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NICE!!!I always say that the best Cabernet in this country does not come from California. It comes from the state of Washington.That '03 is a 15-20 year bottle easy. The '03 was Cab/Merlot blend (97%-3%)The '02 had a very small Cab Franc blended into it and the '01 was Cab/Cab FrancMy '01 and '02 are aging as we typeBig thumbs up on the Quilceda Creek. That is a wine that is well worth the $proninja said:Picking up a bottle of '03 Quilceda Creek cab tonight.
nice malbec for the price. My love for Malbec started with this wine. Cheers.
My personal favorite of the Malbecs is probably Catena (from the Catena Zapata wine house). Not sure if available in the US, it is in Brazil, but not in Argentina (go figure). The Catena Alta is overrated though. Lagarde D.O.C. is excellent, and I have a soft spot for the Luigi Bosca Reserva too (my first Malbec...).
I was at a wine tasting in Argentina in November and the 'sommelier' stated that 2004 was the best year in the last decade, and 2005 was also turning out to be excellent
I have some '04 Antis Malbec that is outstanding. Steaks on the grill, preferably Rib-Eyes, and Malbec are so very good!msommer said:I was at a wine tasting in Argentina in November and the 'sommelier' stated that 2004 was the best year in the last decade, and 2005 was also turning out to be excellentphrozen said:
I have some '04 Antis Malbec that is outstanding. Steaks on the grill, preferably Rib-Eyes, and Malbec are so very good!msommer said:I was at a wine tasting in Argentina in November and the 'sommelier' stated that 2004 was the best year in the last decade, and 2005 was also turning out to be excellentphrozen said:
I might have to go and pick up some extra '04 bottles while I still have the chance.
here's a link to the list of participating wineries. please give it a quick perusal & if you have a favorite or one that you've heard good things about please let me know!
thanks brother! i will report on these for sure.I am a big fan of the hall wines as well. I have actually stayed at the incredible villa they have up in napa. amazing!
don't know how "off the radar" they are but I like:ChappelletFrazier - tends to be underknown - a buddy at work swears by their wineGrgichJordanJ Vineyard (Tom Jordan's daughter - very very good sparkling wine)Pride - very goodStag's Leap (duh)ZD -- the best whites in CaliforniaDA RAIDERS said:
those are the radar.
no ####. I guess I wasn't clear enough that I wasn't worried about a radar, just putting the wines I like.
They are good wines...very good. And usually really expensive. I actually haven't had Frazier or Pride...tell me more.
Very good. I'm not one to use all the "cassis" or "cherries" bs. Wine tastes different to everyone. I'll say 2 things:1) if a $35 bottle of Jordan is "really expensive" then skip over Stag's Leap, ZD ($30+ for whites), and Grgich. Chappellet is less, except their reserve wines. Pride is typically at or below that price as well. Frazier IS more expensive.2) My point is this. I don't care about price. I want to find wines that I love. Then, for the folks who can, I buy. If it's expensive (like Quintessa at $100/bottle, or Opus at $150/bottle) I might buy less, or might save longer, or might only buy for a special occasion. $35 to me is like $15 for others. I try to point out GREAT wines, and let people buy what they decide they can afford.Tipsy, you know wine. But you said you don't know Frazier or Pride. I'm telling you to find a way to try them, as I think they are very good, either regardless of price, or for their value. e.g. Jordan is a $70/bottle disguised as a $35/bottle, in my opinion.
Yep. 3 separate "phone book" type link selections at the top
They might not be sold here?
Jordan is overpriced...but man it is tasty. I at least get to drink it at tastings....doubt i'll spend the coin on my own when I can find a wine like Elyse Winery Cabernet for have the price and better than Jordan.But man...i do love me some J sparkling (and their gris for that matter).
here it is.
"Priming" or "seasoning" a glass or decanter, is a solution to the musty smell that glassware and decanters get from being stored in wooden cabinets. They pick up a slight smell. From what I have heard, it is the Italians that started this. Did they use a house wine to season? If you go in the future, you can ask them to prime the decanter with the wine that you are getting ready to drink.I had an embarrassing moment this weekend. I've been drinking wine for 2-3 years, so I'm not exactly a nOOb. I don't sniff cork or complain that my red wine "ain't even cold". I've been lucky enough to travel all over the place, and eat at some really, really fine restaurants. SF, NYC, Vegas, Napa, Chicago, Miami. I've ordered several hundred bottles of wine, many of which were decanted. I know a lot more about California wines that Italian or French, and I'm just now starting to get into Italian. I know not very much, but I do know that I like Barolo and Barbaresco. Anyway, so we're at a new reasonably high end Italian place in town. I ask the sommelier for a good Barolo recommendation. It arrives, and he places a decanter down in front of me which already has a few spoon fulls of wine in the bottom. I point this out, and he replies that it's just the "priming" wine they use for their Barolos. I felt like an idiot, but I've never seen or heard of this being done before. Should I have known? Did I "sniff the cork", or is this something that is rare? Of the other several hundred bottles I've seen decanted, I've never seen any of them go into a decanter with wine already in it.
Thanks. He said the wine they used to prime it was "of a similar structure". It was darn fine Barolo, so it worked out fine in the end, I was just surprised when our decanter came out with a bit of wine already in it."Priming" or "seasoning" a glass or decanter, is a solution to the musty smell that glassware and decanters get from being stored in wooden cabinets. They pick up a slight smell. From what I have heard, it is the Italians that started this. Did they use a house wine to season? If you go in the future, you can ask them to prime the decanter with the wine that you are getting ready to drink.I had an embarrassing moment this weekend. I've been drinking wine for 2-3 years, so I'm not exactly a nOOb. I don't sniff cork or complain that my red wine "ain't even cold". I've been lucky enough to travel all over the place, and eat at some really, really fine restaurants. SF, NYC, Vegas, Napa, Chicago, Miami. I've ordered several hundred bottles of wine, many of which were decanted. I know a lot more about California wines that Italian or French, and I'm just now starting to get into Italian. I know not very much, but I do know that I like Barolo and Barbaresco. Anyway, so we're at a new reasonably high end Italian place in town. I ask the sommelier for a good Barolo recommendation. It arrives, and he places a decanter down in front of me which already has a few spoon fulls of wine in the bottom. I point this out, and he replies that it's just the "priming" wine they use for their Barolos. I felt like an idiot, but I've never seen or heard of this being done before. Should I have known? Did I "sniff the cork", or is this something that is rare? Of the other several hundred bottles I've seen decanted, I've never seen any of them go into a decanter with wine already in it.
proninja said:
I started in California a few years ago, and am just now starting to learn Italian. Barolos and Barbarescos are 
if you like big reds, and I very much do. Pio Cesare is the only winemaker I know by name, and I've never been disappointed. If you like Barolo and Barbaresco, try a good Amarone. I went to an Italian place in Chicago this weekend that had a MASSIVE wine list. I browsed for 5 minutes, then asked the sommelier for a recommendation. I told him I liked big reds, wanted to try something I'd never had before, and wanted to come in at under $100. He poured a 2001 Buglioni Amarone that was 
Today the victim was a 2003 Catena Malbec. I have two bottles of 2004 waiting for me in the wine fridge - I have a feeling they will not grow old
Love Amerone as well.Pretty much any Italian sangiovese grape =if you like big reds, and I very much do. Pio Cesare is the only winemaker I know by name, and I've never been disappointed. If you like Barolo and Barbaresco, try a good Amarone. I went to an Italian place in Chicago this weekend that had a MASSIVE wine list. I browsed for 5 minutes, then asked the sommelier for a recommendation. I told him I liked big reds, wanted to try something I'd never had before, and wanted to come in at under $100. He poured a 2001 Buglioni Amarone that was
Thanks GB! I may want to take you up on the kind offer. Do they do Sunday tours/tastings? We've room on the schedule for another 1 or 2 places. So far, we've Loxton, Simi, Jordan, Ferrari-Carano, St. Francis, Chateau St. Jean, Dave Ramey, Hanzell, and Mauritson confirmed, along with dinner reservations at Cyrus, Dry Creek Kitchen, The General's Daughter, Cafe La Haye, and Della Santina.Inspiration VineyardsI have their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and ZinfandelFigured this was the right place to ask this.
We're planning a 10 day trip to the bay area in late MayWe've been to SF before, and to wine country before as well. The other time we did wine tours/tastings, we spent 4 days in Napa and hit some exceptional wine makers and tastings - Chappellet, Barnett, Sherwin Family, Shafer, Plumpjack, Far Niente.
This time, 5 days in Healdsburg/Sonoma are on the schedule. Wineries we're planning on hitting: Hanzell, Chateau St. Jean, St. Francis, Mayo, Jordan, Ferrari-Carano, Mauritson, and Bella. We've room for a couple of more on the schedule, and I thought I'd turn my fellow FBG lushes wine fans for suggestions. The tastings we enjoy the most are the more personal ones where you meet the wine maker or the vineyard manager or the owner, and chat about their wine over a bottle or two. I'm much less of a fan of the Silver Oak style of get em in and get em out. Smaller up and coming outfits are good, too.
Suggestions, especially in and around Sonoma?
Very small production of the Estate Zin is between 25 and 50 cases. The '02, '03, and '04 are all sold out. Luckily I have them all!
Their Estate Chard is about a 150 case production and the '02 and '03 are both sold out. They have the '04 still.
Los Carneros Pinot Noir is a 200 case production. This baby is a real drinker. Medium bodied and earthy with layers of black cherry, strawberry and tobacco flavors. Love it!
They also have a Dry Creek Cabernet which I have never had. They are selling the '03 right now.
They also have an Alexander Vally Zin which I haven't had.
Let me know. I know their wine rep here in Minnesota who told me to let them know when I wanted to go so I should just tell them a buddy of mine will be out there.
Did we ever get an update on this?i am going to another mega tasting on tuesday. what's exciting about it is that there will be many, many smaller winieries that i've never heard of at the tasting. i will make a serious attempt at taking some decent notes & remaining somewhat coherent. this will be tough with 300 wines on the agenda
participating wineries
Pillar Box Red - a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot
Sadly I can't find this at my Binny's anymore.
They had it once where I get my wine so I bought it after hearing so much about it. Now they don't have it anymore either. Next time I'm grabbing more.
