What kind of WINE did you drink last night? (2 Viewers)

[jamny]

Had Chateau Ste Michelle Dry Riesling the other night. It is REALLY dry. Riesling is about the only white my wife and I drink. We like them on the dryer side but this one was too dry for my taste. The regular Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling is a nice cheap white.

Do some research and seek out Riesling from the Alsace region of France if you prefer some drier Rieslings. There are affordable Rieslings to be had.You should find some minerality and luscious fruit (which many people mistake for sweetness.)That should help you enjoy these beautiful wines without the Sahara dryness you don't like.My favorite wine region in the world for white wine!

Agreed. I've also had some really nice Gewurztraminer and Pinot Blanc form there.

I've had my first couple of bottles of Gewurztraminer recently and I really liked them. I haven't had as much luck yet with Reislings (not that I hated them)but maybe I should be looking at a drier style. Late last year, my wife and I decided to try and eat healthier. With that came more seafood and with that came more whites. We've always been big red wine drinkers and would just have some Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay on hand for occasions when a white was preffered. Some sparkling for sitting outside in the summer. I can handle some Sauvignon Blanc but my wife hates them. We judge them on how much they taste like cat piss. I've found Gavi to be pretty good although they sometimes are kinda bland. Might as well get a Pinot Grigio.But it has been fun verturing into the world of whites, especially when I'm trying to pair them with seafood. Looking forward to the summer when I'll be grilling and smoking more fish and maybe try and pair some of the heartier fish with some reds. Pinot Noir?Glad to see this thread pop up again.

Smoked Fish is a nice pairing with Chardonnay, especially new world style or a Burgundy would work. Dry Riesling would be a nice pairing also be it from the Alsatian or Mosel.Certain fish when smoked would work with the GewurztraminerSmoked Trout and Sancerre are great together as are Dry RieslingsSmoked Salmon would go with a new world Chardonnay (also a nice Single Malt Scotch!)One of my favorite wines to get people into when they want to just chill outside is Gruner Veltliner. It is the ultimate wine for any vegetarian and their dishes but I think it is just so darn delicious to enjoy while sitting on the patio. A red that I enjoy while sitting around is a tasty Zweigelt. They are tasty, fresh, and go with a wide variety of foods. Mole Sauce, Adobo, Tandoori, and I love to serve them at the Turkey day dinner as the go to red.Both of these wines are from Austria and my go to label is done by Berger. One liter bottles done with a crown cap so you get about 8 ounces more wine and these bottles are not expensive. Just really great quaffers with no pretension in them at all!

Thanks Jules! I'll look back on your suggestions once I start grilling. I'll also look into the Alsace Reislings to see if the drier ones are more to my tastes.

 

[jamny]

So what's a good wine app for android?

I'm looking for something with a good barcode database and a organized ranking/rating system.

Something I might be able to sync up with my computer too so I could print out sortable lists.

 

[snogger]

Had a glass of my own wine yesterday!

I ended up with 7+ bottles of wine from the grapes I harvested last fall.

This was a BIG learning experience this year but overall I think for a learning batch the taste is pretty good.

Here is the post I just added to my Blog.

If interested, the link in my Sig is my blog from day one of planting the vines in 2009 to yesterday's bottling.

Just read through your blog and watched some of the videos. Great stuff, man!So how long are you going to let the first batch age in the bottle?

Very impressed with the entire venture...nice work!

I have the smaller of the bottles ready to open this weekend, but will probably let the rest age in my makeshift wine cellar in the basement until later this summer..

There has been so much to learn and I still have much to do, but the most expensive parts are done so now I can start to really enjoy the hobby

 

[jamny]

Had a glass of my own wine yesterday!

I ended up with 7+ bottles of wine from the grapes I harvested last fall.

This was a BIG learning experience this year but overall I think for a learning batch the taste is pretty good.

Here is the post I just added to my Blog.

If interested, the link in my Sig is my blog from day one of planting the vines in 2009 to yesterday's bottling.

Just read through your blog and watched some of the videos. Great stuff, man!So how long are you going to let the first batch age in the bottle?

Very impressed with the entire venture...nice work!

I have the smaller of the bottles ready to open this weekend, but will probably let the rest age in my makeshift wine cellar in the basement until later this summer..

There has been so much to learn and I still have much to do, but the most expensive parts are done so now I can start to really enjoy the hobby

That's very cool! Congrats. What kind of grapes are they?

What was the biggest lesson learned?

 

[siffoin]

I've had a couple of really good wines in the past week.

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...but for a guy like me it is a special wine for special occasions. From the first sip it is a nectar of the Gods that only gets better as it opens in the glass. I'm not good at describing but to say smooth, rich, balanced...pretty darn near perfect. It's expensive...but one of those wines I would say worth it.

#2: Turley Zinfandel Juvenile 2010. This is one of those everyday drinkers. I know a lot of Turley's can get up there in the $50-$70+ range. Honestly...I think this one is better (at least for my taste), and it only costs about $22. Want to bring a wine as a guest to a dinner..bring this one...no one would be disappointed.

 

[phrozen]

So what's a good wine app for android? I'm looking for something with a good barcode database and a organized ranking/rating system.Something I might be able to sync up with my computer too so I could print out sortable lists.

I use an app called cor.kz. has a barcode scanner, user reviews, recommendations for when to drink the wine, and a virtual cellar. Not sure if it is on the Android but you can check.

 

[snogger]

Had a glass of my own wine yesterday!

I ended up with 7+ bottles of wine from the grapes I harvested last fall.

This was a BIG learning experience this year but overall I think for a learning batch the taste is pretty good.

Here is the post I just added to my Blog.

If interested, the link in my Sig is my blog from day one of planting the vines in 2009 to yesterday's bottling.

Just read through your blog and watched some of the videos. Great stuff, man!So how long are you going to let the first batch age in the bottle?

Very impressed with the entire venture...nice work!

I have the smaller of the bottles ready to open this weekend, but will probably let the rest age in my makeshift wine cellar in the basement until later this summer..

There has been so much to learn and I still have much to do, but the most expensive parts are done so now I can start to really enjoy the hobby

That's very cool! Congrats. What kind of grapes are they?

What was the biggest lesson learned?

I have 5 Frontenac vines (Red Wine) which are described as follows - The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits.I then have 4 Marquette, another Red wine - wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate.

Lastly I have 3 Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit.

I realize now that I don't have enough Gris to produce wine from, but at this time that is fine as I have my hands full with the red wine.

My plan with the Gris over time is to blend those with the Frontenac one year and Marquette the next and decide from there.. Maybe someday far into the future I'll increase the size of my Vineyard and add more if I decide I've got a handle on Red wine and want to tackle Whites.

Some of the lessons learned were:

Acid tests are hard with red wines with the test kit I bought. I am going to purchase a Ph Meter this year to help with that.

In my haste to make wine I harvested when the Brix count was in the right range, but my stems and the seeds were still green which meant a LOT of adjusting of the acid levels throughout the fermentation and carboy time. Next year I'll wait until the stems and the seeds are brown before I harvest which should help with the acid levels.

Also, I had bought two 5 gallon carboys but didn't have nearly enough grapes this first year to fill even one of them so panicked and combined both the Frontenac and Marquette into one large fermentation batch, and even then it wasn't enough for one carboy.

It was only after I started fermentation that I called a local wine shop and found that they had 1/2 gallon carboys. So next year I will ferment both types separately.

Either way, after 2 1/2 years of playing gardener, it was great to actually start harvesting and producing wine!

 

[phrozen]

I've had a couple of really good wines in the past week.#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...but for a guy like me it is a special wine for special occasions. From the first sip it is a nectar of the Gods that only gets better as it opens in the glass. I'm not good at describing but to say smooth, rich, balanced...pretty darn near perfect. It's expensive...but one of those wines I would say worth it.#2: Turley Zinfandel Juvenile 2010. This is one of those everyday drinkers. I know a lot of Turley's can get up there in the $50-$70+ range. Honestly...I think this one is better (at least for my taste), and it only costs about $22. Want to bring a wine as a guest to a dinner..bring this one...no one would be disappointed.

Caymus =

 

[jamny]

That's very cool! Congrats. What kind of grapes are they?What was the biggest lesson learned?

I have 5 Frontenac vines (Red Wine) which are described as follows - The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits.I then have 4 Marquette, another Red wine - wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate.Lastly I have 3 Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit.I realize now that I don't have enough Gris to produce wine from, but at this time that is fine as I have my hands full with the red wine. My plan with the Gris over time is to blend those with the Frontenac one year and Marquette the next and decide from there.. Maybe someday far into the future I'll increase the size of my Vineyard and add more if I decide I've got a handle on Red wine and want to tackle Whites.Some of the lessons learned were:Acid tests are hard with red wines with the test kit I bought. I am going to purchase a Ph Meter this year to help with that.In my haste to make wine I harvested when the Brix count was in the right range, but my stems and the seeds were still green which meant a LOT of adjusting of the acid levels throughout the fermentation and carboy time. Next year I'll wait until the stems and the seeds are brown before I harvest which should help with the acid levels.Also, I had bought two 5 gallon carboys but didn't have nearly enough grapes this first year to fill even one of them so panicked and combined both the Frontenac and Marquette into one large fermentation batch, and even then it wasn't enough for one carboy.It was only after I started fermentation that I called a local wine shop and found that they had 1/2 gallon carboys. So next year I will ferment both types separately.Either way, after 2 1/2 years of playing gardener, it was great to actually start harvesting and producing wine!

Why did you combine them? Limiting the contact with air in the container? You gotta be a little bummed that you don't have the two seperate for comparison purposes. Still, sounds like a fun and interesting endeavor.

 

[The Hardline]

Joined the Charles Krug wine club when we were in Napa last year and have been loving what we have received. Especially like the Generations line.

 

[General Malaise]

Wonderful Southern Oregon red blend. ~$10. I have the 2010 and took down half the bottle last night. Excellent wine for the value.

 

[Quint]

That's very cool! Congrats.

What kind of grapes are they?

What was the biggest lesson learned?

I have 5 Frontenac vines (Red Wine) which are described as follows - The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits.I then have 4 Marquette, another Red wine - wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate.

Lastly I have 3 Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit.

I realize now that I don't have enough Gris to produce wine from, but at this time that is fine as I have my hands full with the red wine.

My plan with the Gris over time is to blend those with the Frontenac one year and Marquette the next and decide from there.. Maybe someday far into the future I'll increase the size of my Vineyard and add more if I decide I've got a handle on Red wine and want to tackle Whites.

Some of the lessons learned were:

Acid tests are hard with red wines with the test kit I bought. I am going to purchase a Ph Meter this year to help with that.



In my haste to make wine I harvested when the Brix count was in the right range, but my stems and the seeds were still green which meant a LOT of adjusting of the acid levels throughout the fermentation and carboy time. Next year I'll wait until the stems and the seeds are brown before I harvest which should help with the acid levels.

Also, I had bought two 5 gallon carboys but didn't have nearly enough grapes this first year to fill even one of them so panicked and combined both the Frontenac and Marquette into one large fermentation batch, and even then it wasn't enough for one carboy.

It was only after I started fermentation that I called a local wine shop and found that they had 1/2 gallon carboys. So next year I will ferment both types separately.

Either way, after 2 1/2 years of playing gardener, it was great to actually start harvesting and producing wine!

Why did you combine them? Limiting the contact with air in the container? You gotta be a little bummed that you don't have the two seperate for comparison purposes. Still, sounds like a fun and interesting endeavor.

exactly. even with Brix in the range you want, the fruit still might not be ripe. congrats on the new endeavor.

 

[snogger]

That's very cool! Congrats.

What kind of grapes are they?

What was the biggest lesson learned?

I have 5 Frontenac vines (Red Wine) which are described as follows - The wines produced from Frontenac typically present aromas of cherry and other red fruits.I then have 4 Marquette, another Red wine - wines are complex, with attractive ruby color, pronounced tannins, and desirable notes of cherry, berry, black pepper, and spice on both nose and palate.

Lastly I have 3 Frontenac gris, the white wine version of Frontenac, wines present aromas of peach and apricot with hints of enticing citrus and tropical fruit.

I realize now that I don't have enough Gris to produce wine from, but at this time that is fine as I have my hands full with the red wine.

My plan with the Gris over time is to blend those with the Frontenac one year and Marquette the next and decide from there.. Maybe someday far into the future I'll increase the size of my Vineyard and add more if I decide I've got a handle on Red wine and want to tackle Whites.

Some of the lessons learned were:

Acid tests are hard with red wines with the test kit I bought. I am going to purchase a Ph Meter this year to help with that.

In my haste to make wine I harvested when the Brix count was in the right range, but my stems and the seeds were still green which meant a LOT of adjusting of the acid levels throughout the fermentation and carboy time. Next year I'll wait until the stems and the seeds are brown before I harvest which should help with the acid levels.

Also, I had bought two 5 gallon carboys but didn't have nearly enough grapes this first year to fill even one of them so panicked and combined both the Frontenac and Marquette into one large fermentation batch, and even then it wasn't enough for one carboy.

It was only after I started fermentation that I called a local wine shop and found that they had 1/2 gallon carboys. So next year I will ferment both types separately.

Either way, after 2 1/2 years of playing gardener, it was great to actually start harvesting and producing wine!

Why did you combine them? Limiting the contact with air in the container? You gotta be a little bummed that you don't have the two seperate for comparison purposes. Still, sounds like a fun and interesting endeavor.

Correct, once the fermentation is done and you rack to the Carboy's you want to limit how much air is in the carboy.Had I racked directly to the 5 gallon carboy half the area would have been air which would cause all kinds of issues.

now that I have the 1/2 gallon carboys I won't have to worry about that.

 

[bologna]

So what's a good wine app for android? I'm looking for something with a good barcode database and a organized ranking/rating system.Something I might be able to sync up with my computer too so I could print out sortable lists.

I use an app called cor.kz. has a barcode scanner, user reviews, recommendations for when to drink the wine, and a virtual cellar. Not sure if it is on the Android but you can check.

I'll 2nd the cor.kz app. I have the iPhone version too, but I'm pretty sure they have an Android version. The best thing is that it ties into cellartracker.com so you can manage your cellar via the web too. One of the cool things about cellartracker.com is that it will show you an estimated value of your collection. I was a little surprised to see how my collection was worth.

 

[17seconds]

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...

 

[phrozen]

Wonderful Southern Oregon red blend. ~$10. I have the 2010 and took down half the bottle last night. Excellent wine for the value.

Thanks GM. I love the Oregon Noir's. I travel to Portland a couple of times a year. I stayed over a weekend a few years back and did winery tours over the weekend. I was a big fan of Van Duzerwinery. The owner wasn't the nicest guy but he had some good wines.

 

[phrozen]

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...

I tend to agree although I prefer Opus One as my everyday drinking wine

 

[17seconds]

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...

I tend to agree although I prefer Opus One as my everyday drinking wine

I have a case of '97 Screaming Eagle for cooking.

 

[phrozen]

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...

I tend to agree although I prefer Opus One as my everyday drinking wine

I have a case of '97 Screaming Eagle for cooking.

 

[jamny]

So what's a good wine app for android? I'm looking for something with a good barcode database and a organized ranking/rating system.Something I might be able to sync up with my computer too so I could print out sortable lists.

I use an app called cor.kz. has a barcode scanner, user reviews, recommendations for when to drink the wine, and a virtual cellar. Not sure if it is on the Android but you can check.

I'll 2nd the cor.kz app. I have the iPhone version too, but I'm pretty sure they have an Android version. The best thing is that it ties into cellartracker.com so you can manage your cellar via the web too. One of the cool things about cellartracker.com is that it will show you an estimated value of your collection. I was a little surprised to see how my collection was worth.

Thanks! Yes they do have it on Android. There were some complaints about the search function but it seems to have recently been fixed.

 

[jamny]

Wonderful Southern Oregon red blend. ~$10. I have the 2010 and took down half the bottle last night. Excellent wine for the value.

Thanks GM. I love the Oregon Noir's. I travel to Portland a couple of times a year. I stayed over a weekend a few years back and did winery tours over the weekend. I was a big fan of Van Duzerwinery. The owner wasn't the nicest guy but he had some good wines.

Big fan of Benton Lane. We made sure to stop by the winery a couple of years ago when we drove from Portland to Carmel.

 

[phrozen]

Yellowtail Chardonnay

 

[Jules Winnfield]

#1- Caymus 2001 Special Selection Cab. Now for most FBGs this might be an everyday wine...

I tend to agree although I prefer Opus One as my everyday drinking wine

I have a case of '97 Screaming Eagle for cooking.

2000 Clinet, Pomerol...just to mix for Sangria

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Wine guys: These are the wines my company ceo gave me this year - let me know what I've got. I told him I like "big reds", but I'm more about bourbon and beer and mostly just try to bs my way through when it comes to wine.

Arundel 2006

Damilano Barolo 2001

Georey-Chambertin Claude-Dugat 2002 (also says "Robert Kacher Selections" on the label)

Damaru 2008

I'd like to know if these are good "special occasion" type wines, and if so whether I should decant, how long I can or should cellar them, etc.

Thanks wine dudes.

 

[ditka311]

Four Vines OVC (old vine cuvee) zin

Oberon Napa cab

Big fan of Four Vines.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Wine guys: These are the wines my company ceo gave me this year - let me know what I've got. I told him I like "big reds", but I'm more about bourbon and beer and mostly just try to bs my way through when it comes to wine.Arundel 2006Damilano Barolo 2001Georey-Chambertin Claude-Dugat 2002 (also says "Robert Kacher Selections" on the label)Damaru 2008I'd like to know if these are good "special occasion" type wines, and if so whether I should decant, how long I can or should cellar them, etc.Thanks wine dudes.

'06 Arundel Farm Estate Shiraz is a wine that I would drink around 2016 and beyond'01 Damilano Barolo is ready now and you want to do this with some Lamb Shanks. That would be a really nice pairing '02 Gevrey Chambertin is a nice wine. I really like this wine but I would hold it still. Can you drink it? Sure but a few more years of cellaring would be for me'08 Damaru is ready next year and another 3-5 years after

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Wine guys: These are the wines my company ceo gave me this year - let me know what I've got. I told him I like "big reds", but I'm more about bourbon and beer and mostly just try to bs my way through when it comes to wine.Arundel 2006Damilano Barolo 2001Georey-Chambertin Claude-Dugat 2002 (also says "Robert Kacher Selections" on the label)Damaru 2008I'd like to know if these are good "special occasion" type wines, and if so whether I should decant, how long I can or should cellar them, etc.Thanks wine dudes.

'06 Arundel Farm Estate Shiraz is a wine that I would drink around 2016 and beyond'01 Damilano Barolo is ready now and you want to do this with some Lamb Shanks. That would be a really nice pairing '02 Gevrey Chambertin is a nice wine. I really like this wine but I would hold it still. Can you drink it? Sure but a few more years of cellaring would be for me'08 Damaru is ready next year and another 3-5 years after

The gevrey is a Pinot, it will not be a big wine at all. That being said, they are some of my favorite wines in the world.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Wine guys: These are the wines my company ceo gave me this year - let me know what I've got. I told him I like "big reds", but I'm more about bourbon and beer and mostly just try to bs my way through when it comes to wine.Arundel 2006Damilano Barolo 2001Georey-Chambertin Claude-Dugat 2002 (also says "Robert Kacher Selections" on the label)Damaru 2008I'd like to know if these are good "special occasion" type wines, and if so whether I should decant, how long I can or should cellar them, etc.Thanks wine dudes.

'06 Arundel Farm Estate Shiraz is a wine that I would drink around 2016 and beyond'01 Damilano Barolo is ready now and you want to do this with some Lamb Shanks. That would be a really nice pairing '02 Gevrey Chambertin is a nice wine. I really like this wine but I would hold it still. Can you drink it? Sure but a few more years of cellaring would be for me'08 Damaru is ready next year and another 3-5 years after

The gevrey is a Pinot, it will not be a big wine at all. That being said, they are some of my favorite wines in the world.

Absolutely.Two weeks ago I attended a tasting of 2010 Bouchard Pere & Fils and William Fevre. I think you would have enjoyed the selection of red we tasted.Savigny Les Beaune Les LavieresVosne RomaneeBeaune Clos De La MousseGevrey ChambertinPommard Premiere CruChambolle MusignyVolnay CailleretsBeaune Greves Vigne De L'Enfant JesusNuit-Saint-Goerges Les CaillesLe Corton Chambertin Clos De Beze

 

[Ray Karpis]

2008 Louis Jardot Pinot Noir

Damn good wine in the $25-$30 range.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Wine guys: These are the wines my company ceo gave me this year - let me know what I've got. I told him I like "big reds", but I'm more about bourbon and beer and mostly just try to bs my way through when it comes to wine.Arundel 2006Damilano Barolo 2001Georey-Chambertin Claude-Dugat 2002 (also says "Robert Kacher Selections" on the label)Damaru 2008I'd like to know if these are good "special occasion" type wines, and if so whether I should decant, how long I can or should cellar them, etc.Thanks wine dudes.

'06 Arundel Farm Estate Shiraz is a wine that I would drink around 2016 and beyond'01 Damilano Barolo is ready now and you want to do this with some Lamb Shanks. That would be a really nice pairing '02 Gevrey Chambertin is a nice wine. I really like this wine but I would hold it still. Can you drink it? Sure but a few more years of cellaring would be for me'08 Damaru is ready next year and another 3-5 years after

The gevrey is a Pinot, it will not be a big wine at all. That being said, they are some of my favorite wines in the world.

Absolutely.Two weeks ago I attended a tasting of 2010 Bouchard Pere & Fils and William Fevre. I think you would have enjoyed the selection of red we tasted.Savigny Les Beaune Les LavieresVosne RomaneeBeaune Clos De La MousseGevrey ChambertinPommard Premiere CruChambolle MusignyVolnay CailleretsBeaune Greves Vigne De L'Enfant JesusNuit-Saint-Goerges Les CaillesLe Corton Chambertin Clos De Beze

Sweet Jesus that's a nice line up. I've had a lot of them. Love me some burgundy!!

 

[Ray Karpis]

2009 Jordan Chardonnay (RRV)

Pretty good after about 20 minutes.

 

[bagger]

zd pinot noir is money.

 

[The Captain]

St. Francis Red Splash is my favorite every day wine right now. Can't beat it at $11 a bottle.

Certainly not high end, but great value.

 

[Ray Karpis]

Just returned from a trip to California wine country. Thought this was as good a place as any to report on where I visited, what I tasted. I'm somewhat new to wine...learned a lot on the trip and found some new favorites. Our entire trip was not centered on wine, so we didn't visit everywhere I thought we might. We did not venture into Napa at all.

We toured Gundlach-Bundschu (Sonoma), Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley), and Korbel (my wife's choice) and tasted at Martinelli (Russian River Valley), Bella (Dry Creek Valley), Ridge (Dry Creek Valley), VJB (Kenwood), and Bartholomew Park (Sonoma).

All three tours were great. I wasn't excited about the wines at GunBun but they do a Pinzgauer (all-terrain) tour of the vineyards combined with a cave tour that I thought would be a fun way to start the trip. Unfortunately, though we had made reservations, they had a scheduling glitch and didn't have a driver for the tour. So they made a spot for us on their trivia tour (which included the cave tasting) and comped it. A little disappointed, but we still had a great time. The wines were okay...not spectacular. My favorite, surprisingly, was their Gewurztraminer.

Later that afternoon, we tasted at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. Honestly kinda forgettable. Again, the wines were nice, but not great. Had a decent rose and a good pinot noir, but the pony-tailed guy at the tasting counter was a little goofy. After the first taste, he told us to go wander into the museum, look around, and come back with a question for him. A homework assignment at a wine tasting...

On our way back from the coast and Redwoods on Saturday, we stopped at Korbel before dinner. Korbel is Korbel...cheapish bubbly stuff, but the tour was actually pretty neat. Amazing success story by the Korbel brothers.

After Korbel, we jetted down the road to hit Martinelli since they stay open a little later than most. Best tasting experience of the trip. Magnificent wines! Helen Turley was the consulting winemaker for the vintages we tasted. We had a 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, a 2008 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay, 2010 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, 2009 Bondi Home Pinot Noir, and an excellent Syrah and Zinfandel (don't remember which two). Brought home several bottles from Martinelli and joined their mailing list (no wine club). I was most surprised by the Chardonnays - not usually a Chard drinker but I now know what a "good" Chard tastes like. Everything on the tasting menu was exceptionally well-balanced.

Sunday morning we toured Michel Schlumberger just west of Healdsburg. Beautiful, quaint place tucked away in Dry Creek Valley. We had a great tour - just 3 of us. The guide, Francesco, really spent a lot of time in the vineyard educating us on root stock, pruning methods, etc...learned a lot. Another great tasting, just a shade less impressive than Martinelli, but great wine after great wine. They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

I had very high expectations for the tastings at Bella and Ridge, and they were good, but not great. Had Ridge's bell cow, 2008 Monte Bello cabernet. Goes for about $175 bottle back home. Bella is a neat place...at the very end of a long winding road dotted with other wineries. We had a picnic on the grounds on Sunday afternoon, and it was like something from Martha Stewart or HGTV. Pretty people, dressed in pretty clothes, eating pretty food.

Other notable tasting was in Kenwood at VJB. We were head to San Francisco for the day, but we were able to swing by since they opened at 10 am. Had heard really good things about this small winery. Met the owner, Henry, when we arrived and chatted with him. Really pleasant, welcoming place. They do some different Italian varietals that you don't see everywhere in California. Tasted their 2009 Mendocino Barbera...terrific wine at $30 bottle. Most impressed by their "prized" cab..2008 Dante. Not on the tasting menu but they were feeling generous, so they poured it for us. One of my favorite wines of the trip...grabbed two bottles (running out of space in the checked luggage).

My main regret was not getting a chance to meet up with FBG Quint, who works at Enkidu. I planned to stop by at Enkidu on the morning we hit VJB but then realized their tasting room didn't open until noon. Quint, sorry I didn't catch you, but many thanks for the tips you provided before our trip.

Had really good meals at Cafe Citti (Kenwood - best gnocchi of my life), Bottega (Yountville - braised short ribs), Willy's Raw Bar (Healdsburg - bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes), Spud Point Crab (Bodega Bay - fresh crab sandwich was kick ###), and a good picnic lunch from Oakville Grocery (Healdsburg). Somewhat forgettable meal at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.

Very enjoyable first trip to wine country...cannot wait to go back.

 

[Ray Karpis]

They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

Though I intended to wait, I couldn't. Had the 2009 pinot noir from Michel Schlumberger Friday night, and it was great. Opened up and mellowed out after about 20 minutes. Balanced, no initial bite...really enjoyable bottle of wine.

 

[Zow]

Has a Kieren (sp?) Malbec last night. Was pleasantly surprised.

I have a 2008 Stags Leap to drink this weekend...

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Just returned from a trip to California wine country. Thought this was as good a place as any to report on where I visited, what I tasted. I'm somewhat new to wine...learned a lot on the trip and found some new favorites. Our entire trip was not centered on wine, so we didn't visit everywhere I thought we might. We did not venture into Napa at all.

We toured Gundlach-Bundschu (Sonoma), Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley), and Korbel (my wife's choice) and tasted at Martinelli (Russian River Valley), Bella (Dry Creek Valley), Ridge (Dry Creek Valley), VJB (Kenwood), and Bartholomew Park (Sonoma).

All three tours were great. I wasn't excited about the wines at GunBun but they do a Pinzgauer (all-terrain) tour of the vineyards combined with a cave tour that I thought would be a fun way to start the trip. Unfortunately, though we had made reservations, they had a scheduling glitch and didn't have a driver for the tour. So they made a spot for us on their trivia tour (which included the cave tasting) and comped it. A little disappointed, but we still had a great time. The wines were okay...not spectacular. My favorite, surprisingly, was their Gewurztraminer.

Later that afternoon, we tasted at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. Honestly kinda forgettable. Again, the wines were nice, but not great. Had a decent rose and a good pinot noir, but the pony-tailed guy at the tasting counter was a little goofy. After the first taste, he told us to go wander into the museum, look around, and come back with a question for him. A homework assignment at a wine tasting...

On our way back from the coast and Redwoods on Saturday, we stopped at Korbel before dinner. Korbel is Korbel...cheapish bubbly stuff, but the tour was actually pretty neat. Amazing success story by the Korbel brothers.

After Korbel, we jetted down the road to hit Martinelli since they stay open a little later than most. Best tasting experience of the trip. Magnificent wines! Helen Turley was the consulting winemaker for the vintages we tasted. We had a 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, a 2008 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay, 2010 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, 2009 Bondi Home Pinot Noir, and an excellent Syrah and Zinfandel (don't remember which two). Brought home several bottles from Martinelli and joined their mailing list (no wine club). I was most surprised by the Chardonnays - not usually a Chard drinker but I now know what a "good" Chard tastes like. Everything on the tasting menu was exceptionally well-balanced.

Sunday morning we toured Michel Schlumberger just west of Healdsburg. Beautiful, quaint place tucked away in Dry Creek Valley. We had a great tour - just 3 of us. The guide, Francesco, really spent a lot of time in the vineyard educating us on root stock, pruning methods, etc...learned a lot. Another great tasting, just a shade less impressive than Martinelli, but great wine after great wine. They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

I had very high expectations for the tastings at Bella and Ridge, and they were good, but not great. Had Ridge's bell cow, 2008 Monte Bello cabernet. Goes for about $175 bottle back home. Bella is a neat place...at the very end of a long winding road dotted with other wineries. We had a picnic on the grounds on Sunday afternoon, and it was like something from Martha Stewart or HGTV. Pretty people, dressed in pretty clothes, eating pretty food.

Other notable tasting was in Kenwood at VJB. We were head to San Francisco for the day, but we were able to swing by since they opened at 10 am. Had heard really good things about this small winery. Met the owner, Henry, when we arrived and chatted with him. Really pleasant, welcoming place. They do some different Italian varietals that you don't see everywhere in California. Tasted their 2009 Mendocino Barbera...terrific wine at $30 bottle. Most impressed by their "prized" cab..2008 Dante. Not on the tasting menu but they were feeling generous, so they poured it for us. One of my favorite wines of the trip...grabbed two bottles (running out of space in the checked luggage).

My main regret was not getting a chance to meet up with FBG Quint, who works at Enkidu. I planned to stop by at Enkidu on the morning we hit VJB but then realized their tasting room didn't open until noon. Quint, sorry I didn't catch you, but many thanks for the tips you provided before our trip.

Had really good meals at Cafe Citti (Kenwood - best gnocchi of my life), Bottega (Yountville - braised short ribs), Willy's Raw Bar (Healdsburg - bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes), Spud Point Crab (Bodega Bay - fresh crab sandwich was kick ###), and a good picnic lunch from Oakville Grocery (Healdsburg). Somewhat forgettable meal at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.

Very enjoyable first trip to wine country...cannot wait to go back.

For VJB it is the Aglianico or Nero d'Avola that I prefer. Sorry to hear you weren't in the boat about Ridge being great. I love those wines so very much. A lot of Zinfandel in my collection and some of their hard to find Grenache

 

[Ray Karpis]

Just returned from a trip to California wine country. Thought this was as good a place as any to report on where I visited, what I tasted. I'm somewhat new to wine...learned a lot on the trip and found some new favorites. Our entire trip was not centered on wine, so we didn't visit everywhere I thought we might. We did not venture into Napa at all.

We toured Gundlach-Bundschu (Sonoma), Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley), and Korbel (my wife's choice) and tasted at Martinelli (Russian River Valley), Bella (Dry Creek Valley), Ridge (Dry Creek Valley), VJB (Kenwood), and Bartholomew Park (Sonoma).

All three tours were great. I wasn't excited about the wines at GunBun but they do a Pinzgauer (all-terrain) tour of the vineyards combined with a cave tour that I thought would be a fun way to start the trip. Unfortunately, though we had made reservations, they had a scheduling glitch and didn't have a driver for the tour. So they made a spot for us on their trivia tour (which included the cave tasting) and comped it. A little disappointed, but we still had a great time. The wines were okay...not spectacular. My favorite, surprisingly, was their Gewurztraminer.

Later that afternoon, we tasted at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. Honestly kinda forgettable. Again, the wines were nice, but not great. Had a decent rose and a good pinot noir, but the pony-tailed guy at the tasting counter was a little goofy. After the first taste, he told us to go wander into the museum, look around, and come back with a question for him. A homework assignment at a wine tasting...

On our way back from the coast and Redwoods on Saturday, we stopped at Korbel before dinner. Korbel is Korbel...cheapish bubbly stuff, but the tour was actually pretty neat. Amazing success story by the Korbel brothers.

After Korbel, we jetted down the road to hit Martinelli since they stay open a little later than most. Best tasting experience of the trip. Magnificent wines! Helen Turley was the consulting winemaker for the vintages we tasted. We had a 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, a 2008 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay, 2010 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, 2009 Bondi Home Pinot Noir, and an excellent Syrah and Zinfandel (don't remember which two). Brought home several bottles from Martinelli and joined their mailing list (no wine club). I was most surprised by the Chardonnays - not usually a Chard drinker but I now know what a "good" Chard tastes like. Everything on the tasting menu was exceptionally well-balanced.

Sunday morning we toured Michel Schlumberger just west of Healdsburg. Beautiful, quaint place tucked away in Dry Creek Valley. We had a great tour - just 3 of us. The guide, Francesco, really spent a lot of time in the vineyard educating us on root stock, pruning methods, etc...learned a lot. Another great tasting, just a shade less impressive than Martinelli, but great wine after great wine. They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

I had very high expectations for the tastings at Bella and Ridge, and they were good, but not great. Had Ridge's bell cow, 2008 Monte Bello cabernet. Goes for about $175 bottle back home. Bella is a neat place...at the very end of a long winding road dotted with other wineries. We had a picnic on the grounds on Sunday afternoon, and it was like something from Martha Stewart or HGTV. Pretty people, dressed in pretty clothes, eating pretty food.

Other notable tasting was in Kenwood at VJB. We were head to San Francisco for the day, but we were able to swing by since they opened at 10 am. Had heard really good things about this small winery. Met the owner, Henry, when we arrived and chatted with him. Really pleasant, welcoming place. They do some different Italian varietals that you don't see everywhere in California. Tasted their 2009 Mendocino Barbera...terrific wine at $30 bottle. Most impressed by their "prized" cab..2008 Dante. Not on the tasting menu but they were feeling generous, so they poured it for us. One of my favorite wines of the trip...grabbed two bottles (running out of space in the checked luggage).

My main regret was not getting a chance to meet up with FBG Quint, who works at Enkidu. I planned to stop by at Enkidu on the morning we hit VJB but then realized their tasting room didn't open until noon. Quint, sorry I didn't catch you, but many thanks for the tips you provided before our trip.

Had really good meals at Cafe Citti (Kenwood - best gnocchi of my life), Bottega (Yountville - braised short ribs), Willy's Raw Bar (Healdsburg - bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes), Spud Point Crab (Bodega Bay - fresh crab sandwich was kick ###), and a good picnic lunch from Oakville Grocery (Healdsburg). Somewhat forgettable meal at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.

Very enjoyable first trip to wine country...cannot wait to go back.

For VJB it is the Aglianico or Nero d'Avola that I prefer. Sorry to hear you weren't in the boat about Ridge being great. I love those wines so very much. A lot of Zinfandel in my collection and some of their hard to find Grenache

I'll have to check out the two VJB wines you mentioned. I'm considering joining their wine club.You know, in hindsight, Ridge is probably the one tasting I didn't really give a fair shake. We were a little rushed that afternoon, and I ended up splitting a tasting with my wife. Nothing just knocked me over that day, but I've found a local place that carries Ridge, and I'm going to make a point of checking them out again. Any particular Ridge wine you would recommend?

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Just returned from a trip to California wine country. Thought this was as good a place as any to report on where I visited, what I tasted. I'm somewhat new to wine...learned a lot on the trip and found some new favorites. Our entire trip was not centered on wine, so we didn't visit everywhere I thought we might. We did not venture into Napa at all.

We toured Gundlach-Bundschu (Sonoma), Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley), and Korbel (my wife's choice) and tasted at Martinelli (Russian River Valley), Bella (Dry Creek Valley), Ridge (Dry Creek Valley), VJB (Kenwood), and Bartholomew Park (Sonoma).

All three tours were great. I wasn't excited about the wines at GunBun but they do a Pinzgauer (all-terrain) tour of the vineyards combined with a cave tour that I thought would be a fun way to start the trip. Unfortunately, though we had made reservations, they had a scheduling glitch and didn't have a driver for the tour. So they made a spot for us on their trivia tour (which included the cave tasting) and comped it. A little disappointed, but we still had a great time. The wines were okay...not spectacular. My favorite, surprisingly, was their Gewurztraminer.

Later that afternoon, we tasted at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. Honestly kinda forgettable. Again, the wines were nice, but not great. Had a decent rose and a good pinot noir, but the pony-tailed guy at the tasting counter was a little goofy. After the first taste, he told us to go wander into the museum, look around, and come back with a question for him. A homework assignment at a wine tasting...

On our way back from the coast and Redwoods on Saturday, we stopped at Korbel before dinner. Korbel is Korbel...cheapish bubbly stuff, but the tour was actually pretty neat. Amazing success story by the Korbel brothers.

After Korbel, we jetted down the road to hit Martinelli since they stay open a little later than most. Best tasting experience of the trip. Magnificent wines! Helen Turley was the consulting winemaker for the vintages we tasted. We had a 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, a 2008 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay, 2010 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, 2009 Bondi Home Pinot Noir, and an excellent Syrah and Zinfandel (don't remember which two). Brought home several bottles from Martinelli and joined their mailing list (no wine club). I was most surprised by the Chardonnays - not usually a Chard drinker but I now know what a "good" Chard tastes like. Everything on the tasting menu was exceptionally well-balanced.

Sunday morning we toured Michel Schlumberger just west of Healdsburg. Beautiful, quaint place tucked away in Dry Creek Valley. We had a great tour - just 3 of us. The guide, Francesco, really spent a lot of time in the vineyard educating us on root stock, pruning methods, etc...learned a lot. Another great tasting, just a shade less impressive than Martinelli, but great wine after great wine. They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

I had very high expectations for the tastings at Bella and Ridge, and they were good, but not great. Had Ridge's bell cow, 2008 Monte Bello cabernet. Goes for about $175 bottle back home. Bella is a neat place...at the very end of a long winding road dotted with other wineries. We had a picnic on the grounds on Sunday afternoon, and it was like something from Martha Stewart or HGTV. Pretty people, dressed in pretty clothes, eating pretty food.

Other notable tasting was in Kenwood at VJB. We were head to San Francisco for the day, but we were able to swing by since they opened at 10 am. Had heard really good things about this small winery. Met the owner, Henry, when we arrived and chatted with him. Really pleasant, welcoming place. They do some different Italian varietals that you don't see everywhere in California. Tasted their 2009 Mendocino Barbera...terrific wine at $30 bottle. Most impressed by their "prized" cab..2008 Dante. Not on the tasting menu but they were feeling generous, so they poured it for us. One of my favorite wines of the trip...grabbed two bottles (running out of space in the checked luggage).

My main regret was not getting a chance to meet up with FBG Quint, who works at Enkidu. I planned to stop by at Enkidu on the morning we hit VJB but then realized their tasting room didn't open until noon. Quint, sorry I didn't catch you, but many thanks for the tips you provided before our trip.

Had really good meals at Cafe Citti (Kenwood - best gnocchi of my life), Bottega (Yountville - braised short ribs), Willy's Raw Bar (Healdsburg - bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes), Spud Point Crab (Bodega Bay - fresh crab sandwich was kick ###), and a good picnic lunch from Oakville Grocery (Healdsburg). Somewhat forgettable meal at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.

Very enjoyable first trip to wine country...cannot wait to go back.

For VJB it is the Aglianico or Nero d'Avola that I prefer. Sorry to hear you weren't in the boat about Ridge being great. I love those wines so very much. A lot of Zinfandel in my collection and some of their hard to find Grenache

I'll have to check out the two VJB wines you mentioned. I'm considering joining their wine club.You know, in hindsight, Ridge is probably the one tasting I didn't really give a fair shake. We were a little rushed that afternoon, and I ended up splitting a tasting with my wife. Nothing just knocked me over that day, but I've found a local place that carries Ridge, and I'm going to make a point of checking them out again. Any particular Ridge wine you would recommend?

Any thing Zinfandel with a good BBQ going.

 

[17seconds]

 

[Quint]

Just returned from a trip to California wine country. Thought this was as good a place as any to report on where I visited, what I tasted. I'm somewhat new to wine...learned a lot on the trip and found some new favorites. Our entire trip was not centered on wine, so we didn't visit everywhere I thought we might. We did not venture into Napa at all.

We toured Gundlach-Bundschu (Sonoma), Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley), and Korbel (my wife's choice) and tasted at Martinelli (Russian River Valley), Bella (Dry Creek Valley), Ridge (Dry Creek Valley), VJB (Kenwood), and Bartholomew Park (Sonoma).

All three tours were great. I wasn't excited about the wines at GunBun but they do a Pinzgauer (all-terrain) tour of the vineyards combined with a cave tour that I thought would be a fun way to start the trip. Unfortunately, though we had made reservations, they had a scheduling glitch and didn't have a driver for the tour. So they made a spot for us on their trivia tour (which included the cave tasting) and comped it. A little disappointed, but we still had a great time. The wines were okay...not spectacular. My favorite, surprisingly, was their Gewurztraminer.

Later that afternoon, we tasted at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. Honestly kinda forgettable. Again, the wines were nice, but not great. Had a decent rose and a good pinot noir, but the pony-tailed guy at the tasting counter was a little goofy. After the first taste, he told us to go wander into the museum, look around, and come back with a question for him. A homework assignment at a wine tasting...

On our way back from the coast and Redwoods on Saturday, we stopped at Korbel before dinner. Korbel is Korbel...cheapish bubbly stuff, but the tour was actually pretty neat. Amazing success story by the Korbel brothers.

After Korbel, we jetted down the road to hit Martinelli since they stay open a little later than most. Best tasting experience of the trip. Magnificent wines! Helen Turley was the consulting winemaker for the vintages we tasted. We had a 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, a 2008 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay, 2010 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, 2009 Bondi Home Pinot Noir, and an excellent Syrah and Zinfandel (don't remember which two). Brought home several bottles from Martinelli and joined their mailing list (no wine club). I was most surprised by the Chardonnays - not usually a Chard drinker but I now know what a "good" Chard tastes like. Everything on the tasting menu was exceptionally well-balanced.

Sunday morning we toured Michel Schlumberger just west of Healdsburg. Beautiful, quaint place tucked away in Dry Creek Valley. We had a great tour - just 3 of us. The guide, Francesco, really spent a lot of time in the vineyard educating us on root stock, pruning methods, etc...learned a lot. Another great tasting, just a shade less impressive than Martinelli, but great wine after great wine. They do one of the very few pinot noirs in Dry Creek Valley - 2009 Le Fou Pinot Noir - and it was excellent. Brought home a bottle of it and joined the wine club. Overall, this was probably our best experience.

I had very high expectations for the tastings at Bella and Ridge, and they were good, but not great. Had Ridge's bell cow, 2008 Monte Bello cabernet. Goes for about $175 bottle back home. Bella is a neat place...at the very end of a long winding road dotted with other wineries. We had a picnic on the grounds on Sunday afternoon, and it was like something from Martha Stewart or HGTV. Pretty people, dressed in pretty clothes, eating pretty food.

Other notable tasting was in Kenwood at VJB. We were head to San Francisco for the day, but we were able to swing by since they opened at 10 am. Had heard really good things about this small winery. Met the owner, Henry, when we arrived and chatted with him. Really pleasant, welcoming place. They do some different Italian varietals that you don't see everywhere in California. Tasted their 2009 Mendocino Barbera...terrific wine at $30 bottle. Most impressed by their "prized" cab..2008 Dante. Not on the tasting menu but they were feeling generous, so they poured it for us. One of my favorite wines of the trip...grabbed two bottles (running out of space in the checked luggage).

My main regret was not getting a chance to meet up with FBG Quint, who works at Enkidu. I planned to stop by at Enkidu on the morning we hit VJB but then realized their tasting room didn't open until noon. Quint, sorry I didn't catch you, but many thanks for the tips you provided before our trip.

Had really good meals at Cafe Citti (Kenwood - best gnocchi of my life), Bottega (Yountville - braised short ribs), Willy's Raw Bar (Healdsburg - bacon-wrapped scallops and crab cakes), Spud Point Crab (Bodega Bay - fresh crab sandwich was kick ###), and a good picnic lunch from Oakville Grocery (Healdsburg). Somewhat forgettable meal at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.

Very enjoyable first trip to wine country...cannot wait to go back.

For VJB it is the Aglianico or Nero d'Avola that I prefer. Sorry to hear you weren't in the boat about Ridge being great. I love those wines so very much. A lot of Zinfandel in my collection and some of their hard to find Grenache

the Nero d'Avola is their newest release IIRC. haven't had the Aglianico in a few months, but the 08 Montepulciano (d'Abruzzo) is rockin'. sorry to have missed you Ray - hope to pour for you on your next visit. lemme know if you need reccos on other wineries in the area.

 

[Quint]

A day of tasting in Napa, May 27

started at HdV and ran through their lineup:

2010 "De la Guerra" Chardonnay - minerality in spades. nice fruit and balanced acidity. much like Chablis. B+

2009 Chardonnay - a little softer than the "De la Guerra" with more oak influence. creamy mouthfeel. B

2007 "Californio" Syrah - my least favorite, though most popular with the rest of our group. i found it a bit astringent and lacking the meaty and bloody component i look for in Syrah. C

2007 Belle Cousine - 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. really strong effort with this one. loads of fruit in front of an herbacious note and dusty tannis. purchased a bottle of this. A-

2003 Red Bordeaux Blend (Carneros) - phenomenal wine. about 90% Merlot. soft fruit flavors and aromas, with plenty of vibrancy on the palate. a little too much for me at $75, but worth it if you have the coin. A

next stop, Napa Valley Wine & Cigar:

didn't taste here, though they do have a wine bar, and instead perused there extensive showcase of wines. mostly NorCal, Central Coast, and Santa Barbara selections. everything from Rose' to big-name cult wines (Harlan, Screaming Eagle, SQN, Ghost Horse, etc.) at pretty reasonable prices. picked up a bottle of 09 "Beautiful Earth" GSM from McPrice Myers.

on to Clos du Val:

winery was packed and didn't make for a quality tasting experience. guy behind the bar was more interested in looking down the tops of the ladies were were with. as for the wines...

2010 Ariadne - Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc blend. grassy and with sharp acidity. tart fruit showing. B-

2008 Carneros Pinot Noir - fruit, fruit, fruit, and oak. lacking in acidity which threw it out of balance for me. (full disclosure: i'm a Pinot Geek and not a fan of the Carneros region by and large for Pinot). C

2009 Napa Valley Merlot - more dark fruit under a veneer of oak. tannins were fairly aggressive for Merlot, though it was only an 09. with time in bottle maybe this one mellows out and the wood integrates better. C+

2006 Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon - by far the best of the lineup. dusty tannins with a nice mouthfeel, complimented by flavors of blue and black fruit. at $75 a bottle i couldn't justify a purchase. B+

and finished up at Raymond Vineyards:

Demeter certified, 100% BioDynamic winery. located right in the middle of Napa Valley, this is a cool spot to walk around and take pics as well as taste. our group was given fantastic service here, even though we showed up toward the end of the day (3:30 pm).

2011 Sauvignon Blanc - crisp and tart, with citrus flavors in the background. a young wine with potential if you like the style. B+

2009 Chardonnay - oak and butter dominate, with fruit hiding quietly in the background. nicely balanced though, with a firm weight on the tongue and without being too viscous. if you like "California Chardonnay" then this is for you. B

2008 Merlot - just o.k. hard to find anything remarkable with this wine. not flawed, just not something to make me take notice. B-

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - again, just an o.k. offering. had a taste in the background which wasn't necessarily unpleasant but overshadowed the fruit. tannins were soft, acidity was present, but something about it seemed a little wonky. not sure. B-

 

[Chaos Commish]

Thanks Quint. The DLG Chard sounds like my cuppa, while the Demeter sounds exactly like what I hate in a chard. Belle Cuisine looks like a good tip too.

 

[Quint]

Thanks Quint. The DLG Chard sounds like my cuppa, while the Demeter sounds exactly like what I hate in a chard. Belle Cuisine looks like a good tip too.

 

[Quint]

Wine Geek dinner at Monte Rosso Vineyard, Saturday June 15

a group of about 20 left the 103 degree floor of Sonoma Valley for the cooler (literally and figuratively) confines of the actual winery at the top of Moon Mountain for BBQ and wine. some highlights:

2005 Stone Cote Vineyard Chardonnay, Hartford Family Winery – probably the best chardonnay of the night. the “stone” in Stone Cote is exactly right: tons of minerality balanced by smooth oak tones and dry finish. Even though this was a 2005 it had plenty of life left. A

2001 Graacher Himmlereich Spatlese, JJ Prum - just like candy. a touch of sweetness behind a mix of tropical fruit petrol aromas. wife especially liked this one. A-

2006 Kreuznacher Krotenpfhul Reisling Spatlese, Donnhoff - nice wine with great texture. not quite as sweet as the JJ Prum and not quite the same level of stoniness, but one you could lay down for another decade or more. B+

2010 "Tous Ensamble" Chardonnay, Copain Wines - bright and lively with a nose of light fruits. delicious, especially for a young Chardonnay. B+

2011 "Shamhat" Rose' of Syrah, Enkidu Wines - 100% rose' of Syrah, aromas of grapefruit on the nose and a palate showing more tart red fruit with noticeable acidity. finish is bone-dry. A-

1990 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5l), Ritchie Creek Vineyard - fantastic wine with this much age on it. this is the first Ritchie Vineyard wine i've tried and i think i should look for more. soft tannins and mouthfeel with loads of ripe red and blue fruits. really solid wine and lucky to have tasted it out of the large format. A-

2008 Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir, Rhys Vineyards - a popular wine for most of the group, though it was not to my taste. a well made Pinot Noir to be sure, very fruit forward and held nice balance. i prefer a little more earthy-ness and secondary components, so maybe with a few more years it will show differently. B

2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Pride Mountain Vineyards - my wine of the night. full, ripe tannins gave it firm placement on the palate. green notes appeared on the nose and in the flavor, and a beautiful combination of red/blue/black fruits filled out the taste. it paired especially well with the BBQ ribs. A

1996 Proprietary Red Wine, Pahlmeyer Wine - full-bodied red blend (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc). others raved about this one, i liked it but not as much as the Pride Cab. i got to this one toward the end of the night, so i'm sure my palate was a little burned out. no grade.

 

[Quint]

a quick tasting with some out-of-town guests:

Benziger Winery

2011 Shone Farm Sauvignon Blanc - closer to Sancerre than a typical CA SB. yellow/light green in color. flinty, spicy notes accompany light fruit and bright acidity. wine of the day and picked up a couple of bottles. A-

2009 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Wente Clone - kinda meah. light color and light body. nose was not expressive and the fruit muted. C

2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - ripe fruit and soft mouthfeel. i would call it a "typical" RRV pinot; ok, just not spectacular. B-

2007 Gordneker Cabernet Sauvignon - a nice Cab all the way around. tannins have softened so as not to be aggressive, yet provide a firm mouthfeel. bits of tar and leather on the palate, with a combination of soft red and blue fruits. at $50 it was a little too spendy for me. B+

Mayo Family Winery

they have a couple of tasting options, so we went off the "adventure tasting" menu, which had some not-so-typical varieties to sample.

2008 "Courtney's Cuvee" Balletto Vineyard Pinot Gris - weirdest wine of the day. super-light in color and a nose with a chemical aroma that was hard to place. fruit was evident, but it lacked any discernible acidity, so it came off flabby. a sweet finish didn't help. maybe it would have been better a few years ago. D

2007 Cloud 9 Vineyard, RRV Alicante Bouchet - this is 100% Alicante Bouchet, from a site just west of the Sonoma Co. airport. the wine showed a lot of finesse. loads of black licorice on the nose, and the blue-black fruit cascaded softly across the palate. not sure how much life this one has left, but it tasted good today. B+

2007 "Lillian's Block" Page/Nord Vineyard, NV Syrah - big, bold fruit in this one, straddling the line between overripe and over the top. if you like more primary components, i.e. fruit over blood and beef, then this is the one for you. while not out of balance, it had a finish a little on the sweet side, which i think will appeal to many who "talk dry, drink sweet." B

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Did a really nice summer wine class and tasting today with a Rosé and some Picpoul. I love it so much more when I can introduce the wine masses to:

1) A totally misunderstood wine because of its color

and

2) The most underrated varietal in all of Languedoc

I have been trying to get other wine drinkers to enjoy what I think is my favorite varietal of Languedoc...Picpoul Blanc

This is one of the oldest varietals of the Languedoc region and it is everything I want in the summer time. Light, dry, racy acidity, and wonderful minerality and so very many good ones are no more than $10-12 a bottle!

A nice plate of some oysters on the half shell or butter and garlic escargot would be a delicious treat with this white wine. The one I have been drinking so very much of these days is Domaine Felines Jourdan. Please do yourself a favor when you want to have a great patio pounder or with some shellfish, fish, or lighter fare...go find a bottle of Picpoul

Rosé is what a red wine drinker should be enjoying on a hot summer day. Today it was Saignée Anne Amie Rosé of Pinot Noir. Saignée is when a winemaker takes dark skinned grapes are left in contact with their skin in a holding vat. Some of the juice is then bled out and used to make rosé wine. I love everything about rosé because it is so very good with so many different foods. Today it was some shrimp with some red pepper and spice marinade and some goat cheese crostini.

Go and find a bottle or two of picpoul and please go get a bottle of rosé. I do prefer anything rosé from Loire valley because I love rosé of Cabernet Franc or get one from Provencé

 

[phrozen]

Did a really nice summer wine class and tasting today with a Rosé and some Picpoul. I love it so much more when I can introduce the wine masses to:

1) A totally misunderstood wine because of its color

and

2) The most underrated varietal in all of Languedoc

I have been trying to get other wine drinkers to enjoy what I think is my favorite varietal of Languedoc...Picpoul Blanc

This is one of the oldest varietals of the Languedoc region and it is everything I want in the summer time. Light, dry, racy acidity, and wonderful minerality and so very many good ones are no more than $10-12 a bottle!

A nice plate of some oysters on the half shell or butter and garlic escargot would be a delicious treat with this white wine. The one I have been drinking so very much of these days is Domaine Felines Jourdan. Please do yourself a favor when you want to have a great patio pounder or with some shellfish, fish, or lighter fare...go find a bottle of Picpoul

Rosé is what a red wine drinker should be enjoying on a hot summer day. Today it was Saignée Anne Amie Rosé of Pinot Noir. Saignée is when a winemaker takes dark skinned grapes are left in contact with their skin in a holding vat. Some of the juice is then bled out and used to make rosé wine. I love everything about rosé because it is so very good with so many different foods. Today it was some shrimp with some red pepper and spice marinade and some goat cheese crostini.

Go and find a bottle or two of picpoul and please go get a bottle of rosé. I do prefer anything rosé from Loire valley because I love rosé of Cabernet Franc or get one from Provencé

Love Rose in the summer. Been drinking this one a lot lately http://www.3fingerwines.com/wine/ROSE11 - very nice flavor and a good value

 

[Ray Karpis]

VJB Winery - 2008 "Dante" Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bought it on our trip to Sonoma. Really, really solid. Have another bottle waiting in the wings. Smooth and leathery...terrific value at $30/ bottle.

Quint>cheers!

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Did a really nice summer wine class and tasting today with a Rosé and some Picpoul. I love it so much more when I can introduce the wine masses to:

1) A totally misunderstood wine because of its color

and

2) The most underrated varietal in all of Languedoc

I have been trying to get other wine drinkers to enjoy what I think is my favorite varietal of Languedoc...Picpoul Blanc

This is one of the oldest varietals of the Languedoc region and it is everything I want in the summer time. Light, dry, racy acidity, and wonderful minerality and so very many good ones are no more than $10-12 a bottle!

A nice plate of some oysters on the half shell or butter and garlic escargot would be a delicious treat with this white wine. The one I have been drinking so very much of these days is Domaine Felines Jourdan. Please do yourself a favor when you want to have a great patio pounder or with some shellfish, fish, or lighter fare...go find a bottle of Picpoul

Rosé is what a red wine drinker should be enjoying on a hot summer day. Today it was Saignée Anne Amie Rosé of Pinot Noir. Saignée is when a winemaker takes dark skinned grapes are left in contact with their skin in a holding vat. Some of the juice is then bled out and used to make rosé wine. I love everything about rosé because it is so very good with so many different foods. Today it was some shrimp with some red pepper and spice marinade and some goat cheese crostini.

Go and find a bottle or two of picpoul and please go get a bottle of rosé. I do prefer anything rosé from Loire valley because I love rosé of Cabernet Franc or get one from Provencé

Love Rose in the summer. Been drinking this one a lot lately http://www.3fingerwines.com/wine/ROSE11 - very nice flavor and a good value

A lot of Anne Amie Cuvée Rosé tonite in this 90+ degree heat