Simply...The Wine Thread

[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Bravo!

You were the reason behind the smith and hook

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

You were the reason behind the smith and hook

how did you like it?

[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

how did you like it?

Just picked it up an hour ago. Will open one this week.
My wife and I have our three year anniversary tomorrow, so we'll probably be drinking a more of a special occasion wine, but will open one soon and report back

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Just picked it up an hour ago. Will open one this week.
My wife and I have our three year anniversary tomorrow, so we'll probably be drinking a more of a special occasion wine, but will open one soon and report back

Congratulations in advance!

[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Congratulations in advance!

Thanks buddy

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Just picked it up an hour ago. Will open one this week.
My wife and I have our three year anniversary tomorrow, so we'll probably be drinking a more of a special occasion wine, but will open one soon and report back

Congratulations Clark!!

[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Congratulations Clark!!

Thanks Marc!

[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by RHIII

Oh my. Where do I even start here!!!! We just got back from a WONDERFUL Napa trip over the holidays and re-stocked the cellar.



These are some of my favorites right now that we brought back...



09 Trefethen Halo





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Just picked up a bottle of this. Really looking forward to trying this one out!

[Runnin' Rebel]

ArteVino is part of EuroCave or something like that. Holds I think 160 - 200 bottles and now at Costco. Which means it has a life time warranty 1199.00 including white glove delivery. Midrange cooler, but that's a great price. The only thing is I don't think it has an inside light in the cooler and it's only single zone. Single zone is ok for me cause I only drink red anyway.

If you need more room this is another cooler thought and might be a good extra cooler to have for those who need it.

I'm trying French now as I'm pretty much went all over Napa and really need to get out of my comfort zone. Last week I had a 2007 Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Anonyme and just about fell out of my chair. And I'm not really into rating on wines cause it's so subjective, but after drinking this I did a search and it's it was rated 96. But the crazy part is you can buy it for less then 45.00 a bottle. So I'm thinking of stocking up with some of this and of course more Napa 2012 before it gets to hot out to ship anything. I usually get a shipment of wines for the summer. Caymus has their 40th anniversary out for a while and it's a 2012 Napa, but the cool thing is they have it in litre size and .750 too

Read more on this wine @ wineaccess.com
And search Costco online for the cooler info

[Jd Swiper]

Drank a couple bottles of Mi

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Just picked up a bottle of this. Really looking forward to trying this one out!

Trefethen puts out some delicious wines

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Just picked up a bottle of this. Really looking forward to trying this one out!

Such an awesome wine!!!!

[RHIII]

Some solid Chardonnay this evening with some Italian baked chicken and Brussel sprouts




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[mjclark32]

Raymond cabernet with a big ol filet

[GerardoG]

...looking DELICIOUS!

[wantonebad]

James Laube on affordable Sonoma reds:

FREI BROTHERS Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Reserve 2012 Score: 92 | $27
Combines firm, dark fruit and chewy tannins with a measure of finesse and refinement. Ends with gripping, cedary tannins, bolstered by good length and depth. Drink now through 2024. 50,000 cases made.—J.L.

CAMERON HUGHES Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley Lot 515 Monte Rosso Vineyard 2012 Score: 92 | $32
Combines intense Cabernet fruit with a rustic edge amid rich, creamy layers of mocha, blackberry, cassis and black licorice. Unfolds to reveal firm, chewy tannins, with a dusty, cedary element. Drink now through 2025. 500 cases made.—J.L.

CHATEAU ST. JEAN Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2012 Score: 91 | $30
Exhibits ripe and juicy, yet firm, flavors of currant and blackberry amid a gravelly earthiness before finding focus on the finish, where the tannins are chewy, revealing a licorice touch. Drink now through 2025. 7,000 cases made.—J.L.

THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY Cuttings California 2012 Score: 91 | $50
Offers ripe, explosive red and dark berry fruit that's intense and tannic, yet with a measure of finesse, ending with firm, chewy tannins and good length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. Drink now through 2027. 5,000 cases made.—J.L.

SEBASTIANI Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Gravel Bed 2012 Score: 91 | $40
Offers a distinctive sandy, gravelly edge of earthiness beneath the rich core of blackberry and licorice flavors. Ends with chewy tannins and a dash of spicy, cedary oak. Drink now through 2026. 620 cases made.—J.L.

RODNEY STRONG Symmetry Meritage Alexander Valley 2012 Score: 89 | $55
Dense and extracted, this serves up a complex range of flavors, from black cherry to wild berry to currant, all shaded with light oak and a touch of espresso. Shows a measure of finesse and refinement overall. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. 9,337 cases made.—J.L.

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

James Laube on affordable Sonoma reds:

FREI BROTHERS Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Reserve 2012 Score: 92 | $27
Combines firm, dark fruit and chewy tannins with a measure of finesse and refinement. Ends with gripping, cedary tannins, bolstered by good length and depth. Drink now through 2024. 50,000 cases made.—J.L.

CAMERON HUGHES Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley Lot 515 Monte Rosso Vineyard 2012 Score: 92 | $32
Combines intense Cabernet fruit with a rustic edge amid rich, creamy layers of mocha, blackberry, cassis and black licorice. Unfolds to reveal firm, chewy tannins, with a dusty, cedary element. Drink now through 2025. 500 cases made.—J.L.

CHATEAU ST. JEAN Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2012 Score: 91 | $30
Exhibits ripe and juicy, yet firm, flavors of currant and blackberry amid a gravelly earthiness before finding focus on the finish, where the tannins are chewy, revealing a licorice touch. Drink now through 2025. 7,000 cases made.—J.L.

THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY Cuttings California 2012 Score: 91 | $50
Offers ripe, explosive red and dark berry fruit that's intense and tannic, yet with a measure of finesse, ending with firm, chewy tannins and good length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. Drink now through 2027. 5,000 cases made.—J.L.

SEBASTIANI Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Gravel Bed 2012 Score: 91 | $40
Offers a distinctive sandy, gravelly edge of earthiness beneath the rich core of blackberry and licorice flavors. Ends with chewy tannins and a dash of spicy, cedary oak. Drink now through 2026. 620 cases made.—J.L.

RODNEY STRONG Symmetry Meritage Alexander Valley 2012 Score: 89 | $55
Dense and extracted, this serves up a complex range of flavors, from black cherry to wild berry to currant, all shaded with light oak and a touch of espresso. Shows a measure of finesse and refinement overall. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. 9,337 cases made.—J.L.

The Prisoner is one of the BEST value reds at that price point. Symmetry is also a special one. Some good picks there...at good price points.

[mjclark32]

Tasty!
Good pick, G. Looks like I'll be needing to pick up some more!



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[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Tasty!
Good pick, G. Looks like I'll be needing to pick up some more!



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S&H is a great wine for its price, I keep 3-4 bottles at home as it is very easy to drink and makes a great surprise gift

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

Tom, beer has skyrocketed. So many microbreweries & specialty brands have emerged. I'm not in to beer really. I might have a Coors Light or Bud Light with dinner just to have something super cold. Lately I discovered Muskoka Craft Lager here in Ontario. Awesome & home grown. I still like wine though. :-)

I was watching House Hunters International last week & the host commented there were over 450 varieties of beer in Belgium. So..theres got to be something about beer. ;-)


Renato, great suggestion. The colour is splendid. :-)

you're from Canada and drink American beer? you guys sure make it much better IMO

as for wine, I bought 3 bottles of Dom Perignon when I was 17. 2 1998 vintages, and a 96 vintage, drank a 98 vintage on my 18th birthday, and the 96 vintage with my girlfriend on our 2 year, and gave a bottle to my parents for their 23rd anniversary. Taste was fruity, almost tasted like sparkling grape juice, no alchohol taste present. paired it with steak both times and really enjoyed it. Wouldn't spend $300 a bottle or whatever a bottle of 96 or 98 goes for if you can find it. but the $60 ea I mangaged to snag them for was sure worth the experience. haven't really had any since, but plan on trying a few mentioned here now with some fresh seafood when I catch it this summer =D

[andromeda160]

pics or it didn't happen

[RHIII]

Roasting lamb shanks - had some antipasti and will make a shiitake risotto to compliment --- opened up a nice Malbec tonight...






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[mjclark32]

Originally Posted by RHIII

Roasting lamb shanks - had some antipasti and will make a shiitake risotto to compliment --- opened up a nice Malbec tonight...






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[Callummcs]

Had a lovely bottle of Chateauneuf Du Pape last night. Really enjoyed it. Very full and deep flavour to it.

Just recently started "getting into" red wine so any advice of suggestions would be most welcome.

[padi56]

The only thing I know about wine is some say different wines compliments different types of food. But it seems to me more you drink, the better the food will start to taste. But this is only true up to a certain point when you drink to much and it starts coming back up the other way .Myself ignore the posh sounding names and descriptions on the restaurant menu,because if you are brutally honest,most all wine of the same variety mostly tastes the same. So myself just myself pick one that is not too high up on the price list,but nothing to hard to pronounce because you will sound like a idiot when you are trying to pronounce the name.

Myself now not swayed just by the price, sure some cheat stuff could taste like a mixture of grapes and petrol and would be better suited as barbecue fuel than as a drink. But IMHO once you hit a certain price level, there is not much difference between different wines of the same grape. Myself have tried a few terrible tasting wines that were very expensive and thought to myself must have been a idiot to pay that price, and had some brilliant wine that was very cheap. Now IMHO there is no real logic associated with the price of a bottle of wine today. And IMHO if you have ever paid more than say £25 for a single bottle you either have more money than sense or perhaps sixpence short of a shilling.

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

It was pretty good - however - I think trefethens "Dragons Tooth" malbec is definitely the better one. Much smoother and less tannic aftertaste.

[dexvd]

Originally Posted by padi56

The only thing I know about wine is some say different wines compliments different types of food. But it seems to me more you drink, the better the food will start to taste. But this is only true up to a certain point when you drink to much and it starts coming back up the other way .Myself ignore the posh sounding names and descriptions on the restaurant menu,because if you are brutally honest,most all wine of the same variety mostly tastes the same. So myself just myself pick one that is not too high up on the price list,but nothing to hard to pronounce because you will sound like a idiot when you are trying to pronounce the name.

Myself now not swayed just by the price, sure some cheat stuff could taste like a mixture of grapes and petrol and would be better suited as barbecue fuel than as a drink. But IMHO once you hit a certain price level, there is not much difference between different wines of the same grape. Myself have tried a few terrible tasting wines that were very expensive and thought to myself must have been a idiot to pay that price, and had some brilliant wine that was very cheap. Now IMHO there is no real logic associated with the price of a bottle of wine today. And IMHO if you have ever paid more than say £25 for a single bottle you either have more money than sense or perhaps sixpence short of a shilling.

My experience is that its taken a few years of drinking wines and tastings to be able to taste the differences between different wines of the same grape or same grape and region or same grape, region and vintage (with a few local wines). So I would agree that at one point I couldn't taste difference enough to justify paying more. The California Wine Fair came to town a few weeks ago and while I expect many of the wines were cheaper Californian wines I probably tried 30 or more each of Zinfandel or Chardonnay (there were several other offerings like Cab Savs, Cab Francs, etc but I wanted to focus on oaked chards and Zins aside from a half a dozen pinot noirs I tried) and I picked out ~5 or 6 best zins, could easily pick a best oaked chard and favourite pinot noir.

I am willing to pay a premium for a wine that I enjoy the taste of more as I will pay a premium for watches that I prefer the look of, quality of, construction of, etc.

[Hooper]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Raymond cabernet with a big ol filet

Clarke, your killin me

[Baco Noir]

Originally Posted by padi56

The only thing I know about wine is some say different wines compliments different types of food. But it seems to me more you drink, the better the food will start to taste. But this is only true up to a certain point when you drink to much and it starts coming back up the other way .Myself ignore the posh sounding names and descriptions on the restaurant menu,because if you are brutally honest,most all wine of the same variety mostly tastes the same. So myself just myself pick one that is not too high up on the price list,but nothing to hard to pronounce because you will sound like a idiot when you are trying to pronounce the name.

Myself now not swayed just by the price, sure some cheat stuff could taste like a mixture of grapes and petrol and would be better suited as barbecue fuel than as a drink. But IMHO once you hit a certain price level, there is not much difference between different wines of the same grape. Myself have tried a few terrible tasting wines that were very expensive and thought to myself must have been a idiot to pay that price, and had some brilliant wine that was very cheap. Now IMHO there is no real logic associated with the price of a bottle of wine today. And IMHO if you have ever paid more than say £25 for a single bottle you either have more money than sense or perhaps sixpence short of a shilling.

Peter - I partially agree with you. As my pallet has improved, I've learned that different wine varietals can make a huge difference in the enjoyment of the meal, when paired well. Like beer and hard liquor, I can't generically pick a gin and think it makes a chocolate cake taste more delicious. For me, a stout will taste much better with that cake than gin. Same goes for wine varietals and food but it takes time to find what matches best.

On price, I have a hard time paying over $40 for a bottle (retail, not restaurants). My reasoning is based on the fact that I have experienced MANY bottles of great wine at and below this price point. When I am tasting a $120 bottle, I'll have to ask myself "would I rather have 3 of those $40 bottles I loved or is this wine that much better, that it's worth the $120 price tag?" More often than not, it's 3 @ $40!

The even bigger challenge is finding a really nice quality wine under $20 - those are the real winners. Recently, we've been drinking the 2012 Kirkland (Costco brand) Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at $18 / btl and it's outstanding! La Crema and Cambria make excellent Pinot Noirs and Segashio makes a great Zinfindel around the $20/btl price. Guigal make a great Cotes du Rhone for around $14/btl.

[Lucky777]

Enjoyed this last evening..always a winner


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