun Oct 12 16:16:58 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4100059 also having an '04 Dom. des Tours Vin de Pays de Vaucluse; a Martine's import and rather inexpensive at the time of purchase as I recall Sun Oct 12 19:13:17 -0700 2008 4099782 31795 ibstatguy 2 4100269 Have you tried their sparkling? Wondering how it is. Sun Oct 12 21:52:03 -0700 2008 4099782 97069 mengathon 3 4100786 have not had the opportunity but now that you remind me... Mon Oct 13 07:54:57 -0700 2008 4100269 31795 ibstatguy 1 4120411 '02 Lewis Alec's Blend; with piece of cold fried chicken tonight after some tennis. It was either a classic (who'd a thought) combo or I was was starving and dying of thirst...The Alec's blend is to my mind one of those over the top wines but I sure do like it for some reason Tue Oct 21 23:27:30 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4128344 with friends at Cowboy Star eating burgers and bison burgers (both excellent): NV Nicolas Feuillatte brut rose and '05 Erna Schein Jersey Boy. Feuillatte was very yeasty and Jersey Boy was popular but a bit of a disappointment for me particularly since I compared it to an '05 Anderson Conn Valley Right Bank that got opened later at home. Sat Oct 25 09:55:11 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4129753 2003 Helios Syrah from Corison. Definitely some heat there. Spicy, fruity and lots of depth and length. Sun Oct 26 08:59:54 -0700 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4130856 J. Lassalle NV brut rose; '03 Firriato Nero d'Avola Chiaramonte. Shoulda bought more of both but at the "then" price, I should have picked up 2 - 3 cases of the Chiaramonte... Sun Oct 26 20:30:55 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4135729 alright, I am going to tee up post no. 400 for someone else. tonight it was an '02 Flor de Pingus. Really wish that I was in Spain...sigh.... Tue Oct 28 22:57:38 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4135813 Bottled water. Wed Oct 29 02:28:04 -0700 2008 2755718 206877 jpc8015 1 4141610 2005 Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuvée Doucinello; with lunch at Blue Boheme with a very good friend. I thought it would be way early for this wine but it just opened beautifully. I am sure that it has a fair bit of life left but gosh its wonderful now. Fri Oct 31 15:19:27 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4142060 '02 Branaire duCru; very nice and "affordable" bordeaux Fri Oct 31 21:09:57 -0700 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4144098 forgot to include a Diebolt Vallois blanc de blanc; I really enjoy the whole Diebolt Vallois line up. Sun Nov 02 08:08:49 -0800 2008 4142060 31795 ibstatguy 1 4145432 Warning: Baby killing involved... 2002 Baumard Quarts de Chaume. mmmmmmm. i think this one might outlive me. Already an intense golden color, it's incredible now, but needs food. Something like a cheesecake, fresh fruit, or foie gras. Loads of tropical fruits, apricots, nectarines. Not as full-bodied and lighter botrytis flavors than I expected, but still rich, and all with great, great acidity. Very curious to see what it's like tomorrow. Sun Nov 02 21:39:47 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4159219 Just tried it this past Tuesday and tonight. Really perky and at top form on Tuesday, and mellow tonight. Definitely looking forward to trying it in about 50 years. Sat Nov 08 21:46:59 -0800 2008 4145432 97069 mengathon 1 4153294 birthday lunch at Blue Boheme on Wednesday: N.V. Zoémie de Sousa Champagne Brut Merveille; 2004 Philippe Faury Condrieu; 2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Thu Nov 06 08:33:20 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4155289 Tell me more about the champagne? It's a producer I've not encountered. And how's the Beaucastel drinking? Thu Nov 06 23:00:03 -0800 2008 4153294 97069 mengathon 3 4155547 I was not familiar with it until given a few bottles. Wonderful stuff, yeasty but not overpoweringly so, loads of very tiny bubbles and hence a very smooth mouthfeel. I give it a huge thumbs up. The Beaucastel was decanted for about an hour and was terrific; I was a bit worried that it would be WAY to young but that was not the case at all. Fri Nov 07 06:16:56 -0800 2008 4155289 31795 ibstatguy 1 4161573 Last night I opened the first of eight bottles I had purchased of 1996 Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee de "Champs-Chenys". I thought it might be ready to drink by now, but alas, it is not. Still tight, not showing much in the nose. On the palate, it took over two hours of being open to express itself. I will probably wait another 6-12 months or so before I open another. Mon Nov 10 08:15:58 -0800 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4161600 Cheap (6 Euros), light and fresh 2007 Grand Cardiel Blanco from Rueda, Spain. Mon Nov 10 08:27:13 -0800 2008 2755718 232532 nielsenj 2 4161684 Last night...Rocca delle Macie chianti classico riserva 2004. Twas rich, full-bodied, and delicious. Paired well with the Sicilian chicken dish my wife made. Mon Nov 10 08:55:05 -0800 2008 4161600 99971 anewton 1 4171274 There has been more talk about the Firriato Chiaramonte nero d'avola on these boards. I'm drinking the 2006 now. I loved 04 and especially 05. 06 is great as well, perhaps a tiny little bit less packed than 05 but still full of flavour in great elegant balance with the tannins and fresh acidity. Excellent fruit, with the recognizable spicy aroma's which I love in this wine. A tasty one for sure. Thu Nov 13 13:07:08 -0800 2008 2755718 223679 Willem 2 4171580 love the Firriato! Thu Nov 13 14:44:30 -0800 2008 4171274 31795 ibstatguy 1 4175817 1997 Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia Maremma Toscana IGT . Had the Lupicaia with very good friends and there's no better way to enjoy a great wine. In my mind, this wine (or "similar") validate the Super Tuscan concept. Wish I had more, it was my last one. Sat Nov 15 09:50:09 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4177163 Nice. Do you know the typical blend for Lupicaia? Sat Nov 15 22:59:26 -0800 2008 4175817 97069 mengathon 3 4177433 cab, merlot, petite verdot (I think). don't know the typical ratios. Sun Nov 16 06:50:34 -0800 2008 4177163 31795 ibstatguy 1 4177166 2000 Brovia Barolo 'Garblet Sue' Sat Nov 15 23:00:04 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4179118 2003 Margerum Alondra de los Prados Syrah. Sun Nov 16 22:30:34 -0800 2008 2755718 207176 grantham 1 4181364 1997 Rodano Chianti Classico Riserva Viacosta. Lots of tannin, not a lot of fruit. Mon Nov 17 16:23:23 -0800 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4182141 With our late night cheeseburgers, Jordan 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. Mon Nov 17 23:15:23 -0800 2008 2755718 207176 grantham 1 4184951 2007 Stroblhof "Strahler" Weissburgunder from Alto Adige. High acid, very fresh and clean style. Tue Nov 18 21:01:11 -0800 2008 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4187317 2005 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Wed Nov 19 16:15:03 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4187766 Clos Rougard 2004 Saumur Champigny, with roasted chicken. Yum. Wed Nov 19 19:45:16 -0800 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 4190836 2003 Château des Tours Vacqueyras Reserve Thu Nov 20 21:04:45 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4192886 2005 Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills; 2001 François Jobard Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières; N.V. Louis Barthélémy Champagne Brut Rosé; there was also an '05 Spatburgunder that rocked but I don't know what the heck it was, sorry. Fri Nov 21 16:08:22 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4209272 1979 Lungarotti Torgiano 'Rubesco' Despite the cork disintegrating, the wine drank very well. Lots of toffee, coffee, raisin, dried cherries, and loads of mushrooms. However, after decanting for sediment, the wine broke down in about an hour. The aromas dissipated and the finish turned vinegary. 2005 Edmunds St. John Syrah, El Dorado Co., 'Wylie Fenaughty' A most unique Californian syrah, with loads of herbs on the nose: eucalpytus, mint, sage; and dark cherries. Medium bodied, with tannins that just melt. I was shocked to see this wine at 14.6% abv. Indeed, "la terre parle." Sat Nov 29 22:56:27 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4242855 It's good to hear that the Wylie is showing so well at such a young age. I've got my ESJ Wylie (and Bassetti and ParmaLee) syrahs buried as deeply into my cellar as I can get them. The '01 Los Robles Viejos is pretty yummy right now though. Fri Dec 12 15:43:40 -0800 2008 4209272 167620 BillB656 3 4267137 I'm definitely going to buy a couple more of the Wylie. Very curious to see how it turns out in 5-10 years. But my mantra of why wait probably means i'll have to pick up at least a case. Mon Dec 22 15:11:06 -0800 2008 4242855 97069 mengathon 1 4209307 2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé Sat Nov 29 23:57:46 -0800 2008 2755718 244447 sunsetstrip38 1 4212096 A few this weekend... 2005 Sea Smoke Southing from magnum 2002 Marco di Guilio Cabernet - Progeny (2 bottles) 1995 Joselph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (surprisingly good) 1996 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Champagne from magnum Mon Dec 01 11:42:07 -0800 2008 2755718 10385 woojink 1 4212634 Over the weekend... '05 and '06 Porter Creek Zinfandel '06 Radio-Coteau Zinfandel '07 Keller QbA Riesling '05 Scacciadiavoli Rosso di Montefalco Christiania Vodka Mon Dec 01 14:43:01 -0800 2008 2755718 74451 vinosnob 1 4219179 2007 Françios Chidaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. $11.99. Tastes like 29.99. Wed Dec 03 20:31:02 -0800 2008 2755718 68466 vickib 1 4222970 2000 Château des Tours Côtes du Rhône Reserve - blanc Fri Dec 05 09:31:30 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4241994 Saint Peray 'les archeveques' 2006 from Les Vins de Vienne, a 100% marsanne with 15 months in oak. Very well made, though a bit to much (new) oak for me. But, marsanne is a grape I like, so I'll pour another round... Fri Dec 12 10:37:29 -0800 2008 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4242632 50/50 mixture of extra dry and sweet Martini and Rossi vermouth, with one rock. Fri Dec 12 14:11:04 -0800 2008 2755718 245669 rememberme 1 4242861 Last couple of nights 1996 Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Cinque Querce (Campania) Last tasted two years ago, this was shut down hard with no aromatics at all. Now it opens with tons of dried roses, fennel, and black cherry. The mid palate is showing lots of acidity and structure followed by some serious tongue coating, fine grained chalky tannins. This is really enjoyable now and should evolve over the next 5-10yrs. Lots of sediment. Decant next time. 2006 Château de Raousset Morgon Douby (Beaujolais) A new producer for me and my first from Douby. This wine is everything I love about Beaujolais. Ahh-inspiring floral aromatics, high-toned strawberry and tart tart cherry flavors, just enough tannic structure showing both power and finesse, and really bright acidity. There is a solid sense of iron and granite at the core. I’m very happy drinking this wine. Drink and hold. Imp: Jeanne-Marie de Champs 2005 Domaine d'Orfeuilles Vouvray Silex (Loire) A few sheeps worth of wool draped over chalky limestone and lemon. It’s wonderfully dry and crisp with crunchy pink grapefruit acids on the finish. Good enough to pick up a few more to lay down. Fri Dec 12 15:46:02 -0800 2008 2755718 167620 BillB656 1 4266177 '98 Henriot rose and Bollinger special cuvee brut; tis the season... Mon Dec 22 10:15:18 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4266423 Last night - 2005 Sloan Asterisk - Fruit bomb (no surprise) needed a prolonged decant - 3+ hours... even used a Vinturi that someone recently gave me as a gift. Great wine for the NY strip I had for dinner. As it evolved in the glass, there was a sweet chocolate component that came out. Quite nice. Full mouthfeel. Very ripe and jammy fruit. Tannins were definitely present. Did not have the same salinity content of it's bigger brother. Mon Dec 22 11:26:27 -0800 2008 2755718 10385 woojink 1 4275136 2005 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The North Slope ; N.V. H. Billiot Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru; 1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage; N.V. Louis Barthélémy Champagne Brut Rosé; 1995 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino the last couple of days have been great: family, friends, great food and wine Fri Dec 26 20:50:46 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4277079 '06 Bastianich Friulano NV Champalou Vouvray Brut '05 Movia Sauvignon '93 Zilliken Riesling Spatlese Saarsburger Rausch '97 Trinchero Barbera d'Asti 'Noce' The Movia was awesome. The Zilliken was tired and nearly dead, but still fun as an experiment. Sat Dec 27 22:26:00 -0800 2008 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4279866 not familiar with the Movia - any details? Mon Dec 29 09:23:07 -0800 2008 4277079 31795 ibstatguy 3 4281408 A winery that straddles both Friuli and Slovenia, Movia produces some of the most unique white wines, i.e. barrel fermenting ribolla gialla, usually a non-descript grape and resulting wine, into something that rivals Joly in complexity, oddity, and pure enjoyment. More information here amongst these links: http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/05/04/expanding-the-borders/ http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/05/movia_slovenia_current_release.html http://www.italianwinemerchantstore.com/wineshop/producer/movia.html Mon Dec 29 17:26:00 -0800 2008 4279866 97069 mengathon 4 4352916 meng... have you also tried damijan or gravner as well? if you like movia, you may like these guys as well, if you haven't already! i happen to be swilling down some 96 voge cornas with a bison burger... pretty sexy for a young but off vint cornas Fri Jan 23 22:47:51 -0800 2009 4281408 259971 cockscomb 5 4355161 Not yet, but they are next on my list. Damijan and Gravner are both a little more difficult to find in retail and higher priced as well. Those two and Radikon are my next targets. Sat Jan 24 22:53:14 -0800 2009 4352916 97069 mengathon 1 4283982 after drinking an '05 Numanthia (with bison and regular burgers at C Star), I am really looking forward to opening a magnum of '98. best wishes to all in '09 Tue Dec 30 15:22:02 -0800 2008 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4306545 1999 Antonin Guyon Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Thu Jan 08 01:10:32 -0800 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4309606 2004 Nicolas Joly Savennières 'Les Clos Sacrés' 1994 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon 'Clos de Ste Catherine' The Joly was great, as always. Paired with oysters, squid, and skate in beurre noir. The Baumard had an unbelievable color of orange Fanta. Paired with cheese plate. God, I love chenin. Thu Jan 08 19:49:02 -0800 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4309815 New Year's Eve: '02 Marcel Moineaux Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs - floral, along with yeast, apple, dough, nuts, and then, those flowers again.... A couple of days later: 2006 Buisson Renard Pouilly Fumé, Didier Dagueneau - wow. I was accused of infanticide, and yes, it could have laid down a couple of more years, but it was very fine indeed. Thu Jan 08 21:27:25 -0800 2009 2755718 68466 vickib 2 4327695 if I'm not very much mistaken, I believe that Didier died recently in an accident of some sort Wed Jan 14 21:26:47 -0800 2009 4309815 31795 ibstatguy 3 4391602 Yes, Didier is gone, and there doesn't seem to be anyone to carry on his house...that I've heard of. Thu Feb 05 17:24:20 -0800 2009 4327695 68466 vickib 1 4327688 '05 Frog's Leap Cab Rutherford; this is a very nice CA cab Wed Jan 14 21:25:07 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4329795 Carpene Malvolti Viognier Brut. Yup, sparkling Italian Viognier. It's Delicious! They apparently make a Kerner Brut as well. Thu Jan 15 13:34:41 -0800 2009 4327688 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 1 4346566 2000 Rust en Vrede Estate Red Wine ; 58% cab, 33% shiraz, 9% merlot. a very nice wine Wed Jan 21 22:07:19 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4352845 2005 Léon Beyer Gewurztraminer Fri Jan 23 21:24:32 -0800 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4357297 2001 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas - went great with some grilled lamb chops Sun Jan 25 19:27:59 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4379027 2006 Château Grande Cassagne Costières-de-Nîmes Rosé; N.V. Riondo Prosecco Veneto IGT; 2004 Tyrus Evan Claret Sun Feb 01 20:31:47 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4395377 How was the Riondo? Sat Feb 07 01:20:40 -0800 2009 4379027 223679 Willem 3 4395385 quite enjoyable and the last of 6 btls; will have to pick up more soon. fairly steady mousse for a prosecco, not heavy in the least, perfect with a bit of prosciutto Sat Feb 07 01:46:36 -0800 2009 4395377 31795 ibstatguy 1 4385414 Ribera del Duero, Crianza, Silencio de Valdiruela, Bodegas Castillo de Gumiel Tue Feb 03 18:40:14 -0800 2009 2755718 17087 Munchkin 1 4389147 2007 Paul Hobbs' Felino Vina Cobos Cabernet from Argentina Tremendous value @ $15.98. Need to try the Malbec and Chardonnay too. Wed Feb 04 23:45:51 -0800 2009 2755718 11405 Midlife 1 4391605 2007 Herve Azo Petit Chablis Thu Feb 05 17:26:03 -0800 2009 2755718 68466 vickib 1 4394077 N.V. Zoémie de Sousa Champagne Brut Merveille; 2002 François Jobard Meursault En La Barre; 2005 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Fri Feb 06 13:35:49 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4396252 Last night: 2006 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piersporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett (soo good with brie & goat cheese), 2006 Chalone Vineyard Estate Grown Chardonnay (glorious with pork chops, apples & onions) and 2005 Navarro Muscat Blanc (and chocolate chip cookies: heaven!) Sat Feb 07 12:14:22 -0800 2009 4394077 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 3 4396496 I have a feeling the riesling would have gone pretty well with the pork chops Sat Feb 07 13:56:48 -0800 2009 4396252 31795 ibstatguy 1 4396459 2005 Courtil-Tribaut Clos des Brusquieres Chateauneuf du Pape. Drinking well now, it was great with the stuffed pork chops. Sat Feb 07 13:44:40 -0800 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4396556 2005 Finca El Portillo Syrah. Part of a gift package. Not sure of the price (my guess is around $10 - $12). Easy drinking pre-dinner wine from Argentina. Sat Feb 07 14:27:17 -0800 2009 2755718 50082 TonyO 1 4397384 2007 Elena Walch Pinot Grigio 2006 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo Sat Feb 07 21:40:58 -0800 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4398393 2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Noir (fantastic !) and a 2005 Four Graces Pinot Noir (very good) Sun Feb 08 11:38:19 -0800 2009 2755718 50082 TonyO 1 4399101 Plungerhead Old Vine Zin Sun Feb 08 16:42:56 -0800 2009 2755718 17087 Munchkin 2 4671266 Had that recently. I thought it quite (even extremely), good value for the $15. You didn't say... Sun May 10 14:03:05 -0700 2009 4399101 137946 Scargod 1 4400971 2000 Havens Wine Cellars Syrah T Block Hudson Vineyard; had this last night with shepard's pie (lamb) - an excellent combination and reaffirmed Haven's position in my mind as a great QPR winery. remains to be seen what will happen now with ownership and winemaker changes. Mon Feb 09 11:02:37 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4421469 2002 François Jobard Puligny-Montrachet Le Trezin ; 2001 Havens Wine Cellars Bourriquot Mon Feb 16 08:48:22 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4422345 2004 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard. 1997 Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino. Mon Feb 16 13:20:16 -0800 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 2 4422644 a WS from Rochioli vines, now that sounds darn good Mon Feb 16 14:49:19 -0800 2009 4422345 31795 ibstatguy 1 4423666 2005 Domaine de Nalys CdP Mon Feb 16 20:57:27 -0800 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4439015 N.V. Pehu Simonet Champagne Brut Selection Grand Cru Sat Feb 21 09:57:50 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4460913 Yesterday's break in the rain allowed for some steak grilling... 2001 Adanti Montefalco Sagrantino. Still a baby, but wonderful. Sat Feb 28 12:29:51 -0800 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4468105 2005 Denner "The Ditch Digger"; not French but still rather good Grenache dominated wine. I may have purchased the bottle at a visit to this Paso Robles winery. Mon Mar 02 21:20:03 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4475116 I really like Denner. For some reason they seem to fly under the radar... Wed Mar 04 23:18:43 -0800 2009 4468105 126908 iwantmytwodollars 1 4482643 Ognissole 06 Primitivo: Best Primitivo I've ever had. Cracked black pepper and perfume nose. Cracked pepper, dried cherries & herbs on the palate. Better after 1/2 hr. decanted. Will be interesting to see how this matures over 2-3 years. Sat Mar 07 12:11:14 -0800 2009 2755718 213427 Iowaboy3 1 4491083 2002 Reignac - some classic Bordeaux notes, plenty of tannin, went very well with a steak. the tannins are probably still tight enough that drinking this without food would be less than satisfying to many people. Tue Mar 10 10:19:20 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4492665 2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc. 2006 Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Tue Mar 10 17:20:15 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4518409 '06 Andrew Rich PN Cuvee B Willamette Valley Wed Mar 18 22:37:01 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4531020 2007 Framingham Sauvignon Blanc. A bargain, typicity in aroma and taste, just a little extra fruit. Nice glass. Mon Mar 23 14:39:06 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4532087 2003 Ca' Marcanda (Gaja) Promis Toscana IGT; by the way, the Andrew Rich was an excellent value. Mon Mar 23 20:16:46 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4541631 NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs Jean-Marc Brocard 2006 Chablis 1er Cru Quintessence de la Rive Gauche du Serein Domaine Courbis 2007 St. Joseph Blanc Domaine Courbis 2005 St. Joseph Rouge Domaine Courbis 2002 Cornas 'La Sabarotte' Thu Mar 26 15:02:10 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4544972 2005 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge - a complete reaffirmation of why I stay on their allocation list. Fri Mar 27 16:26:31 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4544989 about to open devour pinot noir 2005 Fri Mar 27 16:31:59 -0700 2009 4544972 63433 drewb123 3 4545572 I understand ;-) Fri Mar 27 21:21:28 -0700 2009 4544989 31795 ibstatguy 1 4556435 2007 Sirch Ribolla Gialla 1996 Vincent Girardin Santenay 1er Cru La Maladiere Tue Mar 31 21:36:33 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4559942 2001 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Classico Riserva; opened it tonight after playing some tennis and had it with a hot dog, yes, a hot dog. what the heck, I was starving and I wanted a glass of red wine. Isn't barolo and hot dog a classic food/wine combo? Any way, this is a very lovely wine with plenty of time still ahead. Wed Apr 01 22:04:37 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4572615 2004 Señorío de San Vicente Tempranillo Rioja San Vicente ; just noted that the first post in this thread was about a bottle of Lascaux, imported by Kermit Lynch. I just got a bottle from a friend last Friday so i will be looking for a time to open mine. Mon Apr 06 14:41:56 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4580222 1997 G. Dorigo 'Montsclapade' magnum, Friuli Wed Apr 08 20:49:57 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4584941 2006 Domaine La Tour Vieille Collioure La Pinede Fri Apr 10 11:58:49 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4590468 1997 Laurent-Perrier Champagne Grand Siècle Cuvée Alexandra; 2003 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Estate; 2002 Ridge Geyserville. These were all wonderful wines enjoyed with Easter appertizers and.or dinner. I don't buy much LP champagne but this was a terrific wine rose. Sun Apr 12 21:01:46 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4626008 2004 Wedell Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills; with a good friend at Cowboy Star and a couple of damn good burgers. Not for a "burgundy" fan (whatever, exactly, that means). Lots of fruit, opulent perhaps? Had the Wedell the first time at Bouchon in Vegas and it blew away the Sea Smoke that we started with. Fri Apr 24 14:27:49 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4626081 NV Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs (magnum) mmmmmm..... Fri Apr 24 14:56:20 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4627000 Love that champagne! I've never had a magnum of champagne. Does the size of the bottle affect the bubbles? Fri Apr 24 21:32:18 -0700 2009 4626081 16011 oolah 3 4627116 I'm sure others have more experience and a much better explanation than I do, but wines out of magnums tend to taste a little better. As for the bubbles, I didnt really detect a difference. Although I did notice that the champagne was just more vibrant. Fri Apr 24 23:18:44 -0700 2009 4627000 97069 mengathon 1 4627117 '04 Vieux Telegraphe CDP Blanc '05 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage Fri Apr 24 23:19:39 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4629049 '83 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo '05 Baumard Coteaux du Layon 'Ste Catherine' I think I had a good weekend. Sat Apr 25 22:07:21 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 4629142 you had a good weekend on Friday... Sun Apr 26 00:09:45 -0700 2009 4629049 31795 ibstatguy 1 4633880 2006 Domaine La Tour Vieille Collioure Puig Ambielle. A little lighter-bodied, with higher acidity and more fruit-driven than the La Pinede. Mon Apr 27 16:20:45 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4638052 2008 The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Wed Apr 29 00:36:36 -0700 2009 2755718 195409 Utahinboston 1 4650097 2003 Robert Keenan Winery Cabernet Franc; went as well as I had hoped to go along with burgers at C Star. Bartender loved it as well and, as he treats us well, left a fair bit for him. Sun May 03 10:03:12 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4651268 2004 Schloss Lieser Riesling Kabinett; with dinner tonight - molasses/dijon mustard grilled pork chops. Beautiful day and evening for grilling here in San Diego. Sun May 03 19:04:38 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4653243 nice QPR: 2003 Bodegas Caro Amancaya Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon (Gran Reserva) Mon May 04 12:13:44 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4654970 2004 Vie di Romans 'Flor di Vis' Tue May 05 01:01:47 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4660813 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 2005 Wed May 06 17:40:32 -0700 2009 2755718 183241 misnatalie 1 4667328 '96 Krug with sushi, courtesy of a very good friend; that'll kick start the weekend Fri May 08 16:15:38 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 2 4667791 nice dude! '06 Leeuwin Estate Riesling, Art Series, Margaret River Fri May 08 20:09:34 -0700 2009 4667328 97069 mengathon 1 4669844 2004 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett with panang curry and duck. Sat May 09 19:23:43 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4669985 We had a bottle of 2007 Domaine des Curiades Chasselas with filet of perch last night. It's a local Swiss white from the Geneva area. Like many Swiss whites it was light and not complex. Decent fruit and a hint of acid. Not a bad match with the local fish specialty, but not a revelation. Sat May 09 20:57:30 -0700 2009 2755718 291153 GenevaSteve 1 4671985 '99 Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru, Montée de Tonnerre Thanks Kyle! Sun May 10 19:50:59 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4672154 N.V. Jean Milan Champagne Blanc de Blancs Spécial Grand Cru and 2007 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir demuth. Mothers Day dinner with cheese souffle (probably should not have tried this for the first time on Mothers Day), plank grilled salmon, etc. LOVE the Jean Milan and was very favorably impressed with the Anthill. Sun May 10 21:28:34 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4673649 a 1999 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva. True Rioja. Excellent! Then proceeded to drink a '95 Domaine de Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf du Pape, then a '94 Chat. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Grand Cru Classe Pauillac, on to the 1994 Caymus Special Selection Cab Sauv, finished with a '03 Chat. Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes. Needless to say, it was a good night. Mon May 11 11:06:16 -0700 2009 2755718 40895 Shooley 2 4674472 thoughts on the Comtesse vis a vis the Caymus? Mon May 11 15:00:39 -0700 2009 4673649 31795 ibstatguy 3 4685976 Both were exquisite, with the Comtesse perhaps edging out the Caymus, at least as far as my palate is concerned. A lot of times, even the highest rated, touted, Calif. cabs are a little too concentrated, high alcohol, fruit forward and oaky for me, ( like some old vintages of Flora Springs, Pahlmeyer, etc.) but I have to say the Caymus was drinking just right. Perfect balance of fruit, tannins, oak etc.but much heavier, thicker than the Comtesse, which was very aromatic, with lovely spice notes, and a terrific finish. Both and very lengthy finishes, actually. Fri May 15 05:25:17 -0700 2009 4674472 40895 Shooley 1 4695984 1999 Girolamo Dorigo Colli Orientali del Friuli Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Montsclapade Mon May 18 20:16:05 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4704958 N.V. Gaston Chiquet Champagne Brut Rosé; 2003 Blankiet. Both were outstanding. Thu May 21 16:48:46 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4708678 2003 Michel Gay Aloxe-Corton; 2003 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir Cahill Lane - had both grilled Salmon. For me the Michel Gay was the much better wine. That said, I have enjoyed Hansel PNs. Sat May 23 06:57:46 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4713667 Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner Samaragd Terrasses 2007. Nice. Still needs some air, developes fine. 2006 was better, but it remains as ever a glass worth drinking, very much so. full with great freshness and excellent acidity, great typicity. Ending with Kaesler Stonehorse GSM 2004, which is reaching the end of its peak, a great moment for the wine with the richer grenache competing with the shiraz spicyness, and, after a day (started the bottle yesterday), some enriching development (also signaling: drink now). Nice, a bit strong though. Where is the lamb roast...? Mon May 25 15:57:25 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4720802 2004 Julius Wasem & Sohne Ingelheimer Sonnenhang Spätburgunder trocken, purchased from Truly Fine Wine. Quite an interesting wine and I think it would have paired very well with the grilled pork loin we made over the weekend. Wed May 27 20:44:27 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4722290 We've been drinking a lot of The Ned 2007 Waihopai River Sauvignon Blanc. It is a touch above the 2008, though at 14% it is a bit "rich". Very zesty, lovely on its own or enjoyed in the garden with a bbq. Waitrose has it on sale at 25% off, so only £7.11 a bottle for something a notch above Oyster Bay but below Cloudy Bay. I would say it is a bit more old world styled than a lot of new world SB, has that lovely French minerality. Thu May 28 11:11:42 -0700 2009 2755718 158180 nanette 1 4722628 Chateau Lilian Ladouys 2003 On the nose barnyard, pencil lead, spice, cassis and blackcurrent. The cassis and blackcurrent becoming more pronounced as time goes on. On the palate a wall of ripe black fruit. Little hints of earth and leather followed by firm tannins which carry through a semi-long finish. Somewhat of a disconnect between the fruit and tannin at first but with some time they begin to marry. Not the most sophisticated wine but not completely strait forward either. The bottom line, enjoyable drinking, with a some thinking involced. I don't think this wine will benefit from any more time in the bottle but will be drinkable for years. Lots of sediment so you must decanter. For the price point Iit is a success and I went back to the store and bought several more. Cheers, Matt Thu May 28 12:52:14 -0700 2009 2755718 162348 eatmedrinkme 1 4728107 valminor rias baixas albarino 2007, excellent! The nose! The concentration paired with freshness! & red: Firriato Quater rosso 2005. Superb blend, great wine! Sat May 30 12:27:13 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4764179 2005 Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Bourgogne; this is a terrific and fairly priced bottle of wine. check it out. Thu Jun 11 13:22:33 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4778755 A&P de Villaine Challonais 2005, rare, and excellent, archetypical Burgundy as it should be. Complete pinot noir. Great. Terre Nere Etna Rosso Feudi di Mezzo 2005. Excellent. Sicilian Burgundy indeed. This is what wine is all about! Deep nose, ripe but delicate fruit, great structure, you just keep on enjoying the complex aroma! Tue Jun 16 13:40:11 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4779079 Still scotch but I am rapidly moving into true French Rose season Tue Jun 16 15:01:36 -0700 2009 2755718 10285 Candy 1 4786087 Vetrere 'cre' 2007, a 100% moscato (dry) from Puglia. Very nice, well structured, great acidity, and a full range moscato aroma. And again a Framingham Sauvignon Blanc (NZ), which is truly excellent. Alls the grape's characteristics in aroma and structure, with just that bit of 'filling'. Recommended. Last but not least a Kaesler Stonehorse GSM 2004, great example of Australia's Southern Rhone interpretation... 15,5%... no problem though. Great in the pepper spice and lush fruits, and perfect with the lambroast + grilled pumpkin! Thu Jun 18 18:53:51 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4790387 Last night at the neighbor's with the Vin Santo braised veal shoulder: NV Vettori Prosecco Conegliano Extra Dry 2003 Pride Chardonnay 2007 Enkidu Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2004 Kiona Ice Wine Sat Jun 20 11:59:59 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4807298 2004 Señorío de San Vicente Tempranillo Rioja San Vicente - I love this wine Thu Jun 25 21:04:56 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4811212 '06 Valdicava Rosso di Montalcino '98 Montecalvi '98 Montecalvi magnum the 2 Montecalvi's could not have been more different. The magnum tasted fresher than the '01 I've had recently and was much more vibrant than the 750. When in doubt, get the magnums! Sat Jun 27 13:21:07 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4812133 Esprit de Font Caude 1999 from Alain Chabanon (Dom, de Font Caude) One of the best wine makers in Languedoc, he learned his trade with Alain Brumont. Sat Jun 27 21:52:25 -0700 2009 2755718 59907 froggio 1 4816956 Biale Black Chicken '06, two nights in a row. Before, it was the '07 Turley Old Vines, and the night before, the Turley '06 Hayne Zinfandel. Along the way, there was a litany of Fr Chardonays, of a lighter style. Hunt Mon Jun 29 21:13:28 -0700 2009 2755718 11329 Bill Hunt 2 4817025 Bill - If I recall correctly, the Biale is a favorite of yours, no? How did the different zins compare? Mon Jun 29 22:14:42 -0700 2009 4816956 31795 ibstatguy 1 4820442 A good Monday night... '99 Smith Hauf-Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Blanc '01 Betts & Scholl Hermitage '94 Dom. Aux Moines Savenièrres '07 FX Pichler Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Frauenwiengarten Wed Jul 01 04:55:00 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4828464 1999 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia Fri Jul 03 20:45:52 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4843635 Hiedler Gruner Veltliner Maximum 2007. wowwowwow the essence of gruner veltliner. there is so much in the nose of this wine, and the structure is great. topla Thu Jul 09 11:53:54 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4858632 I'm having a Garfield Estates Cab Franc - homegrown CO wine and it's EXCELLENT. I belong to their wine club after going up to visit a few years ago and have enjoyed my shipments ever since! Super tasty!! Tue Jul 14 15:09:22 -0700 2009 2755718 112748 Heyteacher 1 4866289 1999 Philippe Livera Fixin "En Olivier" Thu Jul 16 21:35:47 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4870685 With grilled NY Strip steak, sauteed mushrooms and steamed broccoflower: Domaine Chante Cigale Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 1999. Decanted about 45 minutes. Purple color, nice mouth feel. ABV 14%. A nice match for the meal. Sat Jul 18 16:56:08 -0700 2009 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 4872171 1996 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes; N.V. H. Billiot Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru; and a treasure trove of Blankiet: Proprietary Red (their Reserve; I think it was '06); '04 Merlot and Rive Droite (I think it was '07). A wonderful evening and very nice dinner. Sun Jul 19 14:49:32 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4888700 Randall Harris Sav Blanc - yummmmmmmmy on a hot Denver night. Fri Jul 24 18:36:40 -0700 2009 2755718 112748 Heyteacher 1 4892923 N.V. L. Aubry Fils Champagne Rosé Brut; 2005 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills. Both are stand out wines. Nailing a big exacta in the first race at Del Mar probably didn't hurt the enjoyment of both in the least. Had the Thomas with grilled lamb chops; paired up perfectly. Sun Jul 26 21:32:22 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4896955 With grilled beef kabobs: 2005 Core Ground Around. A blend of 40% Grenache 30% Tempranillo and 30% Syrah. Cherries, blackberries and some pepper / spice. Nice acidity. Around $45 locally. Tue Jul 28 09:08:58 -0700 2009 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 4909238 2006 Stevenson Barrie Pinot Noir Freedom Hill 2000 Leroy Bourgogne Rouge Sat Aug 01 13:29:35 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4910118 2003 Phelan Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 1997 Marcarini 'Brunate' 1993 Clerico 'Ciabot Mentin Ginestra' 1991 Querciabella 'Camartina' Lots of surprises, including how well the Clerico has held up, with still quite a good tannic bite and great acidity. Unfortunately, a 5 hour decant still didn't do the wine justice, though an aroma of dry porcinis became more and more prominent. The Marcarini looked its age, but was incredibly fresh on the palate. Both of these Barolo still have years to go. Sat Aug 01 23:39:01 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 4913670 2004 Robert Nenow Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch Mon Aug 03 12:02:13 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4942528 N.V. René Geoffroy Champagne Rosé de Saignée Thu Aug 13 06:05:26 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4946391 With grilled filet, sauted spinach and mushrooms: Downing Family 2000 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bordeaux-style blend consisting of 83% Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and just 3% Cabernet Franc. ABV 14.5%. Deep purple color, smooth, well integrated tannins. Plum and cherry with a hint of coffee. Nice wine. About $38 locally. Fri Aug 14 09:24:10 -0700 2009 2755718 78406 scrappydog 1 4946627 Robbing the cradle: 2004 Cascina Morassino Barbaresco Ovello. Fri Aug 14 10:34:30 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4962431 2000 Mettler Cab, Lodi. Great, smooth cab for the money. Monti Ilgli Angeli Pinot Noir. a great value. Strong Arms Shiraz 2007. Not as good as last year. Needs a lot of air. Thu Aug 20 09:31:02 -0700 2009 2755718 137946 Scargod 1 4967418 N.V. H. Billiot Champagne Brut Rosé Grand Cru Fri Aug 21 21:23:54 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 4967596 2006 Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon - wow - the best! 2005 Les Vins de Vienne Cairanne - great 2004 Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz - good but somewhat heavy on the alcohol Sat Aug 22 02:28:10 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 4991149 2006 Furthermore Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sun Aug 30 17:05:39 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 4995021 aalto 2005. great, great stuff, though I like the fruit in the 2004 even better Tue Sep 01 02:55:03 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 5007448 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly 2005. Typical Dagueneau in style: fresh, lightness, terroir (one of the only wines I would use this abused word for - 'minerality'), extremely balanced and elegant. Fortunately some of the more typical grape characteristics are slightly present in this one, which adds to the enjoyability (it is good in that aspect, I am looking forward to the two other bottles in due time). It is much more likable than the Dageneau 2005 Pur Sang, which got 97 from Wine Spectator. That wine is perhaps one of the most interesting ever in my glass, and one of the only wines that can sport so many green notes while being perfect, but it misses pleasure, it is too intellectual - we tasted it (blind) from magnum in a - if I may say - 'high level' wine group, together with 9 other great wines, and it was the most talked about wine, but not the most enjoyed... The best tasting note (not mine) was: "it smells like it isn't even in the glass". By the way: there were like two glasses left in the bottle, which went into the fridge only to come out six days later. It was still in excellent condition... Sat Sep 05 11:01:10 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 5007849 yesterday, with bison burgers: Jean Milan brut, '03 Pintia, '05 Paraduxx. good wine and food with good friends... Sat Sep 05 15:18:35 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5008057 2001 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2003 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Sat Sep 05 17:31:57 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 5008530 Tasted last week.... 1995 Ornellaia - luscious and slutty 1990 Ornellaia Masseto - an unexpected animal quality, great balance 1998 Giacosa Barolo Falletto - looked twice its age, yet youthful and singing after a short decant, still years to go. Drank tonight with steak and burgers: 2007 Lapierre Morgon 2006 Maysara Pinot Noir Jamsheed Sat Sep 05 22:30:07 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 5031946 '06 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge Vyd; I'll be staying on this mailing list... Tue Sep 15 12:22:29 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5033432 2007 Ruberte tresor, an old vines garnacha from Spain. Incredibly good red for $7. Wed Sep 16 04:37:24 -0700 2009 2755718 137946 Scargod 1 5038807 DRC Grands-Echezeaux 2001 and 2002. In Burgundy, the vintage really does matter.... Thu Sep 17 23:41:52 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 5039181 i have a feeling that, everything else being the same, i'd still take the DRC of any vintage... Fri Sep 18 06:58:36 -0700 2009 5038807 31795 ibstatguy 1 5055704 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay 2005 - excellent & delicious Thu Sep 24 12:32:16 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 2 5067975 Yummy. The Art Series is one of the best chardonnays in the world. Tue Sep 29 17:20:14 -0700 2009 5055704 97069 mengathon 3 5070595 yes indeed...made a little dance tasting it again... Wed Sep 30 15:58:49 -0700 2009 5067975 223679 Willem 4 5088609 If you ever get the chance to go to Margaret River south of Perth to the vineyard, it is as impressive as the wine. Thu Oct 08 10:40:14 -0700 2009 5070595 71113 Delucacheesemonger 1 5056640 Now, it is a BV (Beaulieu Vineyards) '03 Tapestry. Nice anise notes, good body and a medium finish. There is still some dark fruit, but it's pretty much melded by now. Enjoy, Hunt Thu Sep 24 19:07:36 -0700 2009 2755718 11329 Bill Hunt 1 5060495 Les Vins de Vienne Condrieu 2007. Great quite modernly styled Condrieu. Full of the white peach, stone fruits, flowers, freshness, perfum as you would expect, and a slight, nice, not overdone touch of wood, typically for this group of producers. Pretty full, great acidity, quite some non-disturbing alcohol. It has more of the Condrieu viognier characteristics then the 2006, but (just!) doesn't get the harmonious richness of the excellent unforgettable 2005. Very great glass, and very enjoyable on the table with some ingenuity. Sat Sep 26 14:58:37 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 5064697 '05 Sang des Cailloux Vacqueryas "Doucinello"; '06 Palazzo Cab franc Mon Sep 28 13:20:17 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5070597 Firriato Harmonium 2005. Great stuff. Very rich, but balanced. With grilled lambchops. Wed Sep 30 16:00:44 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 2 5071298 now I'm jealous, love the Harmonium but alas drank my last bottle awhile back. having some Fontalloro tonight. Wed Sep 30 22:16:39 -0700 2009 5070597 31795 ibstatguy 3 5117362 if ever in Holland - still got some 04/05/06 in the basement... Tue Oct 20 10:31:29 -0700 2009 5071298 223679 Willem 1 5086581 2007 Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Txakolina; on 10/5 in Bahia de Los Angeles with our fresh caught yellowtail. Excellent! Wed Oct 07 14:58:38 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5102807 N.V. Barth Spätburgunder Brut Rosé - purchased from Truly Fine Wines who, I beleive, is also the importer Wed Oct 14 11:36:38 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5117353 Sunday: Nine Popes 2003 (Charles Melton). Tried it quite some time ago and had some doubt, but now it is on the spot, delicious tribute to Chateau9!! Now: Dominio de Tares 'Baltos' (Bierzo, Mencia). Nice and smooth, balanced, some earth & herbs, still nice black fruit. Tue Oct 20 10:29:42 -0700 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 5124422 2005 La Grange de Quatre Sous Vin de Pays d'Oc Les Serrottes; knew nothing about this wine which was a gift froma friend but it knocked my socks off Thu Oct 22 21:43:42 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5124526 A good night for wine tasting! Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame '98 Not a fan of Veuve, but Grand Dame almost never disappoints. Very BdB-y. Veuve Clicquot Rare Vintage '88 Biscuit, pancake, sherry nose. Lots of life for an older champagne, but unlikely to improve. Araujo Syrah Eisele '05 The most compelling American syrah I've had. Super intense nose, and looooong. Ornellaia Masseto '05 Much more drinkable at this stage than the 04. Lots going on here. Surprisingly did not shut down during evolution in the glass. Mouton Rothschild '04 Never been the biggest Mouton fan, but showing very well for its youth. Petrus '04 Great nose, but disjointed midpalate and beyond. Masseto was superior in about every way. Thu Oct 22 23:55:42 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 5124768 rough duty for you once again I see... Fri Oct 23 05:59:36 -0700 2009 5124526 31795 ibstatguy 2 5142024 I've always thought that Masseto competed very well vs. Petrus - at a fraction of the price. One of the best merlots on the planet. Araujo is one of the best producers in Cali IMO. Thu Oct 29 21:20:05 -0700 2009 5124526 10385 woojink 3 5144518 I've never been the biggest fan of Ornellaia's wines, but the Masseto is really good. Out of the entire line, it might be the best value. It was my first time having Araujo other than the Altagracia, and I understand now the hefty price tags. Fri Oct 30 21:30:23 -0700 2009 5142024 97069 mengathon 1 5129689 Last night we had the neighbors over for A-16's meatballs, creamy polenta and swiss chard: 2001 Domaine Valette Pouilly-Fuisse Clos Reyssie 2006 Cascina Morassino Langhe Nebbiolo 1996 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubio Sun Oct 25 13:22:09 -0700 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 5130018 Le Vieux Donjon 07 Sun Oct 25 16:23:24 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 2 5130636 cradle robber! Sun Oct 25 20:16:39 -0700 2009 5130018 31795 ibstatguy 3 5130936 Its twin will be locked away in the crib for a while. But man, it's really good now. Mon Oct 26 02:50:34 -0700 2009 5130636 97069 mengathon 1 5136470 More rough duty... Fontodi Flacianello delle Pieve 01 - 750 and magnum. As someone who openly doesn't care for sangiovese, the Flancianello is a masterpiece. The 750 is drinking perfectly, and the magnum was like 15 years back. Even though I hesitate to decant any moderately older sangiovese, a serious decant helps with the magnum. I cant decide if I prefer this or the Isole e Olena Cepparello. Tue Oct 27 22:46:30 -0700 2009 2755718 97069 mengathon 1 5141992 2004 Behrens & Hitchcock Everything But...The Kitchen Sink - I just can't make up my mind about this wine Thu Oct 29 20:55:07 -0700 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5154171 2005 Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Sonoma County - about as subtle as... Tue Nov 03 23:19:06 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5163585 2008 Michel Torino Malbec 2004 Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Sat Nov 07 12:26:57 -0800 2009 2755718 12275 wineguy7 1 5168994 2005 Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rùfina - wonderful stuff Mon Nov 09 19:51:46 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5179039 happy camper... 2008 Albino Armani Sauvignin Campo Napoleone - if you can say "Italian Sauvignon Blanc" this is it - blind I would have guessed that it would be from Alto Adige, but it is Veneto 2007 Pierre Yves Colin Rully Les Cailloux - tells you all about Burgundy Chardonnay... PY Colin is such a Master! 2005 Frattasi Falanghina Donna Laura - extremely rich but typical - wow, a treat 2001 Dominique Laurent Mazis Chambertin - HELLO - the aromas don't stop, a very complete pinot noir and excellent wine, puts good year DRC echezeaux in memory... the amazing fruit, the earth, only the good "animal" aromas, the herbs, liquorice, the complexity, the great balance in all density- tannins- acidity- alcohol- ..., the extreme harmony... 2007 Sughera "adeo", great stuff, bit young but very drinkeable, and finally a 'super tuscan' you can long for, based on grapes and not wood, and, with value for money - Bordeaux eat yr heart out 2004 Caberlot... quite the archetypical red wine at its best - but completely different... as well completely different from, but in perfection resembling, Franchetti's wines. Fri Nov 13 10:33:07 -0800 2009 2755718 223679 Willem 1 5184531 2001 François Jobard Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - with some fresh made carrot soup...fabulous Sun Nov 15 20:51:12 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy 1 5190675 2008 Henschke "Julius" Riesling, Eden Valley. Very nice Wed Nov 18 01:27:13 -0800 2009 2755718 1125462 silva1000 1 5193831 2007 Corte Gardoni Bardolino Superiore Thu Nov 19 06:59:35 -0800 2009 2755718 31795 ibstatguy