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I knew this once. I have a buddy who's been to both their vineyards. Do tell.
Merlot? Toomey?
There used to be the Minnesota Club in downtown St. Paul. Right next to the James J Hill library, Ordway theater, and old Roy Wilkins. It is now the 317 Club and owned by the Minnesota Wild. Back in '96 or 97, after I had left working there they had some lady who was a bartender. One VERY COLD Saturday January evening she cracked open the window ever so slightly because some of the members were there on enight smoking cigars. Now these are windows that swing in and out, not up and down. When she closed she didn't latch the window closed and the window blew open to that VERY COLD January evening. The Club was closed Sunday and Monday. They came in on Tuesday to a frozen bar and guess where they kept the nice red wines. In a controlled temp cabinet in the bar. Lafite-Rothchilds, Margeaux, Latour, La Louviere, St. Emilion, etc... All of them had froze and corks popped off and wine was all over the cabinet, all over everything. Frozen red winesicles hung from the cabinet door.This explains it pretty well. As soon as new vintages are released for sale, you can buy them directly from the vineyard in many cases. If you know what you like and who's making very good wine, you can get in early and save a lot of cash for top notch wine. In the late 1990's, Silver Oak had an amazing run of exceptional wine. There was a time when you could buy their bottles for $40-80, depending on exactly when and where you were. Today, those wines are hitting their peak, and are easily $150 in stores, twice that in restaurants. However, with that success, Silver Oak has gotten pricier, and it's harder to get good value out of their new releases. And because they set the bar so high in the late 1990's, many of their new releases are getting as good of a buzz as the 1990's stuff did.
Horror story about good wine and storage. The oenophile who introduced us to wine in Napa this past summer has been at it for 30+ years, and remembers the days when "American" wine was Blue Nun and Cold Duck. Anyway, he's been at it a while, and collected hard throughout much of the 1990's. Cases of Silver Oak, 1995-2000. Cases of Châteaneuf-du-Pape he'd bought when in France for several weeks. Had an exceptionally good wine storage unit - 400-500 bottle capacity with variable temp regions - and was building a new house with a basement cellar. He'd been away for business for a week or so, and returned to a strange smell. He went to the room where his wine unit was, and it had malfunctioned and was STEAMING hot throughout the unit. Many bottles had popped their cork. 400-500 bottle of wine colelcted across a decade, ruined.
He still gets upset talking about it.
We have to mark it up, it's the cost of doing business. I only mark things up $15-$20 per bottle, and my list is well below the industry standards for $. Also, when someone brings in their own wine, the waiter immediately knows he won't be making as much on this party and will more than likely give you worse service. I don't think it is the right approach for the waiter, but you are cutting into their livelyhood.I bought a case of the cabernet for $11 a bottle for an everday wine. Good value wine.
Ugh. I am pretty sure that made baby Jeebus cry. We are building a new house. After our trip to Napa and hearing our friend's experience, we designed a cellar in our basement. Surrounded on three sides by earth, and room for several hundred bottles. Bought our first case of Shafer (1/2 last chance firebreak and 1/2 cab) to christen it, and a case of Sherwin Family is on the way.There used to be the Minnesota Club in downtown St. Paul. Right next to the James J Hill library, Ordway theater, and old Roy Wilkins. It is now the 317 Club and owned by the Minnesota Wild. Back in '96 or 97, after I had left working there they had some lady who was a bartender. One VERY COLD Saturday January evening she cracked open the window ever so slightly because some of the members were there on enight smoking cigars. Now these are windows that swing in and out, not up and down. When she closed she didn't latch the window closed and the window blew open to that VERY COLD January evening. The Club was closed Sunday and Monday. They came in on Tuesday to a frozen bar and guess where they kept the nice red wines. In a controlled temp cabinet in the bar. Lafite-Rothchilds, Margeaux, Latour, La Louviere, St. Emilion, etc... All of them had froze and corks popped off and wine was all over the cabinet, all over everything. Frozen red winesicles hung from the cabinet door.
Horror story about good wine and storage. The oenophile who introduced us to wine in Napa this past summer has been at it for 30+ years, and remembers the days when "American" wine was Blue Nun and Cold Duck. Anyway, he's been at it a while, and collected hard throughout much of the 1990's. Cases of Silver Oak, 1995-2000. Cases of Châteaneuf-du-Pape he'd bought when in France for several weeks. Had an exceptionally good wine storage unit - 400-500 bottle capacity with variable temp regions - and was building a new house with a basement cellar. He'd been away for business for a week or so, and returned to a strange smell. He went to the room where his wine unit was, and it had malfunctioned and was STEAMING hot throughout the unit. Many bottles had popped their cork. 400-500 bottle of wine colelcted across a decade, ruined.
He still gets upset talking about it.
Correctamundo!
It's all personal difference or personal philosophy. Scupper and Jules probably differ in the way they buy from proninja and myself, who differ from you or tipsey. Like anything else you own in life, it's nice to be able to say to someone you encounter, "I have a <insert item of prestige here> sitting at home." But mostly people buy with the intention of drinking it down the road when the wine has matured. They want to try the best wines at their peak.Some of it can be sentiment. I've got a bottle of '97 Fife Zinfandel that probably cost $15 when it was released, it's pretty much on it's downward slope now, yet I can't bring myself to open it because it's the last one of a half-case I bought after my wife and I fell in love with it on a trip for our first anniversary.
Try having the entire cities wine inventory (ie several of the local distributors) have their wine sit in flooded warehouses in 95 degree heat for a month or two. At the restaurant alone, we lost an estimated $7k of wine destroyed (or drank during evacUgh. I am pretty sure that made baby Jeebus cry. We are building a new house. After our trip to Napa and hearing our friend's experience, we designed a cellar in our basement. Surrounded on three sides by earth, and room for several hundred bottles. Bought our first case of Shafer (1/2 last chance firebreak and 1/2 cab) to christen it, and a case of Sherwin Family is on the way.There used to be the Minnesota Club in downtown St. Paul. Right next to the James J Hill library, Ordway theater, and old Roy Wilkins. It is now the 317 Club and owned by the Minnesota Wild. Back in '96 or 97, after I had left working there they had some lady who was a bartender. One VERY COLD Saturday January evening she cracked open the window ever so slightly because some of the members were there on enight smoking cigars. Now these are windows that swing in and out, not up and down. When she closed she didn't latch the window closed and the window blew open to that VERY COLD January evening. The Club was closed Sunday and Monday. They came in on Tuesday to a frozen bar and guess where they kept the nice red wines. In a controlled temp cabinet in the bar. Lafite-Rothchilds, Margeaux, Latour, La Louviere, St. Emilion, etc... All of them had froze and corks popped off and wine was all over the cabinet, all over everything. Frozen red winesicles hung from the cabinet door.
Horror story about good wine and storage. The oenophile who introduced us to wine in Napa this past summer has been at it for 30+ years, and remembers the days when "American" wine was Blue Nun and Cold Duck. Anyway, he's been at it a while, and collected hard throughout much of the 1990's. Cases of Silver Oak, 1995-2000. Cases of Châteaneuf-du-Pape he'd bought when in France for several weeks. Had an exceptionally good wine storage unit - 400-500 bottle capacity with variable temp regions - and was building a new house with a basement cellar. He'd been away for business for a week or so, and returned to a strange smell. He went to the room where his wine unit was, and it had malfunctioned and was STEAMING hot throughout the unit. Many bottles had popped their cork. 400-500 bottle of wine colelcted across a decade, ruined.
He still gets upset talking about it.
). One guy who had one of the best private collections in the city had his inventory thrown to the street by the cold storage facility only a week after the storm (ie the wine was still good at that point) because they decided all refridge units had to be emptied. 
He is suing the piss out of them currently.
Our service was very good, and we tipped 20% on a $300+ tab. There was no way I was going to pay those prices for wine, so we'd have likely done without if I hadn't brought my own. Some places are more cool about it than others, as is evideced by their corking fee. But if you don't want people bringing their own, then a) don't mark up 100-200% across the board the way they were, and b) charge a ridiculously high corking fee. The 2003 Relentless at $115 wasn't the worst offender. They had Dolce from Far Niente as a desert wine at $175 for a 375ml bottle when we paid $75 at the vineyard, and I've seen it in stores for $80.
I'm glad they didn't give you the French waiter treatment. Do remember the waiter still took a hit from ya'll not tipping on wine sales....they typically don't get the corkage fee. I'm not saying you were in the wrong, but just giving you "our" perspective on the issue. As an GM, I just want you to leave happy. I'll sell my bottles to the next guy.
I sell Caymus Cabernet for $70. I've seen it in the French Quarter for $120...same year. My corking fee is $10 per bottle, unless you let us taste it. 
Very True... But, i believe it was the Wine Spectator and the Gist of the article was that it was MUCH harder to find the good one's and the past few years have had Horrible weather conditions to produce wines that can compete with the late 90's wines.....They're recomendation was to just try a different region that had a more favorable climate and condtions.....That is such a blanketing statement abut Italian wines it is ridiculous. In its worst years you can find INCREDIBLE wines from Itlay if for no other reason than they make so much of it. There are hundreds of "Napa's" in Italy.I'll look it up - But, I know I read somewhere that the latest vintages of Italian wines are nothing special - So, you wind up paying way too much for a Brunello that's still living off it's 98' 99' reputation.I've tasted 12 pinot noirs this week, 8 cabs, 6 merlots, 8 zins, and a slew of chardonnays (by slew I mean at least 10) this week.
Saintsbury Brown Ranch Pinot Noir. About $42 wholesale or $55 retail.
It is the single best Pinot I have tried all year.
BTW...don't expect much from the 2005 Napas...their rain this past fall could not have come at a worse time. (I've heard this from 3 different winemakers in the last month).
Drunk & going to bed.
Brunello is one of thousands of wines made in Italy.
I see this at one of my more frequented restaurants I go to. The lowest price for a bottle on their list is $20. I know this wine cost them $7. They have a majority of their wines in the $20-28 range. I figure these are the $7-10 bottles. They sell a lot of these bottles every night. The GM said they sell these at a 4-1 ratio over the spendier wines. The spendier ones they have aren't marked up the same way as the less expensive ones. They have a 1999 Opus One that they paid $107 for and they are selling it for $175. The '00 Silver Oak Napa is going for $170 and it cost them about $75. The '01 Alexander Valley for $110 and they paid $45 for it. Like I say , I really think the Alexander Valley is the better of the two. The '02 Turley Zinfandel is $180, the '02 Altamura is going for $100. They used to sell the '01 for $80. That was a bargain! I used to drink their '01 Franciscan "Oakville Estates" Cab for $30. That was a good deal.I'm glad they didn't give you the French waiter treatment. Do remember the waiter still took a hit from ya'll not tipping on wine sales....they typically don't get the corkage fee. I'm not saying you were in the wrong, but just giving you "our" perspective on the issue. As an GM, I just want you to leave happy. I'll sell my bottles to the next guy.
I have to make money off of it, but I too hate places that think having wine should include a trip to your banker. High end chain places do this alot. Why? Because they can.
Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
This brings back bad memories from last month. My family has never been into wine, at all. Cab = the yellow car that picks you up from the airport. However, they've seen our pics from Napa and have heard us talk about wine, and know that I am getting into it. I got a decanter for Christmas last year, and a carrying case for wine, so they know about my budding taste for wine. So, last month I went to visit them for a few days, and we had dinner at a friend of theirs house. I've never met the guy, but my sister tells me he's a serious wine drinker and we'll have lots to talk about. Cool, I think to myself. I'm still very much a noob, and love learning, so we'll chat and compare favorite stories.Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
Actually, some of the Kendall Jackson wines are highly regarded. You might have just self-This brings back bad memories from last month. My family has never been into wine, at all. Cab = the yellow car that picks you up from the airport. However, they've seen our pics from Napa and have heard us talk about wine, and know that I am getting into it. I got a decanter for Christmas last year, and a carrying case for wine, so they know about my budding taste for wine. So, last month I went to visit them for a few days, and we had dinner at a friend of theirs house. I've never met the guy, but my sister tells me he's a serious wine drinker and we'll have lots to talk about. Cool, I think to myself. I'm still very much a noob, and love learning, so we'll chat and compare favorite stories.Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
We get to the guy's house, and it's a nice country spread. He's out back getting the grill fired up, and when we walk in, he immediately offers everyone their favorite beverage. For my sister he's got ice cold Diet Coke, and for my BIL (who likes dark beer), he's got Newcastle. After getting them all squared away, he turns to me.
"Ahhh. You must be the wine drinker! Nice to meet you. I've got us set up out by the pool."
As we walk out to his pool area, I see the wine we've got in store for the evening. Sitting in the middle of a 5 gallon bucket of ice are two magnums - one white, one red - of Kendall Jackson Grocery Store quality Table Wines. Of course, knowing I am the big wine drinker, he pours me a heaping glass of ice cold red wine, and toasts. :X
Luckily, he was loaded so I could get away with barely drinking any and pouring it in the bushes while nobody was looking. Apparently, my sister's version of "big wine drinker" is a large man who gets bombed on cheap wine.
I know Robert Parker gave some of them 90+ points.
Do you think Robert Parker tasted a glass of KJ red that had been sitting in a bucket of ice?Actually, some of the Kendall Jackson wines are highly regarded. You might have just self-This brings back bad memories from last month. My family has never been into wine, at all. Cab = the yellow car that picks you up from the airport. However, they've seen our pics from Napa and have heard us talk about wine, and know that I am getting into it. I got a decanter for Christmas last year, and a carrying case for wine, so they know about my budding taste for wine. So, last month I went to visit them for a few days, and we had dinner at a friend of theirs house. I've never met the guy, but my sister tells me he's a serious wine drinker and we'll have lots to talk about. Cool, I think to myself. I'm still very much a noob, and love learning, so we'll chat and compare favorite stories.Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
We get to the guy's house, and it's a nice country spread. He's out back getting the grill fired up, and when we walk in, he immediately offers everyone their favorite beverage. For my sister he's got ice cold Diet Coke, and for my BIL (who likes dark beer), he's got Newcastle. After getting them all squared away, he turns to me.
"Ahhh. You must be the wine drinker! Nice to meet you. I've got us set up out by the pool."
As we walk out to his pool area, I see the wine we've got in store for the evening. Sitting in the middle of a 5 gallon bucket of ice are two magnums - one white, one red - of Kendall Jackson Grocery Store quality Table Wines. Of course, knowing I am the big wine drinker, he pours me a heaping glass of ice cold red wine, and toasts. :X
Luckily, he was loaded so I could get away with barely drinking any and pouring it in the bushes while nobody was looking. Apparently, my sister's version of "big wine drinker" is a large man who gets bombed on cheap wine.
I know KJ makes some good wine. These were very clearly not them.Actually, some of the Kendall Jackson wines are highly regarded. You might have just self-This brings back bad memories from last month. My family has never been into wine, at all. Cab = the yellow car that picks you up from the airport. However, they've seen our pics from Napa and have heard us talk about wine, and know that I am getting into it. I got a decanter for Christmas last year, and a carrying case for wine, so they know about my budding taste for wine. So, last month I went to visit them for a few days, and we had dinner at a friend of theirs house. I've never met the guy, but my sister tells me he's a serious wine drinker and we'll have lots to talk about. Cool, I think to myself. I'm still very much a noob, and love learning, so we'll chat and compare favorite stories.Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
We get to the guy's house, and it's a nice country spread. He's out back getting the grill fired up, and when we walk in, he immediately offers everyone their favorite beverage. For my sister he's got ice cold Diet Coke, and for my BIL (who likes dark beer), he's got Newcastle. After getting them all squared away, he turns to me.
"Ahhh. You must be the wine drinker! Nice to meet you. I've got us set up out by the pool."
As we walk out to his pool area, I see the wine we've got in store for the evening. Sitting in the middle of a 5 gallon bucket of ice are two magnums - one white, one red - of Kendall Jackson Grocery Store quality Table Wines. Of course, knowing I am the big wine drinker, he pours me a heaping glass of ice cold red wine, and toasts. :X
Luckily, he was loaded so I could get away with barely drinking any and pouring it in the bushes while nobody was looking. Apparently, my sister's version of "big wine drinker" is a large man who gets bombed on cheap wine.
Probably not. I'm just saying, you can't always judge wine by the brand alone.Do you think Robert Parker tasted a glass of KJ red that had been sitting in a bucket of ice?Actually, some of the Kendall Jackson wines are highly regarded. You might have just self-This brings back bad memories from last month. My family has never been into wine, at all. Cab = the yellow car that picks you up from the airport. However, they've seen our pics from Napa and have heard us talk about wine, and know that I am getting into it. I got a decanter for Christmas last year, and a carrying case for wine, so they know about my budding taste for wine. So, last month I went to visit them for a few days, and we had dinner at a friend of theirs house. I've never met the guy, but my sister tells me he's a serious wine drinker and we'll have lots to talk about. Cool, I think to myself. I'm still very much a noob, and love learning, so we'll chat and compare favorite stories.Do they still have those Sun Country 2 liter jugs of wine coolers?Don't want to pay $15 for that Bartel & James huh?
We get to the guy's house, and it's a nice country spread. He's out back getting the grill fired up, and when we walk in, he immediately offers everyone their favorite beverage. For my sister he's got ice cold Diet Coke, and for my BIL (who likes dark beer), he's got Newcastle. After getting them all squared away, he turns to me.
"Ahhh. You must be the wine drinker! Nice to meet you. I've got us set up out by the pool."
As we walk out to his pool area, I see the wine we've got in store for the evening. Sitting in the middle of a 5 gallon bucket of ice are two magnums - one white, one red - of Kendall Jackson Grocery Store quality Table Wines. Of course, knowing I am the big wine drinker, he pours me a heaping glass of ice cold red wine, and toasts. :X
Luckily, he was loaded so I could get away with barely drinking any and pouring it in the bushes while nobody was looking. Apparently, my sister's version of "big wine drinker" is a large man who gets bombed on cheap wine.
You're a beautiful man, Bob, an incredibly beautiful man. Have heard good things about a couple of those wines you listed but haven't tried them. Had someone tell me to visit Del Dotto last time I went through Napa but I ran out of time on the trip and didn't get a chance to locate it.
You didn't look at the pictures that closely, did you?Del Dotto's cave tour/tasting is the best value of any of the wineries I've hit in Napa. It's pricey at upwards of $40, but seeing the caves is cool. And the way they do their tasting is outstanding. It starts as a barrel tasting. While you're touring the cave, they'll stop at one of their wines and thief two samples, one of a wine aged in a Missouri barrel and another of the exact same wine that's been aging in a French barrel. It's intereesting to get an idea of what the different barrels do to the wines. Almost unanimously the women preferred the French barrel aging and the men preferred the Missouri. They don't tell until afterwards which came from which.
Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
It's a wonderful Sangiovese. The fruit for the Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.Aromas of rose petal, Bing cherries, and wet rocks integrated with a little oak and fresh dirt. It doesn't sound appealing does it with the wet rock and dirt but it is a wonderful Sangiovese. Comes in at about $11-$13 a bottle.I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
WTF? I don't know what you do for food when you're not tasting wine, but your dinner parties seem to differ greatly from mine.It's a wonderful Sangiovese. The fruit for the Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.Aromas of rose petal, Bing cherries, and wet rocks integrated with a little oak and fresh dirt. It doesn't sound appealing does it with the wet rock and dirt but it is a wonderful Sangiovese. Comes in at about $11-$13 a bottle.I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
Please just try it. It is a great little bargain.WTF? I don't know what you do for food when you're not tasting wine, but your dinner parties seem to differ greatly from mine.It's a wonderful Sangiovese. The fruit for the Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.Aromas of rose petal, Bing cherries, and wet rocks integrated with a little oak and fresh dirt. It doesn't sound appealing does it with the wet rock and dirt but it is a wonderful Sangiovese. Comes in at about $11-$13 a bottle.I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
Oh, I will if I can find it. Finding wines can be a problem in the ridiculous state of Arizona.Please just try it. It is a great little bargain.WTF? I don't know what you do for food when you're not tasting wine, but your dinner parties seem to differ greatly from mine.It's a wonderful Sangiovese. The fruit for the Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.Aromas of rose petal, Bing cherries, and wet rocks integrated with a little oak and fresh dirt. It doesn't sound appealing does it with the wet rock and dirt but it is a wonderful Sangiovese. Comes in at about $11-$13 a bottle.I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
B Line, Beverage House (Tucson), Cave Creek wines, Enotria, Epicurean Wine Service, Grapeables, Intermezzo, Jug-n-Barrel, The Wine Studio, and Time Market. Check the web for phone numbers and shipping information!Oh, I will if I can find it. Finding wines can be a problem in the ridiculous state of Arizona.Please just try it. It is a great little bargain.WTF? I don't know what you do for food when you're not tasting wine, but your dinner parties seem to differ greatly from mine.It's a wonderful Sangiovese. The fruit for the Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.Aromas of rose petal, Bing cherries, and wet rocks integrated with a little oak and fresh dirt. It doesn't sound appealing does it with the wet rock and dirt but it is a wonderful Sangiovese. Comes in at about $11-$13 a bottle.I have not.Have you tried Chariot Sangiovese?
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
Gracias. Enotria and Jug-n-Barrel will work just fine.
Yeah, that's what she said. But what she meant was "That cheap ******* has over 100 bottles in his wine cellar but he brings this freakin' grape juice and tries to pass it off as wine! Maybe if I water it down a little I'll at least be able to swallow it."We went to a family Christmas, and brought a bottle, nothing good, but a drinkable bottle of red. My aunt comes over "oh, you guys like wine? Wonderful! I love wine!" So, I pour her a glass, we go out in the living room and start chatting - when the hostess comes by, my aunt asks the hostess - "Excuse me, could I get an ice cube for my wine? It's room temperature."
Saw the pictures but might have been distracted by the mountain taking up most of the photo. Sounds like I definitely need to get to there eventually. I've been down through there 2 or 3 times but haven't been able to go to too many places. In Napa I've been to Clos Pegase, Markham, V. Sattui, Folie a Deux, Mondavi, Niebaum-Coppola, and Domaine Chandon and I've been to 3 or 4 over in Sonoma as well but those names aren't coming to me other than St. Francis.
At any rate, you taste a LOT of wines in the barrel tasting. And if you wish, you can grab tags detailing which wines you tried and buy futures on them as you leave. After that they take you to their conference room and pull out bottles of their current releases, and you taste them. You will leave there half in the bag. And all their wines are outstanding. Best American Sangiovese I've had.
twomey merlot
i like their stuff quite a bit.i tried a darioush syrah tonight, it was really quite good. deep rich wine with good fruit. & i'd be interested to know what other grapes they put in it, i'm guessing a merlot or a cab franc because it had a real nice velvety quality unusual in a syrah.
jacob's creek actually has some stunning wines. try the 'steingarten' reisling, dry great minerality & will hold up to almost any food. it's grown in the german style on very steep hllsides, handpicked, etc. very limited production.another good one by them is the 98 'centennary' shiraz. 100 year anniversary wine made up of only their best lots.
