Bucket List:
Visit the Cape for a launch of something I had a hand in building successful launch and separation, it’s on it’s way…
Visit Bern’s Steakhouse meal $500 dessert $100 reservation tonight
get wine cellar tour scheduled for after dinner tonight
and was just like the videos on-line, except it wall chill
Lived up to and exceeded expectations. 1974 Inglenook CS, by the glass, didn’t expect that and something else I’ll have to research. Dessert a 1949 De Montal Armagnac.
Guessing this should have really been in the what are you drinking thread.
Oh well, the pics will go there later.
@klezman@Mark_L
Yes, Tampa. SOHO district.
Rolling reservations, 60 day window https://bernssteakhouse.com/reservation/
Good time slots fill up the day they become available.
Ask me how I know, as our launch date was postponed a week that blew up my original date/time.
Fortunately there was a Friday cancellation, they are good at nagging for a confirmation a few days before and I got a 21:30 slot. They do charge for no-shows. Didn’t leave till after 01:10 the next day.
@ScottW58
It’s a quickie, but
pics on phone and won’t transfer to laptop for some unknown reason. Stuff to do when I’m back in SD. Youtube pics and video do it justice.
@chefjess Yeah, that image is pretty stunning, imo.
And it is assembled from a spinning spacecraft, many individual images processed into the one above as described here . Not your average slr.
@chefjess@rjquillin
Yeah I was just watching a documentary last night about NASA’s trip to Jupiter, tons of stunning photos and it had me wondering if juno was still alive in that vicious magnetic field. Unbelievable!
@klezman I remember celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with a friend in college who was born in Saskatchewan. I forgot to buy a turkey in time to thaw it so I bought a couple of fresh chickens and called them ‘Cornish Game Turkeys’. She never knew the difference.
@klezman@radiolysis@ScottW58
Well, clearly our L-cam (landing cam) worked to provide a landing site solution!
Four more to now verify functional.
Two for the zoom mast cam and one each for Sherlock and Watson.
More cameras scheduled for launch this weekend.
LUCY is heading to visit L4 and L5 Lagrange Trojan asteroids with two of our Terminal Tracking cameras (TTCam1 and 2) and a DVR.
How’s everybody’s T-giving prep going? Instead of contributing one dish (a massive salad) to a family gathering of 3 dozen+ ppl where every household contributed a component of the meal, I find myself making all the trad courses for the first time in my life. And it’s just the two of us! Though I brought over a couple of meals for my mom and her caregivers.
I followed Kenji’s formula for sous vide turkey breast with crispy skin. Man, that skin is tasty! The turkey came out perfectly tender. I made a couple of drumsticks in the sous vide as well, despite Kenji’s admonition that it’s not worth it. Idk, I think it came out great. Falling off the bone and tender. Only took 16 hours.
Then I made stock, and my first-ever gravy. That gravy is good enough to drink! Right on, Kenji! Cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, curried pumpkin soup – clearly I’m subconsciously trying to recreate the happy feelings of Thanksgiving gatherings past. Still on the agenda: apple crumble. And a salad.
Tomorrow’s pairing: I had originally thought the 2013 Onesta Cinsault, but now after all that work I think the meal deserves Clark’s 2007 PN, at the very least.
@InFrom
Good work love Kenji’s recipes! Have a little 13 pounder in brine for tomorrow’s smoke, cranberry sauce done. Stuffing and gravy tomorrow. Just the kid’s and us could be worse I guess. No clue what I’m drinking yet.
@InFrom
My prep involves gathering up an assorted case of wine and driving 3 hours to my SIL’s place. There will only be 6 of us altogether this year so 12 bottles should be enough! Just have to save a bottle or two of bubbles for the morning Mimosas.
@chipgreen@InFrom@scottw58 We’re doing lamb this year. And we’ll be eating outside! Still trying to decide on a pairing. Cab, pv, ps, other? Decisions…
@chipgreen@hscottk@InFrom@ScottW58 Just got back from camping last night, going to make a spatchcocked turkey this afternoon and roll with it. This is always our second Thanksgiving of the year, though, since the original one is in October.
@klezman@trifecta
Wondering if there is any correlation between Charlie passing and cases of 2004 Meeker Cabernet Sauvignon Kiss Ridge Diamond Mountain showing up for ~$60/btl at various merchants.
I see a few of us still have bottles from @winedavid49 from the old site.
@klezman@rjquillin@Winedavid49 I do not believe so. They have been putting up various lots of well aged vintages for some time now. I think they even still have a 2002 carignan for sale. $60 is steep for the kiss ridge but I remember it being really good. Have not checked in on it in quite some time. Now if they had the 2004 can franc… I might pay $50 for that. Note that anything 2006 or older, Lucas was not involved IIRC.
Somewhere in the bits and bytes of the interwebs reside an archive of Happy Birthday greetings, confetti, candles and other such stuff…
I’ll not look for them, but still wish HB to @MarkDaSpark
without all those festivities.
Watching the outtakes is helping take the pain away from my stupid rolled ankle. It’s a poorly designed joint. Also, drinking Help Yourself. It’s helping too.
@bhodilee I normally wear ankle braces but didn’t tonight because I’m trying new inserts and it would make my shoes too tight. Dang. It’s not a good sign when one has to wear so much equipment…
On the way, with TimB and the German girl, to Cathy’s (Corison) for a dinner and tasting tomorrow. Looking forward to that and a scheduled tasting visit with Anthony Bell.
Whole lot of burning going on in SoCal, Orange County and area. Lot of 'mates there as well. Hoping they all remain safe (evacuations going on) and don’t get damaged.
I’ve had a few ask how things went with our work, 5 cameras on the rover.
So far, excellent.
In this video around the ~3:05 mark the down looking camera is one we built and call the L-Cam, for landing camera. It’s essential to provide visual terrain mapping for the landing site; and worked, some think better than expected given the video quality.
We have four other cameras on the rover and should be getting some images from them in the next couple of days.
@rjquillin Congratulations! Given how the panelists waxed poetic about the cameras (and microphones) do you think NASA will want to custom build them on future missions? or modify off the shelf again?
@davirom
Likely both, to the extent possible. While all are deemed useful for some desired function, or they wouldn’t be there, some cameras can be ‘simpler’ in design than others and thus can be custom built using COTS components.
That class of cameras are not the focus for MSSS.
The ones we get contracted for just aren’t available using other than specific optical, mechanical and electronic designs, and those are the ones we specialize in providing.
@davirom@rjquillin Yeah, what’s the fun in modifying off the shelf stuff?
What’s so impressive to me is that the camera can provide enough detail to feed the computer so it could plot a landing solution in a matter of seconds. There’s just so much that goes into that sort of thing.
@davirom@klezman@rpm
What amazed the layman in me is they didn’t even bother going into orbit first to catch a break.
Bang!
Descent maneuver; we’re here and diving right in.
Gutsy!
@davirom@klezman@rpm
Just found out today that the two up-looking modified/ruggadized COTS cameras on the sky crane were to give two views of the parachute deployment and inflation for analysis.
But I think Ron’s point is that their spiffy specially designed stuff didn’t fail. He just wants more business to go his way so he never has any spare time!
@davirom@klezman@rpm@ScottW58
I keep learning more and more of the history of what our earlier cameras have done and continue to do.
Launched in 2005, the MRO CTX camera has, and continues to map the Martian surface at a resolution of 6 meters/pixel.
Need to find a pic of the L-Cam, this is CTX.
I was told today that those images were used to select the landing site for Perseverance.
The L-Cam on the Perseverance rover used the earlier CTX images to map what it was seeing during descent to navigate to it’s landing site.
Perseverance landed on the target pixel.
A tribute to the processing and hardware that JPL provided, matching the images from our two cameras to locate the selected site, in real time, and directly hit it.
Apologies if I ramble on, here on a wine site, but I don’t do other social media and continue to be amazed at what just happed last week.
@kawichris650@Winedavid49@davirom@klezman@rpm@ScottW58
Not sure about the “best” place, but NASA is a good starting point, as is the JPL site. ASU was highly involved as well.
It seems we don’t do much in the way of keeping the website current; too busy building stuff I guess…
@rjquillin I thought it looked like the very old 25 pin RS-232 interface. In last Friday’s press conference someone said Perseverance is using the same CPU as Curiosity, from about 15 years ago, so I wondered about the I/O. Thinking about it now, the 25 pinout gave way to the 9 much more than 15 years ago.
@davirom Well, it is a 25 pin uD connector, but don’t forget it also receives power and other uni/bi directional data as well as the serial data.
Asking one here that knows…
I updated the interface post above.
And there are multiple data formats, both hi and low speed, on that connector.
I registered for the Zoom happy hour and thought I’d be available in time, but my dinner date ran long. I’m bummed I missed it, but on the bright side this ribeye was amazing.
@jasisk I call it a rj45 Port. Sometimes I call it a jack, usually I don’t refer to it cause nobody I would ever say it to knows what it is, cause luddites.
@klezman I’m being invaded this weekend. MIL and GMIL are coming for the weekend. Since my FIL gets to stay in SD by himself, it’s 3-4 Canadian to US born… so I get to keep my slim majority.
I started a new job while I"m finishing my thesis. I’m working at Sheldrake point winery on cayuga lake in their tasting room, so if you want to taste the best rose in NY state stop on by.
@bahwm@rjquillin A warm and rainy end to the year. Counting down with a nice fire in the fireplace, red wine in the glass, and Champagne chilling. Happy New Year to all!
@rjquillin UPS came, apparently knocked, but neither of us heard, and it’s back on the truck for tomorrow.
We also have more cases of Garagiste arriving today than I’d care to admit.
@klezman
31 down here.
Still have a Wine Spies GSO case flogging around somewhere.
GSO is spot on, the fail is when some imbecile ships GSO to a business address on Friday.
Yes, that would be last Friday.
~NOT happy with WS at the moment~
@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58 I’ve had great service from them on shipping my lockers when I want them shipped and they will ship FedEx, a huge plus for me.
Admittedly I’d be pissed if they shipped without me requesting.
Seems they attempted the single, Saturday, delivery.
Since then it has been sitting at their facility in Poway, with no attempt to re-deliver or contact either the shipper or me.
Ron suggested reposting this here. I agree.
Here is Dan Berger’s next column which is on
Napa Cabernets
Wine Column Regional Character? 5-14-21
By Dan Berger
U.S. appellations, as they pertain to fine wines, can mean a lot or nothing. Which clearly means that some appellations are consumer-friendly and helpful, but others offer nothing except confusion.
One of the most important American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) is Napa Valley, of course, but the story then gets really complicated.
Some AVAs are meaningful for specific grape varieties. Others are just geo-identifiers. One could make a strong case that New York’s Finger Lakes district is one of the most eloquent appellations in the country because of its wide success in the production of dry and off-dry Rieslings.
Other meaningful grape-linked appellations that people accept as helpful are Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County (Pinot Noir), Petaluma Gap (Pinot Noir), Russian River Valley (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley (Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel).
But many appellations offer consumers no assistance, regardless of grape variety.
Napa Valley is the most famous appellation in the country, maybe the world. It’s here that about half the vines (~20,000 acres) are Cabernet and the wines it makes have a worldwide reputation for excellence.
To further define Napa Valley, 38 years ago the area began to create official subregions that theoretically offered consumers quality assurance for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
In 1983 a large swath of contiguous acreage hard by San Pablo Bay, straddling Napa and Sonoma counties, got the valley’s first official AVA, called Carneros.
Not only did it pave the way for 16 AVAs within Napa, but it also did something I never realized until much later. Because Carneros was so large (today it’s over 1,100 planted acres) it helped usher in a trend that has made some AVAs a lot less meaningful than they might have been had then been smaller.
With AVAs, smaller is more meaningful. The larger an appellation is, the less likely it will be helpful to consumers.
For the last 35 years, I’ve witnessed many internecine battles by well-meaning but often self-absorbed wine people as new AVA boundaries were debated, not always in restrained tones. Invariably such disputes were settled with compromises that weren’t always in the best interests of the wines or dedicated consumers. In some cases, boundaries were expanded to accommodate someone wanting in who wanted a marketing advantage.
Of dozens of examples, one should suffice.
Fog-impacted Russian River Valley is large and sprawling. Sonoma County wineries often think of it in thirds layered south to north. The southerly strip, once largely dairy land, is coolest; Middle Reach is cool, but the climate varies and includes a few warmer pockets. The northernmost chunk is even warmer – and controversial.
Some people think the three areas should be three separate AVAs.
Although cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir both do well in the upper third of RRV, parts of the northern sector are warm enough to ripen Cabernet, hardly typical of the rest of RRV. And disputes over much of the area’s boundaries long have simmered without much accord.
Wine lovers prefer appellations in which there is at least one identifiable and even perhaps unique weather or soil feature. Russian River Valley’s primary one is fog. Pinots lean aromatically toward aromas of strawberry and raspberry. Nearby Sonoma Coast Pinots, not as distinctive, are slightly more cherrylike.
Cab-centric Napa is saddled with a curious situation. It is universally praised for the quality of its Cabernets, but no one has ever defined, in even a cursory way, what each of its 16 sub-appellations does best with it. In theory, the wines should display regional elements distinct from one another.
Without regionality, it would be as if all Napa Cabs were like all other Napa Cabs. But this wasn’t the case 30-odd years ago, when I tried to identify what distinguished them.
I had long noticed differences between what grew in the Stags’ Leap district, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, and others. I wondered, “Are there identifiable distinctions to each of those districts’ Cabs?”
I called the Napa Valley Vintners and told them of my intention to test this idea. I was shocked when I was told that the vintners’ group had no interest in assisting me. They didn’t want to know how one district differed from another.
Someone there told me that the “brand” it promoted was “Napa Valley,” and that sub-AVAs weren’t in competition with one another. I replied that my aim was not to find out which sub-AVAs were better, only to see which offered specific elements to assist buyers in better understanding one from another.
Sort of like Classified Growth Bordeaux.
Left to my own devices, I staged several blind tastings, one important one involving 10 widely skilled wine tasters.
I assembled 26 wines under strict rules (only 100% Cabs, no blends; all from one sub-AVA). Using a carefully designed “identifier template,” I staged a multi-hour analysis of the wines at Meadowood Napa Valley, and tabulated the results. Other tastings followed.
At the Meadowood event, the judges, all experts on Napa Valley sub-regions (including Tim Mondavi and Dr. Barney Rhodes), were told that quality was not a criterion in the test. The judges merely had to guess each wine’s sub-AVA based on their expectation of what each area did best historically, focusing on known regional elements then existing in the Valley’s Cabs.
Judges “wagered” between 1 and 5 points per wine as they guessed which region a wine from. A 5 was absolute confidence. A positive wager gave each wine that number of “regional identity points;” a negative guess removed the same number of points from the wine’s final total. Thus, a score of zero was some validation of regional identity to experts.
Crucially, no discussion was permitted during the evaluation.
Of nine sub-appellations represented in the blind tasting, only one area emerged with a positive score, Stag’s Leap District. That was an impressive validation that experts could agree that, at least in theory, sub-AVAs could have meaningful identifiers.
Almost as impressive, Rutherford came out with a score of zero – also validating that it delivered some identifiers that could help consumers. All the other wines had negative scores.
Shortly after writing an article about this test, I chatted with the late John Shafer of Shafer Vineyards about the panel’s findings. We agreed that Napa districts could benefit from a comparison of Napa sub-districts similar to those in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux lovers routinely contrasted the differences between the wines of St.-Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, and other sub-areas.
Weeks later, I discussed this with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ founder Warren Winiarski. I asked if he would work with me on a book on his district’s unique ability to produce wines of a silkiness and a gentle-tannin early enjoyability without0 sacrificing age-worthiness.
Winiarski agreed. So I began creating an outline for such a book and began looking for a publisher. After months of homework, in the mid-1990s it was clear that things were changing rapidly.
I began to notice that several Napa sub-AVAs, including Stags’ Leap, were losing the key elements we had seen in our blind tastings. I called Warren and expressed concern. He said he had some hesitation as well. I think he knew that most Napa Cabernets were becoming more “impressive,” to the delight of those making the wines, which were rising in price well beyond anything they ever imagined.
And the main reason for rising prices was high scores, which were directly related to high alcohols, high oak extracts, lower acidities, and other factors anathema to regional identity.
Conversations with several winery owners led me to believe that although high scores from some wine critics were beneficial to rising prices, they often displayed a sotto voce melancholy that the new, higher level of intensity related to much later harvesting of the fruit, which gave the wines more homogeneity and a sameness.
One who was outspoken about this was the late Joe Heitz, though his remarks were spoken “off the record.” Decades later, I suspect Joe wouldn’t mind me revealing this!
Many wines from many different sub-AVAs in Napa began to smell and taste pretty much like each other and regional distinctions were not only blurred but obliterated. This clearly was directly linked to the quest for high scores. Not to mention giant AVAs.
One of several problems with scoring wines by numerical ranking is that there are no parameters to justify how the points are arrived at. If reviewers completely ignore regionality, and scores continue to rise, then no one learns anything about how a region influences a wine’s style. Big gets high scores, high scores sell wine, and regional character is left in the actual dust.
In chatting with Winiarksi, I said that the trend toward weight made most sub-regional discussions moot. Over the next few years, I saw Napa Cabs in a new light. Concentration levels were up. Alcohols, which had regularly been 13.5% a decade earlier, had moved to 15% and more.
Acid levels were down. And most importantly pH levels were rising absurdly, signaling that the wines likely would age about as well as a May fly.
Napa’s sub-region Cabs were changing while wineries benefited financially from the drink-now culture that was happy to ignore the region’s history of aging its greatest reds. Cabernet was being called a cocktail wine, for sipping while walking around. A wine columnist even wrote a column that contained the line, “Drink ‘em Young.”
The style that put Napa on the map was in jeopardy and so was the meaning of sub-districts. I saw the blurring of regionally distinguishing styles as a repudiation of the entire concept of sub-appellation.
To use one old example: What is a Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon?
André Tchelistcheff, probably California’s great winemaker, once described his Beaulieu Cabs’ aromas as having a hint of Rutherford Dust. It’s a descriptor that André used to describe a delicate herbal note (not unlike dried sage) that I often relate to the “cigar box” notes we’d find in southern Napa Cabs (from Oak Knoll, Yountville, Oakville) as well as in some Bordeaux.
Similarly, I once regularly found Cabs with hints of latakia tobacco. I haven’t smelled that in a Napa Cabernet in 30 years!
André’s “dust” wasn’t earth from the ground. It was from dried herbs. Imagine walking through a dry, wooded area with eucalyptus nearby, some weeds and dry undergrowth kicking up the scents of brush – thyme, rosemary, sage.
Because such scents are herb-related, wine newcomers often mistake it for a flaw. Most major U.S. wine reviewers use the odious term “weedy” to describe this, without being aware that it is an absolutely essential component of a fine Cabernet Sauvignon – if the wine is to smell and taste like a Cabernet Sauvignon!
For me, a Cabernet without any herbs is not Cabernet. Yet some wines that smell like vintage Port get scores of 99 or 100!
(Similarly, if a Merlot is to smell and taste like Merlot, it should have Merlot-like elements – black olives, green or black tea, dried cherries. Almost all grape varieties have hints of herbs of one sort or another, and not all such wines with these characters deserve being derisively called “weedy.”)
Today, as we begin to see the early releases of some 2018 Cabernets, most of which are far too young to drink, it’s a good idea for consumers to recall that the vintage was relatively cool, and as such some of the wines may display a bit more herbaceousness (tarragon?).
To me this means that the wines probably will be more Cabernet-like than were the 2017s. And some may be classic examples of older-style Napa Cabernet.
If a wine is from a sub-region, maybe we’ll get lucky: some wines may display sub-regional-ness.
Sidebar
Early Identifiers
I begin tasting Napa Valley Cabernets seriously about 1975. By 1980, I noticed that most of these wines displayed elements related to where they came from as well as reflecting elements related to their vintages.
Since the Napa Valley’s first appellation (Carneros) wasn’t created until 1983, I didn’t pay much attention to specific areas that eventually became AVAs. But as a member of the California Grapevine (San Diego) tasting panel, starting in 1979, I evaluated Cabernets almost every Thursday night for eight consecutive years.
After several hundred such tastings, it was obvious that some regions showed elements we began to look for and rely upon for typicity. No one ever wrote anything down regarding regional character, but it was widely assumed that some of what we were getting was regionality.
I recall those tastings. The following are my thoughts on a few of the regional elements of Cabernets from that era (pre-1987), with a few examples from the past:
Rutherford (Bench)/Oakville: Dried herbs like sage, cigar-box, black tea (Merlot-related?); occasional minty-eucalypt oil; mushroom. Remarkably complex. (This was one of André Tchelistcheff’s favorite areas.) (BV Private Reserve, Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, Staglin, Rubicon, Mondavi).
Rutherford-Oakville (Valley floor): Black fruit, cocoa, dried herbs; pipe tobacco. (Groth, Caymus, Van Loben Sels, Opus One, Cakebread, Sequoia Grove)
Rutherford/Oakville (Eastern edge, west-facing hillsides): Ripe black cherry; hints of molasses; concentration; slightly hard tannins. (Dalla Valle)
Yountville/Oak Knoll: Slight mint/tarragon; chamomile tea; red cherries; cigar box; green tea. (Lakespring, Trefethen)
Stag’s Leap: Dried red cherry; silkiness, supple tannins; early approachability. (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Chimney Rock, Clos du Val, Silverado, Shafer, Pine Ridge)
Mount Veeder: Forceful fruit-sage aromas with black cherry and a Bordeaux-like, tannin-edged hardness; most wines demanded aging; most developed beautifully. (These are some of the longest-lived Cabs in Napa.) (Mount Veeder, Hess, Mayacamas)
Spring Mountain: Rich red and black cherry/blackberry fruit; tannic but not rigid; the best aged 10 to 30 years. (Spring Mountain, Robert Keenan)
Howell Mountain: Full-on tannins and complex dusty-oriented black fruit that usually benefited from aging 10 to 15 years. “Bordeaux with a California influence.” (Randy Dunn)
Diamond Mountain: Cassis, dried near-east herbs, tannins needing resolution of 5-10 years in bottle. (Diamond Creek.)
DB
Wines of the Week: 2018 Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford ($65): Black cherry, dried thyme, traces of black tea and olive, and a savory entry that calls for medium-weight meat dishes. The terroir character of Rutherford is indicated in faint rustic/tannic elements, showing how young this wine 00is. Needs 3-5 more years before it ever shows Cabernet to its fullest degree. 13.9% alcohol.
2016 Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford ($78) – Not many wineries have the sensibilities that John Williams and his co-winemaker, Paula Moschetti, have when it comes to retaining regional character. This wine is nearly sold out nationally; the winery has a few bottles left; they are marginally available to those who contact the winery. https://www.frogsleap.com/ The aroma is classic Rutherford with hints of that dust component, and the structure (with 13.5% alcohol) to illuminate subregional identity.
-0-
Dan Berger lives in Sonoma County, Calif., where he publishes “Vintage Experiences,” a subscription-only wine newsletter.
@klezman I could probably quibble a little here and there (because everyone’s preferences differ), but anyone who has listened to my thoughts on Cabernet Sauvignon, and especially Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, will see very strong congruence, almost to the point of equivalence, between Berger’s coherent column and my various musings, ramblings and digressions on Cabernet Sauvignon over the 14 years of [the other site][casemates] and otherwise at least back to the early 1990s, perhaps even the late 1980s vintages.
@klezman - anent the reference to hints of Latakia tobacco, the first time I smelled a Balkan Sobranie cigarette (almost pure Latakia) in the late 1960s, my first reaction was it suggested old Cabernet! I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else make that connection before.
Also, the incredible herbaceousness - including the hints of dried violets and the ‘Rutherford Dust’ - in the 1968 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon we drank a couple of months ago was stunning even after 52+ years!
I think a hundred years from now, serious wine aficianados will view the period from ~1990 through 2020 (?) as a sad time when, some exceptions we all know aside, literal oceans of beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon was wasted making overripe wines without the structure and balance to age and develop. The Cathy Corisons of this world will be vindicated.
@rpm I certainly knew your views on ripeness, structure, ageability, etc. What do you think about the structure of the AVAs and whether his comments make sense? I have found it hard to tell apart wines from different but closely spaced AVAs, but I’m hardly an expert on the topic.
@klezman I think he’s basically right, though I could quibble here and here, and what he says makes perfect sense to me. It was a lot easier when there weren’t so many wines worth tasting… It would take me hours I don’t have to go through everything Dan said and put my own twist on it… I remember the debate over whether to emphasize particular parts of the valley (the AVAs) or the overall Napa Valley brand… when Napa was all people knew, and the reputation was just breaking away from the mediocre reputation of California wine generally, perhaps the orientation towards the valley as a whole made sense, I dunno… you could argue either way… and lots of people in the business quietly made their fruit buying decisions on the more specific locations…
@klezman They serve both, I think. The AVAs are rather like French AOCs which specify where the grapes come from (within some limits) for the wines labeled with them. As particular AVAs/AOCs have become known for particular grapes, it encourages planting of those grapes (and appropriate clones…) rather than those that do less well. And as each AVA/AOC becomes known for particular character it can give winemakers a characteristic style to work towards (conflicts with winemakers’ individuality, but I think over time winemakers will experiment with various AVAs and find those with which they are most comfortable). Of course, as (knowledgeable) consumers get to know the characteristic styles of AVAs, they will be able to make more discerning selections to fit their preferences or the particular dishes they wish to serve the wines with.
This is, of course, different than the classifications of quality in France (1855 as revised in Bordeaux, and the various villages, premier cru, and grand cru of Burgundy. We see them as ‘quality’ grading, but they are really based on the proxy of historical prices for wines. In California, the relationship between price and quality is quite inconsistent: generally, the best wines (e.g. with Napa Cab) are fairly expensive, but it is very, very easy to have far more expensive wines be much, much lower in quality than far better wines. California’s ‘system’ of medals at competitions/tastings - especially the State Fair - is helpful, but 1) is subject to the ‘impressiveness’ bias, and 2) even when well-done, is not really well-understood by consumers (or, often, the industry).
@rpm Agreed on all counts, especially the “medals” phenomenon. One normally would think that a gold medal wine meant it “won” the competition, but that’s nowhere near close to the truth.
I recently learned that the cru classifications in Champagne are rather different than the rest of France in that it’s a village that is classified rather than vineyards or chateaux. It at least partly explains the rather wide difference I’ve seen in 1er cru Champagne.
Another important difference between AVA rules and AOC/DOC rules in Europe is the requirement for (depending on the area) specific varietal compositions in the wine, planting/vine spacing, grape yield, brix at harvest, and even a tasting to “ensure” the wines conform to the “proper” character of the region. Europe has invested a lot more in these sorts of rules, but it still leaves a lot of room for winemakers to produce an interesting range of wines for a given region. Or the option to declassify like Super Tuscans.
One interesting example I just bought from Garagiste: a “Bordeaux Hermitage” where one grower owns an estate in Bordeaux and the Rhone, and she decided to do an old school blend of the two. It’s obviously just labelled Vin de France, but it should be interesting.
@klezman@rpm
Interesting you mention that wine I have been looking for one to try. Caroline Frey imho is a pretty great winemaker for La Lagune and now putting her mark on Jaboulet since 2006. Not that I would expect too much from the wine i’m pretty sure it is just meant to be a table wine but fun to try for sure.
@klezman@ScottW58 The ‘Bordeaux - Hermitage’ should be very interesting… I’d love to try a bottle. Jaboulet makes some of the very finest Hermitage - the 1978 was amazing when released around 1982 and was fabulous at the millennium when I opened the last bottle I had because… well, because I was being hasty…
“People who eat or drink more foods with antioxidant flavonols, which are found in several fruits and vegetables as well as tea and wine, may have a slower rate of memory decline, according to a study published in the November 22, 2022, online issue of Neurology.” (Emphasis added)
I knew it! At least I seem to remember knowing it. Or something like it. Or something. What were we talking about? I think I need a glass of wine.
@chipgreen Hey I hear there’s a branch of Paulie Gee’s in Columbus! I have the notion that you’re in that general area.
I didn’t know they’d expanded beyond Brooklyn. The takeout was from their Slice Shop offshoot a few blocks from the original place. We love their pizza.
@InFrom
Wish I would have known that when we spent the weekend in Columbus 2 weeks ago. We are about 2 hours North but will look for Paulie Gee’s next time we are down that way!
@vaaccess@klezman@rjquillin First, if you’re using Android (tablet or phone), then skip to the end of this. If you are NOT using Android, you shouldn’t settle for anything BUT this. Website posted script-buttons do scrolling slower and of course are more variably located. Instead, learn these and be done looking for buttons:
Mac Desktop Safari browsing options: CMD + (up/down arrow), or space to go down one page at a time and shift-space to go up one at a time.
Windows Desktop (all browsers?) browsing options: Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, or space to go down one page at a time and shift-space to go up one at a time.
iOS Devices: just tap top of your phone to scroll back up to top. just above URL entry bar.
Now for Android. You could definitely use a button if we add one at some point because your options don’t seem to include a shortcut. You’re probably always searching for buttons since you don’t have a native “go to top” OS function.
Here’s your best solution:
In our use case, for these forums, simply hit the back button on your browser. In one step you’re back to what you might want versus 2. If you do want a refreshed view then hit refresh.
If you have an old device with a hardware back button, perhaps this is even more enjoyable UI than going back to the top in order to click something there to send you back to the forum thread list.
maybe worth mentioning - on mac desktop I actually don’t always use the shortcut I posted because the touch-pad-top-of-mouse scrolling is so frictionless and fast I use it instead.
@bahwm@klezman@rjquillin
I miss the old pub, too. I was much more of a reader than a poster, but I will endeavor to change that. I wish they could pin this at the top as a reminder to “chat”.
@bahwm@karenhynes@rjquillin We just need to make sure it’s always near the top so it doesn’t get lost!
It would be nice to have a larger “sticky” sort of thing, but this isn’t quite built in a way that facilitates it. It’s getting harder and harder to keep the community thriving…hopefully @dave@shawn and @snapster are paying attention…what made that other site special was the community more than the deals…
a friend of woot and casemates Ty Caton was involved in a very bad car accident over the weekend.
Ty should be ok, but others in the accident are in serious condition.
@Winedavid49 Oh my! Accident looks terrible. I hope all involved will be okay. Like many here I’ve met Ty in his tasting room and seems a fine man. Prayers.
@chipgreen@klezman@ScottW58
As do I; but the near total shutdown of public displays in the XXX of CA was depressing.
I fully understand why individuals would diy.
@klezman it’s been a problem here in the heart of Bmore for over a month now, they have been lightn’ off stuff since the marches and protests started. I’m surprised they have not run out of products, but some is more gun than straight noise.
At 9:21 pm and 21 seconds this evening, it will be the 21st second of the 21st minute of the 21st hour of the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st Century.
@rjquillin@ScottW58
Do you remember the year? If they were opening for Steely Dan I have to think that was the '80s incarnation of King Crimson. Those were my college days and we used to come home drunk from the bars and call our college radio station and make them play Elephant Talk. We were pretty belligerent about it and if they didn’t play it we would keep calling back until they did.
@chipgreen@rjquillin
I’m thinking 72 or 73 I originally had tickets to Steppenwolf a week or so after but a friend of mine who had tickets to this couldn’t make the Steely dan date work so I traded my Steppenwolf tickets to see this concert. Sex drugs and rock n roll baby
@davirom Missed the conference, I just work here and needed the link to be sent out or I’d have known nothing.
Other than operating the camera, we had nothing to do with it, but kudos to the group that did fly it.
Please take 30 seconds to tell your lawmakers to lift the wine shipping bans, to stop barring you from buying the wines you want and to bring Wine Freedom to your state!
@davirom Yeah, especially that Eric turned down several prior offers so he could keep control. I hope he’s able to keep doing that and keep the community great.
@karenhynes Thanks! Shana tova to whoever celebrates!
I’ve got a rather large round challah, chicken soup with kneidlekh, tritip, chicken thighs, and my grandmother’s honey chiffon cake. Others are bringing the rest of the food.
Read this on the WB site concerning Underground cellars could be worth it if anyone has high end bottles?
Not sure if anyone is following this still, but the court has approved an agreement in which a company is purchasing the remaining inventory. That company must provide former Underground customers with bottles in storage an opportunity to claim their wine. The kicker is customers must pay 21% of the purchase price, along with shipping. If you had bottles and kept inventory list, might be worth shipping some of the wine, especially upgrades where the purchase price was substantially lower than value. They are required to send a notice and customers must reply by a certain date, with all unclaimed inventory belonging to new company.
@ScottW58
Thanks for the update. The original proposal had them filling orders for just the actual shipping price and possibly a small handling fee. They changed that to the shipping fee plus 30% of the “retail price” which everyone knows is over-inflated. The new proposal is a little easier to swallow but I would still like to know how they can make people pay for something that they have already bought.
I’m editing tables for my phd thesis. Also I almost bought the launch shirt then realized that the kickstarter backers will get a similar shirt in a different color.
So the pub over on ye olde website is relatively vacant. Why not post over here? What are y’all up to this long weekend? We’re taking the toddler to the Sierras! Should be interesting…
@klezman Headed up to lake arrowhead over the 3 day weekend. Headed to a dodger game tonight. Gave my 6 year old tickets for his birthday since he just got off his first year of tee ball which he really liked.
@chipgreen@CorTot I should get my butt out there for some camping. We also just got the Interagency Annual Pass…so lots more car camping for us this coming year!
Well, we found out this is our first Thanksgiving in forever that it will be just our super immediate family. Which is good because my bathroom renovations will not be finished before Thanksgiving.
@ScottW58 No, I didn’t take a pic, but that’s a recipe that we make frequently. It’s soooo easy! But it usually takes about 2-2.5 hours to make. Whisper me your email address and I’ll send you a copy. It comes from a cookbook called “Great Foods Without Fuss”.
@ScottW58 The pork roast cooks in butter and oil with peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and red wine vinegar. We baste it every half hour. The first time we made it, we were little piggies–we ate a whole two-pound roast in one sitting! But, it was soooo good! Now, we get two dinners and one lunch out of it!
@karenhynes Wow! I had no idea! Just don’t make the Brussels Sprouts recipe from that cookbook! We love Brussels Sprouts, but that recipe was gross! It has to be really bad for us to say that! We love our veggies!
@bahwm
Hahaha! There’s a zero percent chance I’d make Brussels Sprouts from any cookbook.
I’ve tried them many different ways and just can’t make myself like them.
@bahwm@chipgreen@karenhynes If you have an Instant Pot try this recipe, best sprouts ever. These have converted even the most strident anti-vegetarians and meatavores I know.
@rjquillin Yeah, that’d be nice.
Also easier ways to get people to respond to ongoing gathering threads. I still haven’t heard from Bill over in the SoCal thread!
“This has probably been the hardest year in my career for selling wine,” said Alison Smith Story, co-owner with her husband, Eric Story, of Smith Story Wine Cellars, also based in Sonoma County. Like many small wineries, Smith Story relies on its relationships with independent growers, the same people being pinched by the grape oversupply and the fallout of the Constellation-Gallo deal. They decided to maintain their support of family growers despite sluggish demand and the pressure on their own profit. In a more robust market, they might have purchased more grapes. Smaller wineries that depend on direct-to-consumer sales have also been hurt by a decline in tourism to Northern California wine country over the past two years because of wildfires.
@InFrom@rjquillin Good on Ali to get quoted in here. It should bring them some publicity and hopefully sales.
One thing that goes unmentioned is how much more expensive California wine is compared to its equivalents around the rest of the world.
But on the (maybe) bright side, perhaps @WineDavid49 is working on ways to get some excellent surplus juice into Woot Cellars, ahem Casemates Cellars bottles for us.
@davirom@ScottW58 I disagree about wine in the bathroom. A nice glass of wine (or more) while soaking in a jetted tub is fabulous. In the WC itself is a whole other thing.
Posted on main thread then thought better of it. In any event, here are my thoughts about Brick Barn
not be popular as usual but not a fan of their wines. Been there twice and walked away with the same impression. My wife agreed along with friends who’ve visited on different occasions. Disjointed across the board imo.
Beautiful grounds, views, and service though.
Just sharing my personal experience. Others might feel otherwise
@losthighwayz
Thanks Lost, pretty sure WD would appreciate it as well.
While tolerated, it is a bit more diplomatic to air the laundry here rather than there.
And I see @klezman resurrected the Poli"ticks" IV thread as well.
@klezman@losthighwayz@rjquillin
To me, the point of the product discussion is to weigh the pros and cons of a possible purchase. I disagree that negative comments should be relegated to alternate discussion threads.
I don’t care for the especially mean-spirited posts that sometimes crop up but sharing one’s real world experience with a wine/winery is valuable information when considering a purchase and should be readily accessible to those in the act of doing so.
@klezman@losthighwayz@rjquillin
Now that I have read through the product thread, I see that Lydia’s husband just took over the winemaking duties with the last harvest.
Your comment about the wines having been disjointed both times you were there could have been a product of the previous winemaker’s efforts and is perhaps why they made a change but now that’s just speculation in a sidebar discussion.
@chipgreen@klezman@losthighwayz
“wow” didn’t add much to the discussion.
The further explanation here answered the comment. Could it have been there, sure, you know I won’t mod it out. It is thoughtful, imo, to try not to alienate a first time vendor. Again, just my opinion.
Rather surprised, One of them asked how to post a pic, but last I checked nothing up yet.
@klezman@losthighwayz@rjquillin
I think he did a ctrl-x of what you see above and replaced it with “Wow!” (maybe didn’t know that he could just delete?) but that is also speculation. Only his hairdresser knows for sure!
Haha, sorry I am feeling a little silly this evening for some reason. Haven’t even had a drink. I think work is getting to me!
The block quote thing works reasonably well to refer back to something specific, you just have to copy it from the previous post then paste it in next to the >
Just don’t make the amateur mistake of adding your own comments without a line break between them or it will all end up highlighted, causing confusion as to where the quoted text ended and your text began. I believe RJ pulled this off the other day (snicker).
Anyway, I hope your evenings have become less frustrating since your post from a few days ago!
@chipgreen@klezman@rjquillin truth be told their wines were pretty bad. That being said, I felt bad soonafter I posted and was able to retract on time. I typed wow for no other reason than to avoid a blank comment lol I know, it does not make much sense unless you are tired as heck from checking out Chromebooks and materials to elementary school families nonstop for 8 hours
@chipgreen@klezman@losthighwayz@rjquillin But what chip said three posts up only works if nobody sticks a reply in there in the meantime.
EDIT: Never mind, I forgot the system doesn’t put the reply right below the comment being replied to. This is precisely why I rarely bother posting anything on here, or even on the current thread, unless I’ve been chosen as a labrat.
Just wanted to post a reminder about Clark’s Zoom happy hour tonight.
“WineDown Fridays are the new TGIF! Kick back for a casual end-of-week hour to reset the spirit, 5-6PM Pacific Time…share a glass with Clark and chat about wine philosophy, chemistry, wine/music pairings, and whatever’s on your mind.”
@kawichris650
I’m going to try to make it but I’m waiting for the cable guy to come and do whatever it is he needs to do for the upgrade in my building. I’m the mean time, I’m about to open a 2003 Faux Chablis…unless I stumble across something else in the way.
@karenhynes
In general I’m not a big fan of Chardonnay either. However, I have grown to enjoy the unoaked Chardonnay from Iron Horse and also Peter Wellington’s Chardonnay.
Clark is certainly known for the minerality in his wines. I wonder how long he thinks the Faux Chablis will continue to hold up.
@karenhynes@kawichris650
IIRC, Clark said the 2005 was ready to drink sooner than the 2004. He has since declared the 2004 ready to drink as well so you probably can’t go wrong but I would still drink the '05 first. Or better yet, open them both at the same time to compare! Are you one of the new Coravin owners?
A research project seems to indicate wine ages faster in space.
Twelve bottles of Petrus (with an average price of $6,488 each) were sent to the ISS for 14 months. Then were brought back to Earth for a blind tasting as well as chemical analysis. Here’s a link to the article…
139 orders and 371 bottles from Last Bottle some the better ones were Moon Mt, Giacosa, Mr.K, Eagles Trace and the “Last Bottle” of 2009 Keating Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard.
Didn’t Iron Horse offer a free wagon tour of the Vineyards with David Munksgaard on one of their offers? Was it Casemates or WW? Or was I dreaming? Haha. @winedavid49 ? Anyone?
@chipgreen@winedavid49
That took firing off some long unused neurons, but you’re right; I recall that offer as well. Now, as to which site, given these last two years, I no longer have any accurate concept of passing time…
@rjquillin@Winedavid49
I was just saying the same thing to a friend. Could have been two years ago, could have been six years ago for all I know, haha. I seem to recall them saying no expiration on the offer, though.
@chipgreen Iron Horse DID offer a tour with then winemaker, David M. We actually did it with our author friend, Toby Neal. But he took us in his truck! It was a such a fun time and probably about 5 years ago or so. I’d have to check the photo evidence!
Dear Friends,
Exciting news! This coming Monday shipments will begin flowing out of our new, state-of-the-art DTC fulfillment center.
One of the perks will be a much higher level of visibility on your package including multiple levels of notification. You will also be able to re-route and/or hold your shipment at over 60k+ retail-partnered locations across the US at no charge.
However, all this accuracy and insight into your packages status does come with a change of carrier: we will now be shipping via FedEx Ground to home and business addresses. Faster delivery times, better tracking, more timely notifications, and more “last-mile” delivery options will make the fulfillment experience more fulfilling .
To take advantage of all of these services, please take a moment to create a FREE FedEx Delivery Manager account (if you don’t already have one).
Again, you’ll be able to ‘Hold at Location’ at over 60k+ retail-partnered locations across the US for pickup if you’re not at home; it’s as easy as choosing a location closest or most-convenient to you from the available businesses. As well, you can now leave instructions for delivery drivers as needed (gate codes, other property access notes, or further relevant minutiae - sorry folks, adult signature will still be required, no way around that).
New, detailed shipment notifications will begin when we start shipping on Monday the 27th.
Gone are the days of the standard ‘order confirmed’ then waiting god knows how many days for the exciting ‘your order has shipped’ email. Around late-May to early-June, in-stock orders should begin going out within 24-hours of purchase.
Now, like all new, cool things, a little dust will need to settle at first, so please be patient with us as we get everything in order at our new home. For all your burning questions, please click here. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to get these new features and service levels orchestrated to make your shipping experiences elevated, and we’ll be in touch as soon as the next wave of features arrives - more to come!
@rjquillin Nice
It’s true - UPS has made their customer service worse while FedEx seems to have improved over the last couple years.
Now what they both really need is a “warning” feature that tells the recipient how many more stops until theirs. The old UPS truck map was amazing, but apparently caused too many problems. This would be the next best thing.
@klezman and they could learn that ‘warning’ feature from the A; a feature I appreciate, while I just attempt to tolerate the other nits of the Mother Ship.
@klezman@rjquillin De Negoce now offering a choice for shipping after feed back from customers - Fedex or UPS - a bit like Wine Spies. Now that’s an idea
@ctmariner@klezman
Just saw this early today as well.
What a concept; choose your shipper!
I’m thinking DN must have better margins than WD to allow that choice.
How’s everybody’s long weekend going? Assuming it is a long weekend, that is. I have tomorrow off, molarchae isn’t so lucky. Also, none of us are particularly lucky with a mini-outbreak of coxsackie virus in our house.
Fucking hell. A bottle of icewine slid between the racking on the wine fridge. 5 feet up from the floor. The tile-on-concrete floor. That’s the second bottle that shelf has claimed.
@bhodilee I was literally just trying to figure out where to post this same question. Well, I didn’t miss the kickstarter coupon, but I am trying to figure out how/where to get the 3 $10 coupons from the WCC email…
P.S. As WCC insiders, when you back the campaign for $60 — the “1-year Free Shipping” reward level — you’ll get half that value back in the form of three $10 coupons valid through the end of 2018 on Casemates.
I submitted a request to customer service, as noted in another thread. I just got an email back asking if I had created an account or responded to the survey… uh, yes, my account was included in the initial form, as was my email address, and I have the badges
@ddeuddeg
If the picture is correct I don’t like those, they have a flat edge at the lip which catches a few drops of wine when you pour then the wine follows that edge to the bottom and leaks off the back.
Hi Guys! Through the years, those of you who hung in the old CyberPub heard tell of our visits with Cousin Bob near San Francisco and Cousin Alice near LA. Apparently, about 3 weeks ago, Bob was having problems breathing. He went to the hospital and after some tests and draining of fluid, they found that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Bob passed Monday night at the age of 87. I am glad that we had a chance to see him one last time this summer before the RPM tour.
@bahwm So sorry to hear that. At least he didn’t have to endure months/years of suffering. I had an Uncle Jim in England who went similarly. Thought he had the flu because of an upset stomach. When it didn’t get better after a week or so he went to the doctor and ended up having end-stage stomach cancer and was also gone in about 3 weeks.
@chipgreen Yeah, saw that one as well. I told my office wine friends, if that Goldman CEO had stuck to Pedroncelli, none of this would have happened!
I feel bad for those newly-minted somms who passed the test legitimately, only to have it snatched away. The thought of going through all that again must be horrible to contemplate. (Hopefully not enough to make any of them jump out a window of the Carlyle.)
@chipgreen@InFrom
Just heard this on NPR on my way home this evening. Not only is it sad to have the credential snatched away, but will also have significant financial impact as well. With the Master Somm they can earn three times as much (on average).
Warning Rambling Rant:
I know it has been a while … things have been crazy. The end of August I fell at work. While at car duty (where we open car doors for our car riders) I managed to fall off the curb and fall full force on my knee. I proceeded to load up a few more kids before I realized how bad it was. That night my knee swelled up to about the size of a softball. Long story short. That was a Thursday afternoon,Friday I went to Disney for the weekend and walked/limped about 10miles each day. I think that helped keep things from totally stiffening up. The following Tuesday I decided I should go to the dr. ended up having to go to the Work mans comp doctor, which is a min. 45 min drive from school… depending on the traffic it could take up to an hour to get to. I call them Quack in a box. I not nice place. The doctor actually touched my open wound on my knee without washing his hands. The nurse didn’t clean my wound before she applied more antibiotic ointment… the list goes on… After 5 weeks, they finally decided I needed a MRI. I don’t know how I managed, but I did not tear, chip or break anything! They finally decided to send me to an orthopedist! Only took them 6 weeks. Then it took a week to get into the specialist. So this week I go back to the quack, their computers are acting up and they can’t access my file. The Doctor comes in, I tell him I went to the Orthopedic Dr. and this guy says “oh, then you don’t come here anymore” Seriously? I reminded him that he is the one that sent me to the other… he said "well, we don’t know when you will get your appointment… I pointed out that it would have been good information to give a patient that if they can get an appointment with the specialist before their appointment with the quack … to call and cancel! I am so not happy… Anyhow, I go back to the orthopedic doc in 2 weeks. My knee is still got a healing scar and is swollen… but it is much better… If I knew about all the crap and crappy care, I would have to go through with the workman’s comp, I would have gone to my own doctor and paid out of pocket.
Rant/rambling over thanks
@InFrom yup. I’ve been worki ng. I make sure to get my dr appointment for as late as possible. Not fair to everyone I work with to not be working. I did find out, it would have been quite easy to have the doctors write me a note saying I couldn’t work… they kept asking me if I wanted them to give me restricted hours and duty. No wonder why so many abuse the system.
Happy Holidays and upcoming new year! And happy upcoming russian christmas! I also miss the old pub/site community. Couldnt we sticky the pub? There are just too much posts/information
Our choir party last night went really well. ddeuddeg and I are both exhausted! He did most of the cooking. I did a few little time-consuming things and got the house looking nice. Here was our menu:
Would any sane person (here) actually consider purchasing one of these Plum things at somewhere between $1500~$2000?
But, to it’s credit, it has a quad core 1.2GHz processor and a gig of ram and dual 2 mega pixel cameras and is well connected, 2.4 GHz b/g/n wireless, or wired.
What, no fiber?
And a 1024 x 600 IPS display just to tell you what bottle(s) you put inside.
Just to dispense wine?
They even offer a Zalto as an accessory.
Looking at ya @scottw58
@rjquillin It looks like someone saw a Coravin and thought: “you know what, that isn’t real luxury… People who don’t live in gated communities can afford those, we need something more exclusive.”
As someone who has drank at establishments with crappy tap lines, and have worked behind the bar, this machine is worthless without addressing that.
Hell, take a page from the espresso machines and sell a custom descaling (in this case, cleaning) bottle that you hook up after every use (revenue streams hooray!) to carefully make sure your little wine computer is pristine.
Right? It has one spout for two wines? What happens in between white and red pours? Does it discharge some water through the lines that goes into a separate resevoir? No? Then you are like a middle-schooler at a soda fountain putting every option in the cup.
(Plum can send me a prototype after taking my suggestions to heart… I promise to report back!)
here’s a random request. does anyone remember the simple wood 12 bottle counter top wine rack sold on the old site (it was part of a case offer) way back when? if so, can you produce a picture of it? we can’t find any !
@karenhynes This (the first one) bears a strong resemblance to the one that came in the case deal. Mandolina, that’s a nice blast from the wine.woot past!
@karenhynes You are spot on!
Mandolina Italian Varietal Case with Wooden Wine Rack
Mar '09 - Mandolina Italian Varietal Case with Wooden Wine Rack $154.99 + $5 shipping Condition: Varietal Products: 1 Mandolina Italian Varietal Case 1 Wooden Wine Rack…
Well, it’s happened.
Banned from work, with no hint when I’ll be able to return.
Not sick, or symptomatic, nor is anyone else at work.
Just seems I’m in the more highly susceptible demographic that is now being discriminated against working.
Am I pissed? You bet, and then some!
@rjquillin Pain in the ass, yes. Necessary evil, also yes. The biggest mistake we can make is treating this as less serious than it is. Not alarmist, just being realistic and acknowledging the math here.
Confirmed cases in LA County have been going up by 30-50% daily. Obviously part of that is due to testing ramping up finally, but keep in mind that the true number of cases is somewhere between 10-500x the number of confirmed cases.
And yeah, you’re in the demographic that’s not just at elevated risk, but at massively increased risk.
It sucks that your job is not something one can do remotely, but I also thought the bunny suits could help keep things going there.
Read this: https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca. Not alarmist. Just math.
We’ve got at least 5 weeks without kiddo at school and the nanny has a cold (not a coronavirus) so we don’t even have her to look after the baby. We also both have full time jobs to attend to. This is screwing up life for just about everybody.
@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58 My work site closed their doors to all but critical staff late last week. We are all wfh for the foreseeable future. Wife and kids also home. At least we won’t be running out of wine!
@hscottk@rjquillin@ScottW58 We’ve not mandated work from home, but we are encouraging it. In our huge office space we now have about 200 square feet per person who shows up each day.
@hscottk@klezman@rjquillin
Well my first day working from home and I gotta say that I’m liking this! After I got everything setup anyways also it doesn’t hurt that I don’t really like people
@rjquillin my office did the same thing. Sent all those 65+ home. I think it’s the right call.
whats especially difficult is that demographic is often times less tech savvy with the current work from home set ups so its a big adjustment.
@CorTot@Winedavid49@pseudogourmet98
Video, that would be boring.
Here is the company site with some pics of older cameras.
The site hasn’t been updated with newer stuff.
Another link to an article and video (of sorts)
taken with one of our cameras on Curiosity Rover from Mars.
I’ll see if I can dig up something a bit more interesting.
Today, (actually May of 2018) the Planetary Society posted a blog about the Mastcam-Z hardware in the process of being built at MSSS, including many photos taken here at our company:
Thank you to Mike Ravine for supplying Mastcam-Z images, and to Ravine, Greg, Shaun and Ron for allowing and helping me take pictures in the hardware lab here at MSSS. Last but not least, thank you to Mike Malin for his editorial input to the piece.
My work is still operating normally ( with precautions in place) however I have chosen to relocate from Salt Lake City now that community spread has started happening, to my vacation home in south eastern Idaho in a small town of less than 500 residents. Fortunately for me I can conduct business there as I just need phone, computer and internet which I have.
Stay home stay safe and we should all come out the other side in a month or so I hope.
Wow, I didn’t realize the CyberPub was still alive and well on Casemates. It may be the only pub that’s open for the next 2-3 weeks, at least where I’m at. And I hate to admit it but I’m going to have a glass right now even though it’s only 4pm. My happy hour is starting early today. Cheers and hope everyone is doing okay.
@WCCWineGirl if i recall the original wine girl on the other site that won’t be mentioned (REALLY good beer cheese on there right now) played an early role in the CyberPub! cool beens.
I’m not too much of a tv show binge watcher. More of a movie gal but that may change with all the good suggestions. Happy Saturday everyone. Thanks for hanging out.
So how is this ‘work at home’ going for ya’ll?
I ended up setting up a mini shop so I could do mechanical sub-assembly work that doesn’t require an ESD compliant workstation. Happened to already have an environmental oven in my garage shop I could use to cure polymerics, but had to get a 180l 230psi dewer of LN2 to keep it purged.
Bugger weighs over 240 kilos full.
Fortunately the local gas supply house, after some arm twisting, agreed to deliver to a residential address. Work required I set up an O2 sensor to insure I didn’t suffocate should it leak without notice. All in all, kinda interesting, but at least I’m not bored out of my gourd and can still be somewhat productive for the time being…
@radiolysis Should have mentioned too the adhesive, Henkel Loctite EA 9394 AERO Epoxy, needs to be kept cold after mixing; better than -75C, so a double insulated cooler and dry ice fill that bill.
Yeah, it’s kinda fun.
@pseudogourmet98 Tough call…the older ones you can just tell them to amuse themselves and they understand the concept of “but we need to work”. But surly 20 year olds are a whole other ball of annoying.
Ever drop a small pellet of dry ice into a glass for a quick chill?
Or perhaps a wee dram of LN2?
Lately I seen to have quite the assortment to tinker with.
Friend of mine said I gave him a bottle of
2017 Shannon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Urgency
that I have no CT record of (no surprise there).
Has anyone seen this and know where it may have been sold?
Friar Tuck Online- Springfield IL, the vivino link, has had this listed now for nearly a year. I found where I emailed him the link last July.
fs/case, but not near that level of interest.
I still think GO. vague memory. thanks all.
Reading some of the mod chatter on meh shipping…
While many here have issues and think UPS really sucks, check out the comments about P-B shipping, if you have an hour or two. https://meh.com/forum/topics/pitney-bowes-complaint-thread
I too have a package in the P-B abyss with no idea when or if it will show up. Luckily, nothing meh! sells is of critical importance to me. They’re going to have a “fun” Xmas season if they don’t get this fixed.
50 best wine retailers, according to WE.
Sorry, couldn’t find an open link.
10 categories of five each.
I had to look.
best online 5 of 5
best clubs 0/5
education programs 0/5
back vintage 2/5
natural 0/5
best rare 3/5
best overall 3/5
best single focus (?) 0/5
value driven (qpr) 2/5
shop design (I care?) 0/5
So, overall, 11 of 50.
I’m somewhat worried worried.
@ctmariner Nope. But if the SoCal crew wants to split one at some point I’d probably try. Cameron Hughes is good at what he does, so I’d expect great qpr which leaves it as a question of style.
@klezman Green Valley penciled in for one day. Likely IH, Dutton, and Marimar unless there’s another place you recommend? Also need to make sure kid friendly
@rjquillin
Well not to be snarky rjq although I usually am looking at the wines they make I see a bunch of unusual varieties, and I am not familiar with any wines coming from Lake County that are known for tgreat longevity of 20 to 40 years.
@rjquillin@ScottW58 Clark’s Cab Franc from Lake County is definitely in the 20+ year wine category. But I think that’s the exception that proves the rule, at least for now.
I expect that Lake County wines will keep increasing in stature unless we reverse climate change.
@Turner103200 You can wait for good deals to show up on Gourmet Woot (now called Grocery & Household). All the good deals for interesting foodstuffs come from the esteemed @WineDavid49.
He also gets some of them on other Mediocre sites, too. I got a couple pounds of Black Butte Reserve from MorningSave toward the end of last year and that stuff is amazing. Also keep an eye out for Creminelli Salami and Salumi Chicago for quality charcuterie to enjoy with your excellent QPR wines.
@chipgreen@Turner103200@winedavid49
This is cheese shipping season, may want to keep an eye on the old site, and, just perhaps, WD may give us a heads-up. Jus’ sain’.
I see the cheese board is up, need something to put on it.
@chipgreen@rjquillin@Turner103200@Winedavid49 There hasn’t been any cheese on the old site for quite a while, I would have bought some if there was, will there be any in the near future @Winedavid49? I’ve gone from always having a 3 month supply on hand to buying it at the supermarket!
Is anyone planning to join Clark’s ZOOM happy hour tomorrow evening?
“WineDown Fridays are the new TGIF! Kick back for a casual end-of-week hour to reset the spirit, 5-6PM Pacific Time…share a glass with Clark and chat about wine philosophy, chemistry, wine/music pairings, and whatever’s on your mind.”
@ScottW58 uhoh. i haven’t hit the 17 order average, but i’ve been happy with the orders i have made. I’ll keep an eye on that day. Thanks for the article!
@radiolysis@rjquillin@ScottW58
This made me go look at my account, the first purchase I made was back in 2013 @40. 30 ea delivered. 2009 Keating Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard.
K&L has them at 80, going to have to dig one or two out and give it a try at tomorrows get together.
@40@radiolysis@rc70@rjquillin
Yeah made me look too, first purchase was in 2011 and I bought 4 of those Keating’s in 2013 last time I had one they were great!
@40@radiolysis@rc70@rjquillin@ScottW58 I’m apparently a slacker - 35 bottles over 13 purchases.
I didn’t know they owned invino, too. They started out as Winery Insider. So combined from them I have 64 bottles over 29 purchases.
@ScottW58 I was surprised to learn that I’ve had 23 orders with ~135 bottles, of which two were IPAs, and 3 were EVOO. Plus a dozen .375s of Garnacha.
I finally had to unsubscribe from their emails. I found their sales pitches particularly hard to resist, so I went cold turkey. I haven’t bought anything from them in a year and a half. Which is not to say I won’t tune in on the 11th.
@klezman@radiolysis@rc70@rjquillin@ScottW58
169 bottles over 67 orders for me but only 2 orders in the past 3 years. My first order was 2 bottles of Chateau De Beauregard Pouilly Fuisse Classique 2007 in August of 2012.
@chipgreen@klezman@radiolysis@rc70@rjquillin@ScottW58 Yeah, I’d love to score another deal like that: 34 bottles for $1.00, including the 2001 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon we opened for bahwm’s birthday last month.
@klezman Yup, JunoCam.
Been sitting on this a couple days now, but had to wait for the release. While we took pics in three colors, this is the green channel and the framelets haven’t been exactly registered yet. Later pics should include the clipped off limb, when we get them.
Don’t have the geometry files yet either from JPL, but pixel resolution should be somewhere between 1~2 km.
@rjquillin@ScottW58 1-2 km per pixel? Simultaneously amazing detail given how far away the camera is from the surface, but also makes you think differently about the ridges and other features you see.
Reading through email this morning, this tid-bit from C-H regarding FedEx shipments.
@winedavid49
This news to you?
UPS have something like this coming as well?
Given the enormous number of orders we’re shipping out across the country over the next few days, it seems appropriate to notify everyone about some recent developments that will affect your shipments.
FedEx just rolled out a new delivery procedure nationwide that will affect ALL their alcoholic beverage shipments in America - not only CHW:
Beginning this month, FedEx drivers are now required to scan the barcode on the back of a 21+ government-issued ID before they can hand over wine shipments to customers. This scan only logs first initial and last name - no other personal data is recorded. Once the barcode is scanned, the signature field on the drivers’ hand scanners is unlocked, and you can sign for your package.
This is obviously an inconvenience, but they are now required to do so in order to stay within compliance.
FedEx has also informed us that due to worker shortages, overwhelming package volume, and increased bottlenecks from disruptions to the global supply chain, all customers nationwide should not be surprised by longer-than-usual transit times across the board from now through the holidays and end of the year.
@rjquillin That’s incredibly annoying. UPS and GLS/GSO haven’t started doing that as of this past week. I’ve got a bunch coming from Garagiste via FedEx soon, though, so I’ll report back.
How does a supply chain disruption affect the transport of shipments within the USA? That sounds like a BS excuse to me…
@klezman
I looked at the FedEx site for additional info as well. Another tid-bit that may have been catalytic in @winedavid49 leaving FedEx for UPS
Adult signature service option. State law, as well as FedEx policy, requires an adult signature at the time of delivery for every U.S. package containing alcohol. It is your responsibility to ensure the adult signature requirement service option is selected so that FedEx requests and obtains the required adult signature. A $5.75 fee per shipment applies for this service.
@klezman@rjquillin The drivers license/barcode with Fed Ex is real. I had to do it yesterday for wine. As far as delays, this is not a new thing, at least for me.
@danandlisa@rjquillin@ScottW58 The shipper pays it as part of the shipping. It’s been a charge for ages, even if they may have recently upped the amount.
@danandlisa@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58
On a UPS Casemates delivery earlier this week, I was asked to sign for the delivery again (something that has not been done since the COVID onset). When I mentioned this to the driver, he said if someone doesn’t want to sign he just leaves it (with an adult occupant) as per the usual COVID practice. I have not experienced any additional charges (I’m not sure if my My Choice Membership makes any difference in this).
@danandlisa@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58 Or ante up for an annual My Choice membership for $20? (unless the $10 deal I posted in the Deals thread is still available)
I never have issues receiving wine at my UPS Store where I have a box (like a PO Box, but no PO in front). Only issue was a labrat bottle that arrived when I was out of town and UPS wouldn’t let it be forwarded.
But, I used it for business too, and prices have gone up. On the other hand, l don’t need to worry about Porch Pirates!
@klezman@rjquillin Absolutely! I’ve usually been happy with stuff that the Uniform Laws Commission does, but sometimes they come a cropper, and they do have their biases…when I was working on a bar committee on a new LLC Act, we had to go around and around with them over a couple of issues that made no sense to our group - they seem to think of LLCs and ‘’mom & pop” operations rather than the sophisticated vehicles they have become….
How do you define disappointment? Getting a UPS notice of a 7 pound box from Wine Country Connect (imagining a 2 bottle Lab Rat shipment on the way?), only to realize it is for a 5 pound bag of coffee you bought from Woot grocery! Oh well…
p.s. Finding decent whole bean coffees at Costco has been a challenge for the past 6 months or so.
@klezman I think I have had 3: the Flying Goat Cellars PN assortment, a Pedroncelli Mixed Red offering (of Nov 21, 2020, where I had a 2018 Sangio and 2017 Cab), the Paradise Ridge GSM (where I was shipped 2 bottles of the same vintage by mistake). All three were great!
Mine shows a 50% drop from the beginning of June until the end of July. Alarming, right? It was almost entirely due to deleting dozens of phantom bottles from my list. In June I started packing everything into shippers prior to moving, and updating CT as I went. It became obvious just how lousy a job I’d been doing of keeping it up to date.
@InFrom@rjquillin
Yeah my only drops are when I go through and delete bottles I know I drank, sadly the line is on a long and steady rise I need to start drinking way more than I buy!
@InFrom@rjquillin@ScottW58 I don’t need the charts to show me our cellar has grown too much too quickly.
I frequently use the (older) features of cellar summary by purchase time and consume time. Our consumption is pretty consistent and we’re slowly getting the purchasing down - but not nearly to where it should be! Hopefully next year will be the year we buy less than we drink.
Re: Underground Cellar’s bankruptcy filing and the possibility of customer orders being fulfilled, there was a hearing on October 5th which has now been reassigned/continued to October 16th.
@chipgreen@Mark_L I seem to have dodged even the news-splash radius of those, let alone the damage radius. But I’d have clocked it for a short-run grab-n-go just based on what they were visibly doing.
Can someone explain how to get back to the main listing of threads after viewing one? Whenever I view one, I keep having to manually scroll back to the top, and then click the “Community” button, and then click the “Casemates” link.
@arielleslie So basically, no buttons or links? Have to manually delete from the address? Though I suppose just using the main link as a favorite in my favorites bar would also work. Guess that’s the only way to actually navigate this website.
@HitAnyKey42@snapster Exactly why it was asked earlier for the addition of top and home buttons, for those lacking physical mice and physical keyboards.
@HitAnyKey42 I learned rather quickly that the first click on the “community” button opens the menu for the various Mediocre communities. A second click on that same button takes you to the forum main page for the site you’re on. I agree it’s confusing. @dave@snapster maybe this is something we can add more links for? It’s also something I’d rather not have to scroll back up to the top to do every time.
@snapster Nah, Ron is just saying he usually uses his tablet for this stuff so he finds it annoying to have to scroll around so much. (It takes some time to learn to decipher Ron )
@klezman I concur. Too much scrolling…A “back to top” that moved with the scrolling of the page would be splendid. No idea how easy/hard that is, but might be a simple approach?
OK, too many posts in one thread that made me chuckle out loud - bowtie, really, I thought the exact same thing re ether, including the ae. HAK and others, as posted previously, filtering is your friend - play around a bit to set it up so you see your favorite threads… Cesare - really?! …and Mark, where do you find this stuff?!
@vaaccess I thought maybe that was a thing you could do, but maybe it is a thing you cannot do, but would be a handy thing you could do if you could do that thing.
I, got my Little today and found out that there are other denizens of my State on here, which makes me feel territorial. I’ll be peeing on light poles henceforth.
Love me some homemade pesto! What all do you put in “garden” pesto? Or is it just that the basil comes from your garden? Also, how do you store it? I usually freeze in ziplock bags and would be interested other options.
@pseudogourmet98 Just basil from the garden. Basil, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, garlic, a drop or two of lemon juice, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Regiano.
But then the final dish also includes tomatoes from the garden.
@pseudogourmet98 We freeze some of it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, put the cubes in plastic bags or containers, so you have easier access to smaller portions. We also put some in 1/2 pint jars, which is about enough for when we are making it for whole family.
I want to dry age some beef at home. Anybody want to help us with a “practice” cut? I was thinking of getting a prime striploin or rib subprimal from Costco and aging it for ~40 days. That way when the bone-in ribs make their appearance around xmas time I’ll be confident.
Anybody want to go in on the test round? The whole slab is usually in the $125 range depending on the day. We can sample the results (and even take multiple different ages if we want) for a nice dinner & wine gathering, probably near to Thanksgiving time.
Had to go down to the barrio yesterday to pick up dome fresh coffee, swmbo wanted to hit some Asian markets for supper last night. There was a commercial Costco on the way and I wanted some capers, at a decent price.
We wandered back to the meat area; yikes!
Huge cuts of nearly everything, not the household size offerings at the local outlets. Entire legs and shoulders of lamb at Costco pricing. Would have to acquire some major cooking implements to deal with some of these. Still, amazing to see the cuts.
How you thinking of doing the aging?
From what I’ve read, limited, it takes good temperature and humidity control with adequate air circulation to be successful.
@CorTot@rjquillin@ScottW58
Most stuff I’ve read agrees that a fan inside either a bar fridge or a freezer with an adjusted thermostat does the job well. Some also add a tray of salt to help act as an air desiccant. They key seems to be to ensure that the crust properly develops in the first few days.
Whole lamb shoulders sounds great. I wonder if there’s a commercial Costco near me…although it’s hard to suggest a full 109A rib is a household size.
@klezman tough to commit here, it sounds fun though! We’ll be around before thanksgiving but I’ll be out of town the week after. I’ve never dry aged a steak and wouldn’t know where to start. But I bet there’s a YouTube video for that.
@CorTot Mostly looking for people to help split the cost at the moment and then we’ll make sure all can attend the sampling! We’re also most of Channukah, so there will be some wrangling. Dec 15 weekend is a likely good time, and could double as a kiddo birthday shindig! (What two-year old doesn’t like a good dry aged steak?)
@ScottW58 The 100+ day aged rib steak at APL restaurant might change your mind
But I figured at least you’d be in because you could use some of the remaining cooler space when we do another round in December/January! Also, we need to get together to eat/drink. We can do weekend of Oct 26-28 or Sunday of next week. Next Saturday has no guarantees since I’ll be getting off a flight from Switzerland on Saturday.
Also, happy birthday to your lovely SWMBO! I hope she at least took today off!
@radiolysis Used to purchase from Pannikin, wholesale, when they existed. The roaster split off from the retail outlets after some fracas and is now known as Cafe Moto. Still purchase wholesale. This all started around '69 or '70. Settled in on a dark roast blend they call Blue Sky. I like a darker roast, but had to compromise with swmbo. We do #5 of beans every 3~4 weeks or so.
@chipgreen@klezman
I can attest to that. When my husband and I were in SoCal a few years ago we were treated with open arms by the woot contingent. I was just telling someone the other day about it and they were dumbfounded. “Wait. You’re telling me that you were thousands of miles from home, you got into a car with some people you only knew from an internet chat, you let them take you to the house of another person you only knew from the internet (and you didn’t know exactly where that house was), and you lived to tell about it?” Yes! And we met some wonderful people and had a fabulous time, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!
@klezman
Sadly, not likely anytime soon… best chance would be if there is a 2019 RPM Tour. For now I will have to continue to live vicariously through the postings of yourself and others!
@chipgreen@klezman@pseudogourmet98 Right after the first rpm tour in 2008, we were making plans to attend a SoCal auxiliary tasting in Las Vegas, where we knew we’d be seeing some of the friends we made on the tour. The tasting was to be at the home of one of the people who had been posting regularly on the w.w blog, but whom we hadn’t met. We mentioned this at dinner in Buffalo with a bunch of friends, a few weeks before the tasting, and they were aghast.“You’re going to Las Vegas to a wine tasting at the home of an internet friend?” We talked about it on the way home; after all, just a few months earlier, we had sent a check to some (then unknown) guy in Michigan for a tour that, on its face would have seemed pretty sketchy to a lot of people. The tour happened and we had a fabulous time. But here we were, heading across the country to hook up with some “internet friend”, something we have for years warned our students never to do. We flew out after school on Friday, had a great time, flew home on Sunday, never missed a day of work. A few months later, we were back in Las Vegas getting married, but that’s another whole story. Life is beautiful.
I clicked on a link here (well, on the TO Mystery Case offer) regarding Kent Rasmussen post on PS Dumb phase, and it didn’t show. I then went to the forums, and they’re missing.
Says “Oops! That page doesn’t exist or is private.”
@bahwm Seeing that there are different websites for Brandini and B Toffee (and different names in the “Story” pages of the two sites), I would venture that they are not the same.
@bahwm@rjquillin not connected. Brandon of Brandini was put off by us working with another toffee house when we went full gourmet… gone radio silent since then… a pitty (and petty!).
@rjquillin@Winedavid49 So sad. Seriously lame and unfortunate for us, because I thought we got some pretty good deals from them and a great QPR. On another note, they don’t hesitate to send emails about some of their offers!
@bahwm@klezman@rjquillin@Winedavid49
Yeah pretty lame but I gotta say when I got the email from them I jumped on it it’s not my fault that you got me hooked on crack!
@rjquillin@Winedavid49 More specifically to WD: I’m pretty sure that you never signed any document that said that you would ONLY sell Brandini toffee. Time for some people to grow up!
@bahwm@rjquillin he is young and he stepped back after I told him about the demands of gourmet. But still no deal. A bummer considering we honestly help launch the brand.
@karenhynes Got mine and worried what
withdrawn-mountainous-ramen
may invoke.
Already have an Anova, but grabbed these to do circuit board cleaning with some warm IPA.
These look like they may be better for shallower vessels and not requiring as much (height/depth) liquid; at least hoping that’s so.
@karenhynes@rjquillin I’ve been thinking of getting one so I got two (other will likely become a gift). Like @rjquillin my order confirmation of sore-boiling-idea was somewhat unsettling.
ScottW, I hope you, your family, friends and co-workers are all safe and unharmed after last night’s shooting rampage. I wish we could find a way to curb gun violence in America.
@chipgreen It’s close to home, but thankfully not that close. (Closer for Scott, but also not that close.) Me, I’m more worried about another anti-Semitic synagogue attack closer to home.
@chipgreen
Thanks Chip! Fortunately as Adam said we were not that close. And thankfully after telling my kids for years that nothing good happens out there after midnight they don’t go out very often to hang out at night spots with there friends.
@karenhynes No issues at the far south end, yet.
Wondering about @scottw58, gotta be close to him, but thinking it’s downwind.
Sad to see the Paramount Ranch go.
Have many fond memories of the Southern Ren Faire right next door in Agoura.
@karenhynes@rjquillin
Lost is that you? I live in Sherman oaks not thousand oaks, it’s pretty far from us and the wind is going away from our house. But thanks for the thoughts!
Went to the hockey game last night. Leafs dominated the Kings! Awesome!
I’m seeing a cup in the not-crazy-distant-future for the first time in 25 years…
My meadowcroft wine order has been getting a tour of IL it has at this point hit chicago twice, and at least 2 more IL cities. Anyone else have this problem with casemate order?
I mean if it comes with fun people to drink with sure, but in this case, I just want it to get here. At which point do I call fedex and request them to send out search dogs
@rjquillin
Thanks, I’m just glad they are fun to watch again. Maybe next year. Also sorry for you San Diegoans (?) - Chargers leave town and suddenly get good, ugh.
@chipgreen But hey, Ohio did quite well today!
Good game.
Chargers? I’ve not watched a game now in over a year. Spanos burned down that bridge long ago.
Now that Anthony is gone from Bell, it’ll be difficult to justify those purchases as well; as Spanos is a part owner and that connection we had on tour is diminished with AB leaving.
@bahwm W00t!, err, Ca$e!
currently 7C here in not-so-sunny SoCal.
Well, it is nighttime.
High tomorrow, 15C.
I’ll be enjoying the interior of the lab, running thermal-vac on the 2020 Mars rover cameras, but drinking vicariously with you.
@rjquillin Kind of sounds amazing, what you’re doing. Not a lot of drinking today–prepping for the choir party at our house tomorrow. Icewine Festival is next weekend.
@karenhynes I keep all of my credit card numbers as part of my LastPass information (along with all of the random passwords for logging onto any site) so I have them available wherever. Really helps.
@rjquillin
Yes, they’re all the rage - hard seltzer notwithstanding. We sampled some canned Rose at Point of the Bluffs Vineyards during our recent Finger Lakes vacation.
@rjquillin Not a fan. We have a restaurant that was just opened by some friends of ours. It’s called The Chicken Shack and can be quite irreverent! But, they make some mighty fine chicken there! Nothing fancy. They have gone the route of canned wines. There was a distributer there doing a tasting. One red was passable by our standards. One white might have been passable, but it wasn’t chilled properly. When given those options, we go with beer. Local, draught beer, if possible!
@chipgreen@InFrom@rjquillin@ScottW58 A couple of years ago we stayed a few nights in a really cool boutique hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. They serve “breakfast in bed”. Well, they bring your breakfast at around the designated time and you may choose where you would like to eat it in your room–they do provide two comfy chairs with a cute side table between. I digress. But they do include freshly squeezed OJ and we knew it. So, we picked up some bubbly in cans at one of the local wineries or at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). It made for VERY nice mimosas!
@bahwm@chipgreen@InFrom@rjquillin
Now that sounds like a good use for a canned wine but for me that situation does not come up often enough to actually seek out and buy canned wines.
Hey, it’s still wine in a can, I didn’t hold it to that high a standard. Or any standard, really. I learned after the fact that he carbonated after the fact. It was enjoyable despite all of the above. And some good reading on the can, and on the site. https://shop.bonnydoonvineyard.com/product/La-Bulle-Moose-de-Cigare-4-pack
PRODUCTION NOTES
This wine began life as a batch of Vin Gris de Cigare, that is to say, fermented in stainless steel, and held on its lees post-ferment and subject to rigorous and systematic bâtonage (lees-stirring). The wine was carbonated just prior to canning to a refreshing degree of fizziness just below the legal threshold (.392 g/100 ml of CO2 ) of the confiscatory/onerous sparkling/ luxury wine tax. (While it is thoroughly plausible to claim that sparkling or even “fizzy” wines tend to make people experience a momentary relief from their worldly troubles, it does not necessarily follow that the experience of this momentary pleasure should perforce be taxed at a rate significantly higher than beverages that do not enjoy an equivalent level of effervescence, i.e. “table wine.” The Puritans remain with us still, as it were… )
Problem is that you no longer can have competitions regarding post counts (who can get to the next 1,000 post level) and other tomfoolery we used to have.
It also helped having people post late night (ala TommytheCat, Cheron98, Nallie, etc.), and jwhite posted morning recaps.
Along with the usual “Good night, jwhite6114. Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”, from Nallie.
@Winedavid49 I’m planning to go back to 30 Rock. Also, not a TV show, but a nice diversion if you like that kind of thing, the Metropolitan Opera is streaming one old broadcast per day, for 24 hours. “La Fille du Regiment”, today’s offering, is fun.
I’ve also been meaning to check out “The Good Place”. I think this list from the NYT should be viewable, they’ve dropped the paywall for all things coronavirus.
@InFrom@winefarm will love the Opera suggestion! good call on 30 Rock. We are going to view a few old Taxi episodes to see if it still holds up and if our 15 year old would like it. stay tuned.
@CorTot@InFrom@ScottW58@Winedavid49@winefarm I am with Cory in looking for lighter fare. Seems most of the original series on Netflix or Prime are dark. I breezed through The Mandolorian, also grim and IMO not much fun. Should have named it The Baby Yoda Show, the Mandolorian was supporting cast.
@Mark_L We do.
MF-176 series similar to pictured, but with a rotary stage, mostly for measuring and correcting for Z-axis sensor tilt; 400x optics iirc.
@rjquillin I retired from Mitutoyo about 1.5 years ago. I was a software specialist for the vision and CMM measuring systems. I worked on some MF units that had a camera so they could be programmed into (manual stage) automatic measuring systems.
@Mark_L There are three or four of us here that have “qualified” on the system we have. We have a golden unit and to qualify you have to be within 0.00003" of the mean on the Z-axis height measuremen of the pixel plane on on the sensor die surface. It’s amazing how porous aluminium and alumina (case, not die) are at those mags.
@klezman@rjquillin Mitutoyo’s most precise measuring systems (contact and vision) have scale resolutions of .0000003937" (.01 microns), and accuracy specifications of around .000012" (.3 microns).
@klezman@Mark_L My comment on on porosity is really the limiting factor when dealing with “not smooth” surfaces. When we’re looking at a die surface of an imager (pixels) repeatability is actually much easier as the surface is, relatively smooth. But as we’re trying to make a wedge shim to insert between the case and the lens, we have to deal with machined aluminium surfaces that are just plain ugly. The granularity is pretty astounding, and trying to judge the “top” isn’t easy, have to look for shaved off tops of the granular structure and estimate.
@klezman@Mark_L@ScottW58
Killing what’s left of the economy, but I’m still trying to do my part.
Getting paid for not working just isn’t my style.
There are, however, a limited number of things I can do from here.
@klezman@ScottW58
Looks like I get an “Essential Worker” or whatever they call it card, so I don’t get locked up if I’m stopped while out and about doing essential work.
Santa Ana deliveries?
Pretty sure I’ve got some bottles for a few near or in Santa Ana. Looks like I’ll be up there tomorrow for a source inspection for work. Let me know if I have something for you, and if I can find it this evening perhaps we can do an exchange.
@rjquillin Just saw this, so today is out. I have 10 for you and you have a similar # for me (I’ll detail in an email soon), so next time you’re in the area LMK. I’m about 20 min. N of WineX.
@klezman@merrybill
A, kinda, quick up and back, at least the driving part.
Traffic was moving right along. If I wasn’t doing 75~80 I was getting passed. Lots of lurking about.
Long day doing inspections, didn’t even break for lunch.
So, no pickups or deliveries for me or anyone else.
@losthighwayz Depends on your definition of “out and about”.
Based on my reading and bioscience background, it seems like the LA County recommendations still make a ton of sense. Stay home when possible, or go outside in sparesely populated spots. Wear a mask if you’re near others or inside any indoor public place.
Above all, remember that the greatest danger may not be to you, but to the other people you know who might be higher risk. Especially people who have any blood pressure-related or diabetes-related comorbidities or people who are above (approx) 55 years of age.
FWIW, I took the toddler to the beach a week ago. That day, at least, it was easy enough to keep enough distance. The ocean breeze also helps disperse any droplets so long as you’re not a short(ish) distance directly downwind. When we were walking on city streets near the beach, though, masks were on.
@klezman@losthighwayz
When you were walking the streets was everyone else wearing a mask because I thought the mask only protects other people from you?
@losthighwayz@ScottW58 You’re correct in that it is much more effective at stopping outbound transmission than inbound reception. Most people in my neighbourhood either wear one all the time or are extra careful to stay fairly far apart. Personally, I’m satisfied with people’s compliance.
I keep a mask handy when I’m walking around with the kiddo or at the park. But I only put it on when others are nearby. That, to me, is a perfectly reasonable trade-off. (I also get a kick out of the people who wear masks when alone driving their cars. Makes no sense whatsoever.)
@CorTot@losthighwayz@ScottW58 Leave it to the Canadian to assume friendly ribbing and nothing more
Let’s face it - wearing a mask sucks. But it’s important. It’s too bad that much of the transmission appears to be from asymptomatic carriers. It would be so much easier if it was like the flu and you had to actually feel sick to be contagious.
@karenhynes Saw that the other day. Very interesting indeed. There was also a paper just pre-published showing that the number of ACE2 receptors in nasal epithelium seems to increase with age. At least up to age 60. That could be a partial explanation as to why kids appear to be less susceptible to becoming infected (and maybe also why they are less susceptible to the more severe cases as well).
@klezman I wear my mask in the car if I’m coming home from the store, as not to have to touch my mask or face with potentially contaminated hands. Then I’ll wash hands, take off mask, wash hands. I am overly cautious, but my hands are a nice shade of chapped!
I keep sanitizer inside my car and wear a nitrile glove (or two) for shopping. Load stuff into the car, get in, sanitize hands with the sanitizer I keep in there, then touch the inside of the car. Same basic idea, just I do it in the car.
Yes, total pain in the ass.
And, unsurprisingly, a week or so after LA County has relaxed restrictions we have an uptick in cases. Over 1800 new cases today, although “some” are from a testing backlog. Unless almost half of them are backlog results, this is a large increase from the roughly 1000 per day we’ve had the last week or two.
@rjquillin I don’t know - I haven’t looked closely at that particular data stream. My sense is that more people are getting tested regardless of symptoms and they’ve also started testing (e.g.) all workers in nursing homes to be safe. So I’d expect the rate of positive tests given having a test to go down.
But I’m not sure what you’re thinking that will tell us. With testing more widely available, you no longer need symptoms in LA County to get a test.
Two tests are really needed. First the RT-PCR test or similar that measures active infections. Systematic or asymmetric this is possible the best way to know the % of the population who have contracted the virus. Test two which currently has a very high false-positive rate would be an antibody test. Because we have truly only tested people who are symptomatic and those who had contact we really on have tested 5% of the population. We have little to no clue about asymmetric people. A reliable titer needs to be developed. However, ever after we do not know how long the immune system keeps this virus in its profile. It could very well be like the flu, slight shifts in the protein coat and the body can’t recognize it.
@klezman Absolute positive number may be higher, but % of those tested positive could be lower.
Absolute number is worthless. It will always increase while testing is done, unless this is totally eliminated, which is unlikely.
@jml326 First, I love that your autocorrect changed “asymptomatic” to “asymmetric”. Unless you really meant people lacking symmetry
Yes, the two tests tell us different things. And yes, the antibody tests to date have had pretty terrible accuracy. (Even before the true PPV can be assessed given the actual seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.)
On a positive note, recent research suggests that SARS-Cov-1 antibodies provide some protection against SARS-CoV-2. The evidence so far suggests that the spike protein is not evolving particularly quickly, which makes sense - if it evolved too quickly it would lose its ability to attach to ACE2. Newly released evidence also suggests that antibodies persist for some time, and appear to confer some immunity. What’s not clear is to what extent.
I’ve gone a bit overkill I think, but I can choose my protection level. Box of gloves, if I’m really nervous about what I may have to handle, with a pair in my pocket on the way in.
In the car, a storage container with ~20 or so Handi-Wipes in the container, swimming in some 99% IPA. Second container for the used wipes/gloves. Back to car, open door, grab box(s) and open both, wipe anything I’ve touched (CC, keys, door handle, storage boxes) old wipe into the used box and close both.
So far it’s seemed to work…
Mask, yes, when required within a store, or in proximity to others.
So many people on FB and acquaintances in the LA area roaming around in groups maskless. Ticks me off but then makes me wonder if I am the fool for listening and protecting myself but more importantly my family. Tired of people saying it’s an overreaction, an attack on Trump, etc
@Mark_L I think the easiest way is taking a pic with a tablet which has the “attach image” feature. Or I take a pic on my iPhone which shares to an iPad. I’m sure it works similarly in the Android world.
@hscottk@klezman I tried Imgur (which seems to work well for @ScottW58, but nothing showed up here. I finally tried using the “upload image” option and that worked.
@klezman@Mark_L@ScottW58 The twin peaks/sun icon to the right of the 1s and 0s icon (only seen on iPad not iPhone) lets you upload a photo from your library.
@hscottk@Mark_L@ScottW58 Yeah, I have that on the desktop version but not the Android mobile browser. Which is, of course, where my photos would most likely be.
@hscottk@klezman@Mark_L@ScottW58 In chrome on Android I just got to the menu and switch to “desktop site”. The attach file icon then shows up and you upload from your phones pics. Clunky, but it works. Who would have thought in 2020 it would be such a pain.
@ScottW58 I mean, as the 4th tier in my priority list, sure:
Leafs
the rest of Canada except Montreal
Other original 6
Montreal
Kings or Sharks (and that’s really generous to the Kings)
other teams except
sunbelt teams
I pour half a glass and roll that sucker back and forth in my hands for a few minutes. Learned that trick from watching Clark when he came here for a visit (also saw him shake a bottle of Cab Franc, Mollydooker style). Maybe not the most efficient method but it usually gets the wine fairly close to a good drinking temp, then do it a second time - of course the bottle is sitting out in the meantime, slowly warming on its own. Usually after I do a couple half glasses this way, I will pour a full one and do the same. If I keep going beyond that point, the wine is usually at a reasonable temp by then to just pour and sip.
@klezman@chipgreen
It’s been known to happen.
I think I once dropped a pellet of dry ice into a glass as well to go the other way. Elvira would have been proud of the visual results.
@chipgreen@klezman@rjquillin
Whiskey stones work for chilling quickly.
I needed to warm up a refrigerated red red recently while we had something in a long sous vide. Stuck the bottle in for about 5 minutes, did the trick.
@klezman@losthighwayz I always wonder about those things, if someone bought it who would admit they bought crap if it didn’t work? Always seemed suspicious to me.
@klezman@losthighwayz
Wasn’t there something similar making the rounds a year or so ago? I think you stirred the wine with it and it was supposed to absorb the sulfites.
This may be better suited to a different thread, but to keep it in a bit more neutral setting it’s here.
Just read this piece about Epicurious and scratched my head a bit…
@rjquillin Yeah, I saw that and shook my head at it. I think I saw that it’s only they won’t do any new recipes with beef but will keep the old ones.
Seems dumb to me. Shrug.
@klezman@rjquillin
Bullshit, literally. While cows may be 20 times less efficient to raise than beans and 3 times less efficient to raise than chicken or pork they are 100 times more tasty. Particularly Flannery and Morgan Ranch.
I actually counted my purchases too, very surprised to see I had 90 buys but I didn’t count the bottles. But to be fair at least 20 or 30 bottles had to be from when I participated in the marathon’s? I don’t buy often from them anymore.
The post here from me above you replied to was initiated ~21:20 last night. Interesting it finally showed up, if, errr, somewhat delayed…
I think it all started around 20:30 PDT, and the bot failed to create the discussion thread for the new offer as well. I was on the mod channel and it took them a while to realize the scope of what was going on and close to an hour after rollover to sort it all out. I’ve not heard what the issue was or how it was resolved, but many were working on it.
@rjquillin I’ve been there (all too recently). I tried to make my comment on the “What are you Drinking” thread a few times and figured i was just doing something wrong. Seemed the most likely at the time.
Here is a link to a highly technical and long (over an hour) discussion about chardonnay with a master somm and 6 wine makers, 5 from California and 1 from Burgundy. Full disclosure: I couldn’t make it all the way through.
@rjquillin I was at mine yesterday and they were not, sadly. Unless they put them somewhere unusual to hide this year. My Costco never got them last year either. One in Torrance did, though. Annoying.
Wine event happening here in San Diego.
Long list of those pouring.
Any in the list that qualify as “don’t miss this one”?
As well as “not worth it, just don’t bother”?
Tastings Include:
Alexander Valley Vineyards
Alximia
Anakota
Antigal Winery & Estates
APCOR
Avensole Winery
Baja Brewing Company
Ballast Point
Barlow Vineyards
Beach House Winery
Benchmark Wine Group
Bivouac Ciderworks
Blair Vineyards
Boatique Winery
Boochcraft
Brassfield
Burtech Family Vineyard
Cache Creek Vineyards
Caelesta Wines
Carol Shelton Wines
Casa Emiliana
Cava Sarquis
Chacewater, Engine House Wines
Chateau Montelena
Concierto Enologico
Cuvaison
Dancing Crow Vineyards
DAOU Family Estates
Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
Domaine Sante
Double Bond Wine
Driscoll Wine Company
Emeve
Falkner Winery
Fallbrook Winery
Fernet Branca USA
First Light Craft Spirits
Flying Embers
Frankly Organic Vodka
Freemark Abbey
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
Gelson’s
Guarachi Wine Partners
Hard Working Wines by McPrice Myers
Hawk and Horse Vineyards
Hope Family Wines
Howell Mountain Vineyards
Humboldt Distillery
Infinium Spirits
Izo Spirits
Jax Vineyards
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
King Frosch Wines
Koi Zen Cellars
Korea Tourism
La Finquita Winery & Vineyard
Lake County Wine Commission Winegrowers
Las Nubes
Legado Sais
Lescombes Family Vineyards / Soleil Mimosa
LJ Crafted Wines
Loosen Bros. USA
Marston Family Vineyard
McPrice Myers
Mermaid Valley Vineyard
Miami Cocktail Company
Milagro Winery
Mt Gay Rum
Nenow Family Wines
Niner Wine Estates
Nova Kombucha
Oak Farm Vineyards
Obsidian Ridge
Paoloni
Papapietro Perry Winery
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
Peter Paul Wines
Pijoan
Preiss Imports
Primate
PRP Wine International
ReBru Spirits
Relieve
Riboli Family of San Antonio Winery
Rincon Reservation Road Brewery
Rojas Vineyards and Winery
Roussillon
Safu Sake Company
Sagamore Spirit
San Pasqual Winery / Toast of the Town
Sangiacomo Family Wines
Santo Tomas
Shannon Ridge, Clay Shannon
Societe Brewing Company
Sol Rouge
Solare Ristorante
South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
Spirit of Wine
Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance
Stringer
Summerwood Winery & Inn
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Temecula Valley Winegrowers Assoc.
Thacher Winery & Vineyard
The Calling / Deutsche Family
The Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance
Thorn Spirits
Trasiego
Valle Seco
Valmar
Vide
Vinos Nivel
Wild Diamond
Wilson Creek Winery
Woof’n Rose Winery
Even more important is that limestone soil allows one to make a wine naturally without having to add tartaric acid, sugar, or color.
You can add sugar in CA?
I’ve had a couple, not the top end stuff, and thought what I had was rather overrated. Perhaps time to grab another bottle from Costco and try one again.
And in very anti-deal news, looks like WTSO turned the “last chance” and “premium” by-the-bottle into a $40 minimum for free shipping. Before it was free on even one bottle. Grumble.
@klezman I end up having them held and shipping 6-12 at a time. Saves me going to FedEx too frequently. I understand the cost so I’m not “mad” just changes the economics.
@MarkDaSpark I finally got around to breaking down some boxes and one from you had these in it. Do you need them to complete the decor of your new place?
@rjquillin Ooooh, interesting.
Probably a good thing if they’ve started a new tread but not necessarily good if they’ve commented on an old/existing thread.
Unless that only happens on new threads/topics.
That was my concern once I saw the gap – I figured there was some amount of water getting behind, and the “quality” of the flip prior to us was questionable. Wish I had thought a little more before diving in, but no biggie. We can upgrade the valve in the process…
oopsies.
A few months back I had a dripper that needed service. How tough could it be to change out the mixing cartridge? It was pretty well stuck with minerals, but there were some decent videos with suggestions. Couldn’t really tell what the proper replacement was, so I got to likely candidates. Was lucky, one worked, with minimal issues, and the other went back.
Wait, don’t we have the Pub for chatter…
Easy to forget that one is there.
Got a dozen duck eggs from a co-worker that also brings chicken eggs in from her friend that’s a bit out in the boonies. Had some leftover steak and I thought, humm, some 3-minute insta-pot soft eggs would be tasty with this so I cooked up four, a couple for later.
Surprise, the first two had extras included, mini ducks.
@InFrom After seeing them, I was cracking shells in the sink, she asked “why did I come over here?” Neither of us knew, as I didn’t ask her to…
They made quite the racket in the disposal.
@rjquillin the first is limited and if I ordered I’d take that whole allocation of 3 bottles. They rig it so that you have to buy at least one of the expensive bottles.
@rjquillin@ScottW58 yes, minimum order 4 bottles. The Sonoma coast is excellent, probably still decent value with the $5 increase this year. The $60+ bottles are good too… They’d better be for that kind of money.
I know this is a long shot: does anyone happen to have a cork with 1989 written on it?? Thanks! One of my friends is doing a project and this is the year she and her husband started dating!
A question for @rjquillin or anyone else versed in the ways of AR wine preservation. Do you remember the Re-serve that WD sold on Woot a million years ago? As I pack for moving, I see that I still have a package of the little AR cartridges it uses. My question: is it safe to pack them into moving boxes and send them along with the rest of my stuff? They’re going to sit in the truck overnight. They’re not gonna burst open in the heat and kill the moving guys, right? (Don’t laugh, I was a Humanities major.)
@rjquillin I am saving so much money I may go broke . If no one picks up the last third of a case on today’s offer, we may actually avoid spending some money.
Has anyone tried a Morgan Ranch prime rib? Looking at potentially ordering one for a holiday dinner, but wondering if the additional $$ is worth it over a standard prime/choice prime rib.
@davirom They’re usually way too conservative. People think wine falls apart way more quickly than it really does.
I routinely have wines with drink by dates of 5-10 years ago that are excellent.
Today’s NYT Food Section has article on “How the most delicious wines stay true to themselves” with (small) write-ups on 6 wine makers including Cathy Corison, Mathiasson, La Garagista etc.
Recently there have been multiple comments of ‘high alcohol’ in some offers, where the AbV has been in the 14% range, where I’ve refrained from commenting in the daily thread.
Do others consider ~14% high?!
Ok, if it’s in the high 14’s, perhaps, in the 15’s and above, yes, likely so. Well Swilly is excepted.
What is now considered ‘normal’ and ‘low’, at least for reds where I’ve noticed these comments.
I do remember, and miss, those 12~13+% bottles and would now likely consider them low-ish, but desirable and appreciated.
@rjquillin Generally agree with you that it has crept up over time - I would say it is now:
12% to 13.5% Low
13.5% to say 15% Medium
15%+ High
I pick up quite a few wines (maily from Europe - particularly Italy) from my local wine store in the 13% to 14% range which I enjoy.
@rjquillin 15% is pretty normal now.
I consider anything below 14.5% to be low.
I’ve been drinking a lot of Zins, Amarones and Ports lately. I tend to like those flavors, and they come with high alcohol. I do prefer new-world flavors.
@ctmariner@rjquillin@FritzCat
I tend to think the definitions of low/med/high are stable over time rather than a reflection of current winemaking tendencies. I’d generally say:
under 13.5% is low
13.5-14.5% is medium-low
14.5-15% is medium
15-15.5% is medium-high
15.5%+ is high
Part of this is due to my general dislike of wines with alcohol much above 15.5% since they often start to taste bitter to me unless it’s fortified wine. I do sometimes like higher alcohol bottles, but it’s much more dicey. I was sure glad to see the latest Once + Future offer showing most wines under 14.5% and only 1 above 15%.
@ctmariner@FritzCat@klezman@rjquillin
My take is 14 and below is my sweet spot, 14 to 14.5 is medium and I have a lot of really great wines in there. 14.5 to 16 is high for me but In that range I have many well made wines that hide that alcohol very well and are delicious think SQN/Saxum/Quilceda creek etc. I break those out with friends that really enjoy them. My problem with those is I can only have a glass or two before I get tipsy because I’m old and I like drinking more than a glass or two
@ctmariner@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58 I almost always drink only one glass (1/4 bottle) of wine per evening, in deference to my liver. So a percent or two doesn’t make a big difference to me. I haven’t noticed that ABV affects bitterness. I and especially SWMBO appreciate the big over-the-top red wines…in moderation. Everything in moderation…including moderation.
@rjquillin Tegan is Sandlands (as the article notes) but he’s also the head winemaker for Turley.
Adam Lee is formerly Siduri before he sold it.
And I sure hope Marcus gets the vineyard he’s trying to buy. Now I want to hear more from him!
Just read Underground cellars went belly up and they are not shipping wines that are in their cloud cellar? Hope nobody here got screwed! Website says they are not shipping anymore wines.
@klezman@ScottW58
I had a few that didn’t make it into the last shipment; nothing to get worked up over, but I wouldn’t turn them down should they become shippable. @chipgreen, you have any insights here?
@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58
No clue. They did not send an email. Yes, I still have a lot of bottles there. There was a new CEO recently and they hired WCC to do their shipping. I recently had some cases shipped, not even 2 weeks ago. Ugh.
@klezman@rjquillin@ScottW58
The vast majority of my bottles were bought over 2 years ago. I doubt that I would be able to recoup much that way but maybe for the handful of buys I have made in the past year? Will they allow a chargeback for a company going out of business like that?
@chipgreen@klezman@rjquillin
Yes, when premiere cru went belly up people got money back up until charges were filed and some even later. It just depends on your credit card company, I remember some people getting money back for purchases one or two years back from amex. Can’t hurt to try!
@chipgreen I ordered a wine fridge back in the 80s from a company that went BK before it shipped. I filed a dispute with the credit card company. They canceled the charge and that was the last I heard about it.
@davirom
Ha I’m always amazed how many people do splits and don’t see the wine for 6 months to 2 years! Speaking of which, Ron I have a box of bottles for you that I picked up at wine exchange when my daughter was still in college at Irvine 4 years ago
Ordered a bunch of wine from my UC “cloud cellar”. With having to dish out 21% of the original price paid plus $93/case shipping plus 3% fee for using a credit card, I am paying an average of 50% of the actual value for wine that I already paid for once and could have had shipped for free if I had not let it sit.
December 8th is the deadline to order and it’s first come, first served. I ordered half of what I had stored and will order more but probably not all of it. Interestingly, every single one of my bottles was listed as “in stock”. We will see what happens when they ship.
Ended up using some credit to pick up several 2016 Ty Caton Tytanium and Four Rows cab. Decided to give them a try based on comments on CM and WW over years. Haven’t actually tried something from Ty before.
Bucket List:
successful launch and separation, it’s on it’s way…
reservation tonight
scheduled for after dinner tonight
Visit the Cape for a launch of something I had a hand in building
Visit Bern’s Steakhouse meal $500 dessert $100
get wine cellar tour
and was just like the videos on-line, except it wall chill
Lived up to and exceeded expectations. 1974 Inglenook CS, by the glass, didn’t expect that and something else I’ll have to research. Dessert a 1949 De Montal Armagnac.
Guessing this should have really been in the what are you drinking thread.
Oh well, the pics will go there later.
@rjquillin living the dream!
@hscottk
yup!
@rjquillin amazing
@rjquillin Nice! Bern’s is in Miami? I’ll be in FL around NY for a wedding…
@rjquillin
Why wait?!?!
@klezman
Was worth the drive for me.
@klezman @rjquillin I believe it is in Tampa.
@Mark_L @rjquillin Better yet…the wedding we’re going to is in Tampa.
@klezman @Mark_L
Yes, Tampa. SOHO district.
Rolling reservations, 60 day window
https://bernssteakhouse.com/reservation/
Good time slots fill up the day they become available.
Ask me how I know, as our launch date was postponed a week that blew up my original date/time.
Fortunately there was a Friday cancellation, they are good at nagging for a confirmation a few days before and I got a 21:30 slot. They do charge for no-shows. Didn’t leave till after 01:10 the next day.
@klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin Sounds like French Laundry
@rjquillin
Did you take the cellar tour?
@ScottW58
It’s a quickie, but
pics on phone and won’t transfer to laptop for some unknown reason. Stuff to do when I’m back in SD. Youtube pics and video do it justice.
@rjquillin @ScottW58 I wonder who’s baller enough to get the 1999 DRC La Tâche for $29000…
@klezman @rjquillin
Only people that drink Dujac with ribs
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
@kawichris650
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Take a moment to reflect on what you are truly thankful for.
Our JunoCam had a good day at Europa yesterday.
@rjquillin
Wow!!
@chefjess Yeah, that image is pretty stunning, imo.
And it is assembled from a spinning spacecraft, many individual images processed into the one above as described here . Not your average slr.
@chefjess @rjquillin Super cool technology!
@chefjess @rjquillin
Yeah I was just watching a documentary last night about NASA’s trip to Jupiter, tons of stunning photos and it had me wondering if juno was still alive in that vicious magnetic field. Unbelievable!
@rjquillin Stay away from Europa!
Happy thanksgiving!
I walked into FedEx to pick up my box of Corison last night and the guy said, “only one today?”
See what you’ve done WD? That is all.
@sdilullo but was it for 2, 4 or the full monty?
I waffled, 3x2 little ones, but got much the same reaction.
@rjquillin Only two. This is probably why they were particularly perplexed.
@sdilullo well, it was three boxes of corison, and a couple others; so five total, but mostly smaller ones.
Turkey is in the oven! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
@klezman I remember celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with a friend in college who was born in Saskatchewan. I forgot to buy a turkey in time to thaw it so I bought a couple of fresh chickens and called them ‘Cornish Game Turkeys’. She never knew the difference.
@rjquillin We cheered with the first Perseverance images. I hope all of your equipment made it safely!
@radiolysis Same here!
Crazy to build something that has to work completely autonomously given a 12 minute communication delay.
@klezman @radiolysis
Yes! A wonderful moment, can’t wait to see what’s next!
@klezman @radiolysis @ScottW58
Well, clearly our L-cam (landing cam) worked to provide a landing site solution!
Four more to now verify functional.
Two for the zoom mast cam and one each for Sherlock and Watson.
More cameras scheduled for launch this weekend.
LUCY is heading to visit L4 and L5 Lagrange Trojan asteroids with two of our Terminal Tracking cameras (TTCam1 and 2) and a DVR.
Click on image for more info.
Full mission info here
As much as I do like Ped, this seems very much like a whimper to end the year, but somewhat fitting for what the year was.
May all have a Happy (and hopefully more normal) New Year!
@rjquillin
Cheers to that!
How’s everybody’s T-giving prep going? Instead of contributing one dish (a massive salad) to a family gathering of 3 dozen+ ppl where every household contributed a component of the meal, I find myself making all the trad courses for the first time in my life. And it’s just the two of us! Though I brought over a couple of meals for my mom and her caregivers.
I followed Kenji’s formula for sous vide turkey breast with crispy skin. Man, that skin is tasty! The turkey came out perfectly tender. I made a couple of drumsticks in the sous vide as well, despite Kenji’s admonition that it’s not worth it. Idk, I think it came out great. Falling off the bone and tender. Only took 16 hours.
Then I made stock, and my first-ever gravy. That gravy is good enough to drink! Right on, Kenji! Cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, curried pumpkin soup – clearly I’m subconsciously trying to recreate the happy feelings of Thanksgiving gatherings past. Still on the agenda: apple crumble. And a salad.
Tomorrow’s pairing: I had originally thought the 2013 Onesta Cinsault, but now after all that work I think the meal deserves Clark’s 2007 PN, at the very least.
@InFrom
could be worse I guess. No clue what I’m drinking yet.
Good work love Kenji’s recipes! Have a little 13 pounder in brine for tomorrow’s smoke, cranberry sauce done. Stuffing and gravy tomorrow. Just the kid’s and us
@InFrom
Just have to save a bottle or two of bubbles for the morning Mimosas.
My prep involves gathering up an assorted case of wine and driving 3 hours to my SIL’s place. There will only be 6 of us altogether this year so 12 bottles should be enough!
@chipgreen @InFrom @scottw58 We’re doing lamb this year. And we’ll be eating outside! Still trying to decide on a pairing. Cab, pv, ps, other? Decisions…
@chipgreen @hscottk @InFrom @ScottW58 Just got back from camping last night, going to make a spatchcocked turkey this afternoon and roll with it. This is always our second Thanksgiving of the year, though, since the original one is in October.
@chipgreen Just remember, lift with your knees!
@hscottk Syrah?
@ScottW58 Looking forward to seeing the bottle, whatever it turns out to be.
RIP Charlie Meeker, we will miss you. https://wineindustryinsight.com/?p=116818
@trifecta condolences to Lucas, Molly, and the whole family.
@klezman @trifecta
Wondering if there is any correlation between Charlie passing and cases of 2004 Meeker Cabernet Sauvignon Kiss Ridge Diamond Mountain showing up for ~$60/btl at various merchants.
I see a few of us still have bottles from @winedavid49 from the old site.
@klezman @rjquillin @Winedavid49 I do not believe so. They have been putting up various lots of well aged vintages for some time now. I think they even still have a 2002 carignan for sale. $60 is steep for the kiss ridge but I remember it being really good. Have not checked in on it in quite some time. Now if they had the 2004 can franc… I might pay $50 for that. Note that anything 2006 or older, Lucas was not involved IIRC.
@rjquillin @trifecta @Winedavid49 Maybe they can come back here one of these days…
Happy Father’s Day to all of our CaseMatey Dads out there!
@MarkDaSpark
Somewhat of a lost tradition here on the new site
@rjquillin @MarkDaSpark
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
@karenhynes @MarkDaSpark @rjquillin
Happy birthday!!
@MarkDaSpark
Happy birthday! See you in 2 weeks to toast in person, I hope!
@MarkDaSpark Happy Birthday!
@MarkDaSpark
Happy birthday Sparky!!!
@chefjess @karenhynes @MarkDaSpark @rjquillin
Happy belated birthday, Sparky!
Somewhere in the bits and bytes of the interwebs reside an archive of Happy Birthday greetings, confetti, candles and other such stuff…
I’ll not look for them, but still wish HB to
@MarkDaSpark
without all those festivities.
Happy Birthday @MarkDaSpark!
@karenhynes @MarkDaSpark
Happy Birthday Sparky!
A river of wine in Portugal. Heard about this a couple of days ago, just saw the link and video.
Watching the outtakes is helping take the pain away from my stupid rolled ankle. It’s a poorly designed joint. Also, drinking Help Yourself. It’s helping too.
@winefarm OMG yes, I rolled mine in like July and it still hurts occasionally!
@bhodilee I normally wear ankle braces but didn’t tonight because I’m trying new inserts and it would make my shoes too tight. Dang. It’s not a good sign when one has to wear so much equipment…
@winefarm Maybe less equipment?
@MarkDaSpark but I look so good!
On the way, with TimB and the German girl, to Cathy’s (Corison) for a dinner and tasting tomorrow. Looking forward to that and a scheduled tasting visit with Anthony Bell.
@rjquillin Now that sounds like a fun way to spend a weekend.
@rjquillin
I thought it was an English girl. Is there a rotation?
Have fun, drink some Kronos and Clone 6 for me!
@rjquillin Enjoy!
You have my proxy, of course, especially if you can swing any good deals.
@chipgreen @rjquillin
Nope. Been the German “girl” for a long time. She went on the 2012 and/or 2014 RPM Tour too.
Pouring one (glass of Beaujolais nouveau) out for Georges Duboeuf.
Whole lot of burning going on in SoCal, Orange County and area. Lot of 'mates there as well. Hoping they all remain safe (evacuations going on) and don’t get damaged.
Did I mess any others?
A little back channel humor.
pukaka has been eliminated by [redacted]. Please wire the agreed upon amount of candy corn to your nearest speakerdock.
Perseverance rover landing.
I’ve had a few ask how things went with our work, 5 cameras on the rover.
So far, excellent.
In this video around the ~3:05 mark the down looking camera is one we built and call the L-Cam, for landing camera. It’s essential to provide visual terrain mapping for the landing site; and worked, some think better than expected given the video quality.
We have four other cameras on the rover and should be getting some images from them in the next couple of days.
@rjquillin Congratulations! Given how the panelists waxed poetic about the cameras (and microphones) do you think NASA will want to custom build them on future missions? or modify off the shelf again?
@davirom
Likely both, to the extent possible. While all are deemed useful for some desired function, or they wouldn’t be there, some cameras can be ‘simpler’ in design than others and thus can be custom built using COTS components.
That class of cameras are not the focus for MSSS.
The ones we get contracted for just aren’t available using other than specific optical, mechanical and electronic designs, and those are the ones we specialize in providing.
@rjquillin This is really cool, Ron!
@rjquillin @rpm so cool Ron!
@davirom @rjquillin Yeah, what’s the fun in modifying off the shelf stuff?
What’s so impressive to me is that the camera can provide enough detail to feed the computer so it could plot a landing solution in a matter of seconds. There’s just so much that goes into that sort of thing.
@davirom @klezman @rpm
What amazed the layman in me is they didn’t even bother going into orbit first to catch a break.
Bang!
Descent maneuver; we’re here and diving right in.
Gutsy!
@davirom @rjquillin @rpm They didn’t?? I didn’t realize that!
@davirom @klezman @rpm
Just found out today that the two up-looking modified/ruggadized COTS cameras on the sky crane were to give two views of the parachute deployment and inflation for analysis.
One failed…
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin @rpm Belts and suspenders…
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin @rpm
Well after 30 or 40 million mile trip for 7 months and a violent entry 1 camera fail isn’t so bad imo.
@davirom @rjquillin @rpm @ScottW58 Very true. Although the trip was 292 million miles.
But I think Ron’s point is that their spiffy specially designed stuff didn’t fail. He just wants more business to go his way so he never has any spare time!
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin @rpm
LOL sounds about right
@davirom @klezman @rpm @ScottW58
More so that with COTS, you get what you pay for.
@davirom @klezman @rpm @ScottW58
I keep learning more and more of the history of what our earlier cameras have done and continue to do.
Launched in 2005, the MRO CTX camera has, and continues to map the Martian surface at a resolution of 6 meters/pixel.
Need to find a pic of the L-Cam, this is CTX.
I was told today that those images were used to select the landing site for Perseverance.
The L-Cam on the Perseverance rover used the earlier CTX images to map what it was seeing during descent to navigate to it’s landing site.
Perseverance landed on the target pixel.
A tribute to the processing and hardware that JPL provided, matching the images from our two cameras to locate the selected site, in real time, and directly hit it.
Apologies if I ramble on, here on a wine site, but I don’t do other social media and continue to be amazed at what just happed last week.
@rjquillin
You aren’t alone in your amazement. I think many of us appreciate your insight on this topic (and wine too of course).
@kawichris650 @rjquillin indeed. this is fascinating.
@kawichris650 @rjquillin what’s the best place to view the photos/footage of Perseverance (more of Ron’s work!).
@kawichris650 @Winedavid49 @davirom @klezman @rpm @ScottW58
Not sure about the “best” place, but NASA is a good starting point, as is the JPL site. ASU was highly involved as well.
It seems we don’t do much in the way of keeping the website current; too busy building stuff I guess…
@davirom @kawichris650 @klezman @rpm @ScottW58 @Winedavid49
Found a couple of pictures of the finished L-Cam that was used for terrain matching in the final landing phase. Nothing fancy on the outside.
@rjquillin Is that a serial port on the back in the top photo?
@davirom
Without looking at the camera spec, I’ll guess
Spacewire. So, serial yes, but so is USB for that matter.Edit: Not SpaceWire.
ChannelLink
@rjquillin I thought it looked like the very old 25 pin RS-232 interface. In last Friday’s press conference someone said Perseverance is using the same CPU as Curiosity, from about 15 years ago, so I wondered about the I/O. Thinking about it now, the 25 pinout gave way to the 9 much more than 15 years ago.
@davirom Well, it is a 25 pin uD connector, but don’t forget it also receives power and other uni/bi directional data as well as the serial data.
Asking one here that knows…
I updated the interface post above.
And there are multiple data formats, both hi and low speed, on that connector.
@kawichris650 @klezman @rjquillin @rpm @ScottW58 @Winedavid49 For those that are interested, there will be a live update from NASA-JPL tomorrow (3/5) at 12:30 Pacific on YouTube.
I registered for the Zoom happy hour and thought I’d be available in time, but my dinner date ran long. I’m bummed I missed it, but on the bright side this ribeye was amazing.
Happy Chanukah to my Casemateys who observe!
May your candles burn long and your celebration be joyous!
@karenhynes thank you! Same to the other MOT out there in casemates land!
We ate way too many latkes tonight.
Ether? Are we 1875 Liverpool?
@bhodilee Better than being in the chloroform, I guess …
@bhodilee come on. He’s Canadian. At least he didn’t use the more pompous aether spelling. Besides what do you call the rj45 Port?
@jasisk I call it a rj45 Port. Sometimes I call it a jack, usually I don’t refer to it cause nobody I would ever say it to knows what it is, cause luddites.
@jasisk did your Canadian family approve of that message?
@bhodilee then they should just admit they’re lost in today’s world
@klezman I’m being invaded this weekend. MIL and GMIL are coming for the weekend. Since my FIL gets to stay in SD by himself, it’s 3-4 Canadian to US born… so I get to keep my slim majority.
@jasisk not enough to pass any meaningful reform.
@jasisk Ah, but if you reeavluate the numbers based on citizenship…? My house is 2-2, and any subsequent offspring will retain the tie.
@klezman I thought about that… but I choose to keep natural born
Otherwise it’s still a tie!
I’m tired, can we just roll this out early?
@bhodilee It’s already an hour earlier than it used to be
@ilCesare It’s already an hour later than I want it to be.
@ilCesare Damnit, I forgot and missed the launch!
@bhodilee Ditto!
I started a new job while I"m finishing my thesis. I’m working at Sheldrake point winery on cayuga lake in their tasting room, so if you want to taste the best rose in NY state stop on by.
@tiger7610 Nice!
How much longer until we can officially finally call you Doctor?
@tiger7610 That sounds like a nice job! Nice to see you back on the boards.
@tiger7610 How did you end up at that particular winery? I don’t think it’s one we’ve ever visited.
@tiger7610 Congrats! Sounds like fun.
@InFrom I knew them as the one of the few wineries on cayuga lake that do dry wines, and they do decent quality wines and they were hiring.
For those who don’t regularly check the old site anymore, the yummy sea salt caramels are up on gourmet.woot.
@karenhynes
ordered up some as soon as I saw them. they are tasty.
@karenhynes @rc70 .this.
And don’t miss the Cavedoni selections now up on rll.
Happy Thanksgiving !
@Winedavid49 Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
Happy New Year to all of my Pubster friends! Be healthy and safe!
@bahwm You too!
@bahwm Indeed, in only a bit over an hour for you folks.
@bahwm @rjquillin A warm and rainy end to the year. Counting down with a nice fire in the fireplace, red wine in the glass, and Champagne chilling. Happy New Year to all!
@bahwm @InFrom @rjquillin
Happy New Year Case-mateys!!
@bahwm @InFrom @karenhynes @rjquillin
Happy New Year! Good health and prosperity be with you!
@bahwm @chipgreen @karenhynes @rjquillin Same to you and the missus, and everyone else you @'ed.
I just randomly learned where Peter’s Mohrhardt Ridge Cabernet is going: Red Car.
Oh yeah - they’re charging $85. I wish Peter was still making wine!
https://redcarwine.com/collection/cabernet-sauvignon
I need to moderate in 2021.
Four deliveries from @winedavid49 today at work, cause UPS is, well, UPS. But they have been getting better.
Raised eyebrows…
@rjquillin UPS came, apparently knocked, but neither of us heard, and it’s back on the truck for tomorrow.
We also have more cases of Garagiste arriving today than I’d care to admit.
@klezman Hopefully it’s not as warm there as it’s forecast to be down here.
One more arrived today, sigh.
@rjquillin Just a 3 pack of Peterson. It was slightly warm to the touch, but not terrible. It was pretty hot here today - about 26 degrees.
@klezman
31 down here.
Still have a Wine Spies GSO case flogging around somewhere.
GSO is spot on, the fail is when some imbecile ships GSO to a business address on Friday.
Yes, that would be last Friday.
~NOT happy with WS at the moment~
@rjquillin I need to schedule my case from them, too.
@klezman @rjquillin
I had no problem with them, had them ship on a Monday and got here quick. Didn’t want to take a chance with my two bottles.
@rjquillin @ScottW58 that’s exactly what I’ll expect. Sounds like Ron may have gotten an unscheduled shipment.
@klezman @ScottW58
Unrequested, unscheduled.
I’m tempted to just have them eat it.
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 I’ve had great service from them on shipping my lockers when I want them shipped and they will ship FedEx, a huge plus for me.
Admittedly I’d be pissed if they shipped without me requesting.
@klezman @rc70 @ScottW58
Just talked to GLS, not happy, but need some additional info.
Seems they attempted the single, Saturday, delivery.
Since then it has been sitting at their facility in Poway, with no attempt to re-deliver or contact either the shipper or me.
~that~ is a huge FAIL.
With thanks to @collegebob for the OP
Ron suggested reposting this here. I agree.
Here is Dan Berger’s next column which is on
Napa Cabernets
Wine Column Regional Character? 5-14-21
By Dan Berger
U.S. appellations, as they pertain to fine wines, can mean a lot or nothing. Which clearly means that some appellations are consumer-friendly and helpful, but others offer nothing except confusion.
One of the most important American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) is Napa Valley, of course, but the story then gets really complicated.
Some AVAs are meaningful for specific grape varieties. Others are just geo-identifiers. One could make a strong case that New York’s Finger Lakes district is one of the most eloquent appellations in the country because of its wide success in the production of dry and off-dry Rieslings.
Other meaningful grape-linked appellations that people accept as helpful are Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County (Pinot Noir), Petaluma Gap (Pinot Noir), Russian River Valley (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley (Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel).
But many appellations offer consumers no assistance, regardless of grape variety.
Napa Valley is the most famous appellation in the country, maybe the world. It’s here that about half the vines (~20,000 acres) are Cabernet and the wines it makes have a worldwide reputation for excellence.
To further define Napa Valley, 38 years ago the area began to create official subregions that theoretically offered consumers quality assurance for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
In 1983 a large swath of contiguous acreage hard by San Pablo Bay, straddling Napa and Sonoma counties, got the valley’s first official AVA, called Carneros.
Not only did it pave the way for 16 AVAs within Napa, but it also did something I never realized until much later. Because Carneros was so large (today it’s over 1,100 planted acres) it helped usher in a trend that has made some AVAs a lot less meaningful than they might have been had then been smaller.
With AVAs, smaller is more meaningful. The larger an appellation is, the less likely it will be helpful to consumers.
For the last 35 years, I’ve witnessed many internecine battles by well-meaning but often self-absorbed wine people as new AVA boundaries were debated, not always in restrained tones. Invariably such disputes were settled with compromises that weren’t always in the best interests of the wines or dedicated consumers. In some cases, boundaries were expanded to accommodate someone wanting in who wanted a marketing advantage.
Of dozens of examples, one should suffice.
Fog-impacted Russian River Valley is large and sprawling. Sonoma County wineries often think of it in thirds layered south to north. The southerly strip, once largely dairy land, is coolest; Middle Reach is cool, but the climate varies and includes a few warmer pockets. The northernmost chunk is even warmer – and controversial.
Some people think the three areas should be three separate AVAs.
Although cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir both do well in the upper third of RRV, parts of the northern sector are warm enough to ripen Cabernet, hardly typical of the rest of RRV. And disputes over much of the area’s boundaries long have simmered without much accord.
Wine lovers prefer appellations in which there is at least one identifiable and even perhaps unique weather or soil feature. Russian River Valley’s primary one is fog. Pinots lean aromatically toward aromas of strawberry and raspberry. Nearby Sonoma Coast Pinots, not as distinctive, are slightly more cherrylike.
Cab-centric Napa is saddled with a curious situation. It is universally praised for the quality of its Cabernets, but no one has ever defined, in even a cursory way, what each of its 16 sub-appellations does best with it. In theory, the wines should display regional elements distinct from one another.
Without regionality, it would be as if all Napa Cabs were like all other Napa Cabs. But this wasn’t the case 30-odd years ago, when I tried to identify what distinguished them.
I had long noticed differences between what grew in the Stags’ Leap district, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, and others. I wondered, “Are there identifiable distinctions to each of those districts’ Cabs?”
I called the Napa Valley Vintners and told them of my intention to test this idea. I was shocked when I was told that the vintners’ group had no interest in assisting me. They didn’t want to know how one district differed from another.
Someone there told me that the “brand” it promoted was “Napa Valley,” and that sub-AVAs weren’t in competition with one another. I replied that my aim was not to find out which sub-AVAs were better, only to see which offered specific elements to assist buyers in better understanding one from another.
Sort of like Classified Growth Bordeaux.
Left to my own devices, I staged several blind tastings, one important one involving 10 widely skilled wine tasters.
I assembled 26 wines under strict rules (only 100% Cabs, no blends; all from one sub-AVA). Using a carefully designed “identifier template,” I staged a multi-hour analysis of the wines at Meadowood Napa Valley, and tabulated the results. Other tastings followed.
At the Meadowood event, the judges, all experts on Napa Valley sub-regions (including Tim Mondavi and Dr. Barney Rhodes), were told that quality was not a criterion in the test. The judges merely had to guess each wine’s sub-AVA based on their expectation of what each area did best historically, focusing on known regional elements then existing in the Valley’s Cabs.
Judges “wagered” between 1 and 5 points per wine as they guessed which region a wine from. A 5 was absolute confidence. A positive wager gave each wine that number of “regional identity points;” a negative guess removed the same number of points from the wine’s final total. Thus, a score of zero was some validation of regional identity to experts.
Crucially, no discussion was permitted during the evaluation.
Of nine sub-appellations represented in the blind tasting, only one area emerged with a positive score, Stag’s Leap District. That was an impressive validation that experts could agree that, at least in theory, sub-AVAs could have meaningful identifiers.
Almost as impressive, Rutherford came out with a score of zero – also validating that it delivered some identifiers that could help consumers. All the other wines had negative scores.
Shortly after writing an article about this test, I chatted with the late John Shafer of Shafer Vineyards about the panel’s findings. We agreed that Napa districts could benefit from a comparison of Napa sub-districts similar to those in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux lovers routinely contrasted the differences between the wines of St.-Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, and other sub-areas.
Weeks later, I discussed this with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ founder Warren Winiarski. I asked if he would work with me on a book on his district’s unique ability to produce wines of a silkiness and a gentle-tannin early enjoyability without0 sacrificing age-worthiness.
Winiarski agreed. So I began creating an outline for such a book and began looking for a publisher. After months of homework, in the mid-1990s it was clear that things were changing rapidly.
I began to notice that several Napa sub-AVAs, including Stags’ Leap, were losing the key elements we had seen in our blind tastings. I called Warren and expressed concern. He said he had some hesitation as well. I think he knew that most Napa Cabernets were becoming more “impressive,” to the delight of those making the wines, which were rising in price well beyond anything they ever imagined.
And the main reason for rising prices was high scores, which were directly related to high alcohols, high oak extracts, lower acidities, and other factors anathema to regional identity.
Conversations with several winery owners led me to believe that although high scores from some wine critics were beneficial to rising prices, they often displayed a sotto voce melancholy that the new, higher level of intensity related to much later harvesting of the fruit, which gave the wines more homogeneity and a sameness.
One who was outspoken about this was the late Joe Heitz, though his remarks were spoken “off the record.” Decades later, I suspect Joe wouldn’t mind me revealing this!
Many wines from many different sub-AVAs in Napa began to smell and taste pretty much like each other and regional distinctions were not only blurred but obliterated. This clearly was directly linked to the quest for high scores. Not to mention giant AVAs.
One of several problems with scoring wines by numerical ranking is that there are no parameters to justify how the points are arrived at. If reviewers completely ignore regionality, and scores continue to rise, then no one learns anything about how a region influences a wine’s style. Big gets high scores, high scores sell wine, and regional character is left in the actual dust.
In chatting with Winiarksi, I said that the trend toward weight made most sub-regional discussions moot. Over the next few years, I saw Napa Cabs in a new light. Concentration levels were up. Alcohols, which had regularly been 13.5% a decade earlier, had moved to 15% and more.
Acid levels were down. And most importantly pH levels were rising absurdly, signaling that the wines likely would age about as well as a May fly.
Napa’s sub-region Cabs were changing while wineries benefited financially from the drink-now culture that was happy to ignore the region’s history of aging its greatest reds. Cabernet was being called a cocktail wine, for sipping while walking around. A wine columnist even wrote a column that contained the line, “Drink ‘em Young.”
The style that put Napa on the map was in jeopardy and so was the meaning of sub-districts. I saw the blurring of regionally distinguishing styles as a repudiation of the entire concept of sub-appellation.
To use one old example: What is a Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon?
André Tchelistcheff, probably California’s great winemaker, once described his Beaulieu Cabs’ aromas as having a hint of Rutherford Dust. It’s a descriptor that André used to describe a delicate herbal note (not unlike dried sage) that I often relate to the “cigar box” notes we’d find in southern Napa Cabs (from Oak Knoll, Yountville, Oakville) as well as in some Bordeaux.
Similarly, I once regularly found Cabs with hints of latakia tobacco. I haven’t smelled that in a Napa Cabernet in 30 years!
André’s “dust” wasn’t earth from the ground. It was from dried herbs. Imagine walking through a dry, wooded area with eucalyptus nearby, some weeds and dry undergrowth kicking up the scents of brush – thyme, rosemary, sage.
Because such scents are herb-related, wine newcomers often mistake it for a flaw. Most major U.S. wine reviewers use the odious term “weedy” to describe this, without being aware that it is an absolutely essential component of a fine Cabernet Sauvignon – if the wine is to smell and taste like a Cabernet Sauvignon!
For me, a Cabernet without any herbs is not Cabernet. Yet some wines that smell like vintage Port get scores of 99 or 100!
(Similarly, if a Merlot is to smell and taste like Merlot, it should have Merlot-like elements – black olives, green or black tea, dried cherries. Almost all grape varieties have hints of herbs of one sort or another, and not all such wines with these characters deserve being derisively called “weedy.”)
Today, as we begin to see the early releases of some 2018 Cabernets, most of which are far too young to drink, it’s a good idea for consumers to recall that the vintage was relatively cool, and as such some of the wines may display a bit more herbaceousness (tarragon?).
To me this means that the wines probably will be more Cabernet-like than were the 2017s. And some may be classic examples of older-style Napa Cabernet.
If a wine is from a sub-region, maybe we’ll get lucky: some wines may display sub-regional-ness.
Sidebar
Early Identifiers
I begin tasting Napa Valley Cabernets seriously about 1975. By 1980, I noticed that most of these wines displayed elements related to where they came from as well as reflecting elements related to their vintages.
Since the Napa Valley’s first appellation (Carneros) wasn’t created until 1983, I didn’t pay much attention to specific areas that eventually became AVAs. But as a member of the California Grapevine (San Diego) tasting panel, starting in 1979, I evaluated Cabernets almost every Thursday night for eight consecutive years.
After several hundred such tastings, it was obvious that some regions showed elements we began to look for and rely upon for typicity. No one ever wrote anything down regarding regional character, but it was widely assumed that some of what we were getting was regionality.
I recall those tastings. The following are my thoughts on a few of the regional elements of Cabernets from that era (pre-1987), with a few examples from the past:
Rutherford (Bench)/Oakville: Dried herbs like sage, cigar-box, black tea (Merlot-related?); occasional minty-eucalypt oil; mushroom. Remarkably complex. (This was one of André Tchelistcheff’s favorite areas.) (BV Private Reserve, Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, Staglin, Rubicon, Mondavi).
Rutherford-Oakville (Valley floor): Black fruit, cocoa, dried herbs; pipe tobacco. (Groth, Caymus, Van Loben Sels, Opus One, Cakebread, Sequoia Grove)
Rutherford/Oakville (Eastern edge, west-facing hillsides): Ripe black cherry; hints of molasses; concentration; slightly hard tannins. (Dalla Valle)
Yountville/Oak Knoll: Slight mint/tarragon; chamomile tea; red cherries; cigar box; green tea. (Lakespring, Trefethen)
Stag’s Leap: Dried red cherry; silkiness, supple tannins; early approachability. (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Chimney Rock, Clos du Val, Silverado, Shafer, Pine Ridge)
Mount Veeder: Forceful fruit-sage aromas with black cherry and a Bordeaux-like, tannin-edged hardness; most wines demanded aging; most developed beautifully. (These are some of the longest-lived Cabs in Napa.) (Mount Veeder, Hess, Mayacamas)
Spring Mountain: Rich red and black cherry/blackberry fruit; tannic but not rigid; the best aged 10 to 30 years. (Spring Mountain, Robert Keenan)
Howell Mountain: Full-on tannins and complex dusty-oriented black fruit that usually benefited from aging 10 to 15 years. “Bordeaux with a California influence.” (Randy Dunn)
Diamond Mountain: Cassis, dried near-east herbs, tannins needing resolution of 5-10 years in bottle. (Diamond Creek.)
Wines of the Week: 2018 Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford ($65): Black cherry, dried thyme, traces of black tea and olive, and a savory entry that calls for medium-weight meat dishes. The terroir character of Rutherford is indicated in faint rustic/tannic elements, showing how young this wine 00is. Needs 3-5 more years before it ever shows Cabernet to its fullest degree. 13.9% alcohol.
2016 Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford ($78) – Not many wineries have the sensibilities that John Williams and his co-winemaker, Paula Moschetti, have when it comes to retaining regional character. This wine is nearly sold out nationally; the winery has a few bottles left; they are marginally available to those who contact the winery. https://www.frogsleap.com/ The aroma is classic Rutherford with hints of that dust component, and the structure (with 13.5% alcohol) to illuminate subregional identity.
-0-
Dan Berger lives in Sonoma County, Calif., where he publishes “Vintage Experiences,” a subscription-only wine newsletter.
I’d also love to hear @rpm’s take on this.
@klezman I could probably quibble a little here and there (because everyone’s preferences differ), but anyone who has listened to my thoughts on Cabernet Sauvignon, and especially Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, will see very strong congruence, almost to the point of equivalence, between Berger’s coherent column and my various musings, ramblings and digressions on Cabernet Sauvignon over the 14 years of [the other site][casemates] and otherwise at least back to the early 1990s, perhaps even the late 1980s vintages.
@klezman - anent the reference to hints of Latakia tobacco, the first time I smelled a Balkan Sobranie cigarette (almost pure Latakia) in the late 1960s, my first reaction was it suggested old Cabernet! I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else make that connection before.
Also, the incredible herbaceousness - including the hints of dried violets and the ‘Rutherford Dust’ - in the 1968 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon we drank a couple of months ago was stunning even after 52+ years!
I think a hundred years from now, serious wine aficianados will view the period from ~1990 through 2020 (?) as a sad time when, some exceptions we all know aside, literal oceans of beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon was wasted making overripe wines without the structure and balance to age and develop. The Cathy Corisons of this world will be vindicated.
@rpm I certainly knew your views on ripeness, structure, ageability, etc. What do you think about the structure of the AVAs and whether his comments make sense? I have found it hard to tell apart wines from different but closely spaced AVAs, but I’m hardly an expert on the topic.
@klezman I think he’s basically right, though I could quibble here and here, and what he says makes perfect sense to me. It was a lot easier when there weren’t so many wines worth tasting… It would take me hours I don’t have to go through everything Dan said and put my own twist on it… I remember the debate over whether to emphasize particular parts of the valley (the AVAs) or the overall Napa Valley brand… when Napa was all people knew, and the reputation was just breaking away from the mediocre reputation of California wine generally, perhaps the orientation towards the valley as a whole made sense, I dunno… you could argue either way… and lots of people in the business quietly made their fruit buying decisions on the more specific locations…
@rpm That’s an interesting point. Makes me wonder if the AVAs are really for consumers or winemakers.
@klezman They serve both, I think. The AVAs are rather like French AOCs which specify where the grapes come from (within some limits) for the wines labeled with them. As particular AVAs/AOCs have become known for particular grapes, it encourages planting of those grapes (and appropriate clones…) rather than those that do less well. And as each AVA/AOC becomes known for particular character it can give winemakers a characteristic style to work towards (conflicts with winemakers’ individuality, but I think over time winemakers will experiment with various AVAs and find those with which they are most comfortable). Of course, as (knowledgeable) consumers get to know the characteristic styles of AVAs, they will be able to make more discerning selections to fit their preferences or the particular dishes they wish to serve the wines with.
This is, of course, different than the classifications of quality in France (1855 as revised in Bordeaux, and the various villages, premier cru, and grand cru of Burgundy. We see them as ‘quality’ grading, but they are really based on the proxy of historical prices for wines. In California, the relationship between price and quality is quite inconsistent: generally, the best wines (e.g. with Napa Cab) are fairly expensive, but it is very, very easy to have far more expensive wines be much, much lower in quality than far better wines. California’s ‘system’ of medals at competitions/tastings - especially the State Fair - is helpful, but 1) is subject to the ‘impressiveness’ bias, and 2) even when well-done, is not really well-understood by consumers (or, often, the industry).
@rpm Agreed on all counts, especially the “medals” phenomenon. One normally would think that a gold medal wine meant it “won” the competition, but that’s nowhere near close to the truth.
I recently learned that the cru classifications in Champagne are rather different than the rest of France in that it’s a village that is classified rather than vineyards or chateaux. It at least partly explains the rather wide difference I’ve seen in 1er cru Champagne.
Another important difference between AVA rules and AOC/DOC rules in Europe is the requirement for (depending on the area) specific varietal compositions in the wine, planting/vine spacing, grape yield, brix at harvest, and even a tasting to “ensure” the wines conform to the “proper” character of the region. Europe has invested a lot more in these sorts of rules, but it still leaves a lot of room for winemakers to produce an interesting range of wines for a given region. Or the option to declassify like Super Tuscans.
One interesting example I just bought from Garagiste: a “Bordeaux Hermitage” where one grower owns an estate in Bordeaux and the Rhone, and she decided to do an old school blend of the two. It’s obviously just labelled Vin de France, but it should be interesting.
@klezman @rpm
Interesting you mention that wine I have been looking for one to try. Caroline Frey imho is a pretty great winemaker for La Lagune and now putting her mark on Jaboulet since 2006. Not that I would expect too much from the wine i’m pretty sure it is just meant to be a table wine but fun to try for sure.
@klezman @ScottW58 The ‘Bordeaux - Hermitage’ should be very interesting… I’d love to try a bottle. Jaboulet makes some of the very finest Hermitage - the 1978 was amazing when released around 1982 and was fabulous at the millennium when I opened the last bottle I had because… well, because I was being hasty…
@klezman @rpm @ScottW58
/giphy head smack
@rjquillin @rpm @ScottW58 Very hasty indeed!
Well, I have 3 bottles of the 2011 coming and I’d love to share with all of you!
Animated view from the southern lunar pole,
courtesy NASA and the LRO spacecraft (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), one of our cameras.
“People who eat or drink more foods with antioxidant flavonols, which are found in several fruits and vegetables as well as tea and wine, may have a slower rate of memory decline, according to a study published in the November 22, 2022, online issue of Neurology.” (Emphasis added)
I knew it! At least I seem to remember knowing it. Or something like it. Or something. What were we talking about? I think I need a glass of wine.
When you take out pizza in Brooklyn…
@InFrom
That is one ironic hipster!
@chipgreen Hey I hear there’s a branch of Paulie Gee’s in Columbus! I have the notion that you’re in that general area.
I didn’t know they’d expanded beyond Brooklyn. The takeout was from their Slice Shop offshoot a few blocks from the original place. We love their pizza.
@InFrom
Wish I would have known that when we spent the weekend in Columbus 2 weeks ago. We are about 2 hours North but will look for Paulie Gee’s next time we are down that way!
There’s also a horrible joke in the name of that virus, but I shall adult.
@bhodilee Adulting is overrated.
@bhodilee yes there is, but adulting is good. At least this time.
@vaaccess @klezman @rjquillin First, if you’re using Android (tablet or phone), then skip to the end of this. If you are NOT using Android, you shouldn’t settle for anything BUT this. Website posted script-buttons do scrolling slower and of course are more variably located. Instead, learn these and be done looking for buttons:
Mac Desktop Safari browsing options: CMD + (up/down arrow), or space to go down one page at a time and shift-space to go up one at a time.
Windows Desktop (all browsers?) browsing options: Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, or space to go down one page at a time and shift-space to go up one at a time.
iOS Devices: just tap top of your phone to scroll back up to top. just above URL entry bar.
Now for Android. You could definitely use a button if we add one at some point because your options don’t seem to include a shortcut. You’re probably always searching for buttons since you don’t have a native “go to top” OS function.
Here’s your best solution:
In our use case, for these forums, simply hit the back button on your browser. In one step you’re back to what you might want versus 2. If you do want a refreshed view then hit refresh.
If you have an old device with a hardware back button, perhaps this is even more enjoyable UI than going back to the top in order to click something there to send you back to the forum thread list.
Also you could consider: Root it and install OneClick https://lifehacker.com/oneclick-scroll-jumps-to-the-top-or-bottom-of-a-page-wi-1513579137
maybe worth mentioning - on mac desktop I actually don’t always use the shortcut I posted because the touch-pad-top-of-mouse scrolling is so frictionless and fast I use it instead.
@snapster that iOS feature is AWESOME!!! Had no idea.
@vaaccess I do like that when on my iPad; quite handy.
@snapster I’ve accidentally done that a few times w/ Chrome on iOS, but infrequent so I thought it was just Chrome being stupid. Thanks for the tip!!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
@mommadeb
Happy Thanksgiving!
Merry Christmas Cyberpub folks!
@klezman Thanks!
@klezman Yes, thanks as well.
I rather miss the activity we used to have in the old pub.
Hopefully it’ll pick up here, but the ‘what are you drinking’ seems to be doing well.
@klezman @rjquillin I soooo miss the old pub activity. I even forgot to pop in with Christmas greetings! Things got goofy-busy yesterday.
@bahwm @klezman @rjquillin
I miss the old pub, too. I was much more of a reader than a poster, but I will endeavor to change that. I wish they could pin this at the top as a reminder to “chat”.
@bahwm @karenhynes @rjquillin We just need to make sure it’s always near the top so it doesn’t get lost!
It would be nice to have a larger “sticky” sort of thing, but this isn’t quite built in a way that facilitates it. It’s getting harder and harder to keep the community thriving…hopefully @dave @shawn and @snapster are paying attention…what made that other site special was the community more than the deals…
a friend of woot and casemates Ty Caton was involved in a very bad car accident over the weekend.
Ty should be ok, but others in the accident are in serious condition.
https://www.sonomanews.com/news/9170560-181/sonoma-valley-crash-injures-six
our thoughts are with the injured.
@Winedavid49 Please let us know if we can help in any way. Prayers sent.
@Winedavid49 Oh my! Accident looks terrible. I hope all involved will be okay. Like many here I’ve met Ty in his tasting room and seems a fine man. Prayers.
@Winedavid49
Oh no! That’s awful. Prayers to all involved and please do let us know if there is any way we can help.
@Winedavid49 How awful…
@Winedavid49 Oy, wow. I’m glad Ty was not severely injured and hope the seriously injured folks do ok.
Apparently, I’m officially a tropical storm!
I hope I don’t escalate too much and wreak too much havoc. Apologies in advance to all in my path!
@karenhynes Have fun in Puerto Rico!
@karenhynes. Sadly, you’ve been downgraded to a depression.
@MarkDaSpark
Quite appropriate these days.
@karenhynes
@rjquillin
Apparently, “storm Karen” is confuzzled and not sure where she’s going. Much like real Karen.
So who else was inundated with people firing off fireworks well into the early morning hours over the weekend? Grumble.
@klezman Interesting to watch the news helo coverage of your lit-up sky.
@klezman @rjquillin Fortunately they sounded far away here.
@rjquillin @ScottW58 Most were far enough away, but there were some that were within a block or two. Schmucks.
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58
I love fireworks but my cats are less enthusiastic.
@chipgreen @klezman @ScottW58
As do I; but the near total shutdown of public displays in the XXX of CA was depressing.
I fully understand why individuals would diy.
@klezman it’s been a problem here in the heart of Bmore for over a month now, they have been lightn’ off stuff since the marches and protests started. I’m surprised they have not run out of products, but some is more gun than straight noise.
@bunnymasseuse @klezman Yeah, it’s been a big news story here in NYC for several weeks. Macy’s-level fireworks displays at all hours.
@winedavid49
Some WW history, over on meh
@infrom too late!
@hscottk
Nice! My bird is almost done, now to choose something really good!
At 9:21 pm and 21 seconds this evening, it will be the 21st second of the 21st minute of the 21st hour of the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st Century.
link
@chipgreen Nice match for the event!
I may still have that on vinyl.
@chipgreen @rjquillin
Ha I saw them at the Whiskey opening for Steely Dan a whole lot of years ago ugh I’m old!
@rjquillin @ScottW58
Do you remember the year? If they were opening for Steely Dan I have to think that was the '80s incarnation of King Crimson. Those were my college days and we used to come home drunk from the bars and call our college radio station and make them play Elephant Talk. We were pretty belligerent about it and if they didn’t play it we would keep calling back until they did.
@chipgreen @rjquillin @ScottW58 I loved that King Crimson record. Talk, talk – it’s all talk!
@chipgreen @rjquillin
I’m thinking 72 or 73 I originally had tickets to Steppenwolf a week or so after but a friend of mine who had tickets to this couldn’t make the Steely dan date work so I traded my Steppenwolf tickets to see this concert. Sex drugs and rock n roll baby
@rjquillin @ScottW58
Hellz yeah!
@chipgreen @rjquillin @ScottW58 That I definitely have on vinyl.
@InFrom @rjquillin @ScottW58
Really impressive live version of Elephant Talk
More from Mars
First Video of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in flight taken with our MSSS zoom camera.
https://mars.nasa.gov/system/video_items/6001_mastcam-z_fullvideo_meatball.m4v
@rjquillin I watched the news conference that released the video. Your company got a nice plug. Somehow they neglected to mention you personally.
@davirom @rjquillin Yeah! Nicely done yet again!
@davirom Missed the conference, I just work here and needed the link to be sent out or I’d have known nothing.
Other than operating the camera, we had nothing to do with it, but kudos to the group that did fly it.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wine loving mommas out there!
@karenhynes agree! My mom doesn’t love wine but I did take care of her today!
Wine Freedom / Free the Grapes link to contact those with the keys to open up DTC.
@rjquillin where’s the version for allowing corkage in the few states where it’s not allowed?
As quiet as it frequently is here, do we need a 2022 pub?
@rjquillin Negative
@klezman clearly
Interesting (I thought) article on CellarTracker as a business.
@davirom Yeah, especially that Eric turned down several prior offers so he could keep control. I hope he’s able to keep doing that and keep the community great.
@davirom @klezman
He certainly added staff last year.
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin
Thanks for reminding me, I need to make my annual “donation” so he can cut those paychecks!
@davirom
HA! That’s awesome.
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
L’Shana Tova to all of my Casemateys celebrating tonight!
Happy New Year! Cheers!
@karenhynes Thanks! Shana tova to whoever celebrates!
I’ve got a rather large round challah, chicken soup with kneidlekh, tritip, chicken thighs, and my grandmother’s honey chiffon cake. Others are bringing the rest of the food.
Just pulled into Sonoma square. It’s nice to be back!
Happy New Year, CaseMateys!
@karenhynes
Happy New Year!!!
@karenhynes @kawichris650 not quite there yet on the left coast, but happy new year to all y’all!
Happy New Year!
Read this on the WB site concerning Underground cellars could be worth it if anyone has high end bottles?
Not sure if anyone is following this still, but the court has approved an agreement in which a company is purchasing the remaining inventory. That company must provide former Underground customers with bottles in storage an opportunity to claim their wine. The kicker is customers must pay 21% of the purchase price, along with shipping. If you had bottles and kept inventory list, might be worth shipping some of the wine, especially upgrades where the purchase price was substantially lower than value. They are required to send a notice and customers must reply by a certain date, with all unclaimed inventory belonging to new company.
@ScottW58
Thanks for the update. The original proposal had them filling orders for just the actual shipping price and possibly a small handling fee. They changed that to the shipping fee plus 30% of the “retail price” which everyone knows is over-inflated. The new proposal is a little easier to swallow but I would still like to know how they can make people pay for something that they have already bought.
Not going to date it?
@rjquillin WOFT!
@CorTot not gonna google it
But an hour earlier is gooder for us on the East Coast!
I’m editing tables for my phd thesis. Also I almost bought the launch shirt then realized that the kickstarter backers will get a similar shirt in a different color.
@tiger7610 i have not seen t-shirts from the kickstarter. Did they post somewhere?
@tiger7610 nevermind i see
@jml326 I don’t see. I’m confused. This new format is weird. Where do you see that the kickstarter shirt is similar but different color?
@HitAnyKey42 says it on the meh write up
@bhodilee Bah! That requires me to actually read something in a specific spot rather than just having someone tell me or link to me directly.
@HitAnyKey42 you know you’re talking to the king of “Google this for me” right?
So the pub over on ye olde website is relatively vacant. Why not post over here? What are y’all up to this long weekend? We’re taking the toddler to the Sierras! Should be interesting…
@klezman I am hopefully drinking great wine, playing with my border collies, and watching grey whales from the shore.
@klezman will be driving around PA doing toddler friendly amusement parks.
@jml326 We’re hoping the park/mountains will be friendly to our toddler…
@jml326 @klezman Which ones?
Get well!
@rjquillin Knoebels and Dutch Wonderland
@jml326 Wow, Knoebels, that brings back some memories.
@InFrom I just hope the rain holds off
@klezman Headed up to lake arrowhead over the 3 day weekend. Headed to a dodger game tonight. Gave my 6 year old tickets for his birthday since he just got off his first year of tee ball which he really liked.
@CorTot
One of the wines I will be drinking today is a 2006 Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard Arrowhead Red.
@chipgreen good on ya!
It’s a beautiful place here in Southern California.
@chipgreen @CorTot I should get my butt out there for some camping. We also just got the Interagency Annual Pass…so lots more car camping for us this coming year!
I just noticed the background graphic at the top of the page. Looks kinda familiar…
@InFrom
Ha! I never did figure out who beefy taco was/is…
@chipgreen A guy from Brooklyn, we met him at a w.woot get-together some years ago.
@chipgreen “We” being me and my spouse, not you and me.
@InFrom
Yeah, I would have remembered that.
Guess I was wrong though, thinking that was a secondary screen name for someone I already knew by another handle.
@InFrom love it!
Well, we found out this is our first Thanksgiving in forever that it will be just our super immediate family. Which is good because my bathroom renovations will not be finished before Thanksgiving.
Ooooo, I just figured out how to post a pic that I took!
@bahwm Any chance you took a picture of the stove top pork roast?? I would love to see that!
@bahwm @ScottW58 Yeah, the whole menu sounds delicious!
@ScottW58 No, I didn’t take a pic, but that’s a recipe that we make frequently. It’s soooo easy! But it usually takes about 2-2.5 hours to make. Whisper me your email address and I’ll send you a copy. It comes from a cookbook called “Great Foods Without Fuss”.
@ScottW58 The pork roast cooks in butter and oil with peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and red wine vinegar. We baste it every half hour. The first time we made it, we were little piggies–we ate a whole two-pound roast in one sitting! But, it was soooo good! Now, we get two dinners and one lunch out of it!
@bahwm thank you so much! I will probably eat the whole thing the first night too
@bahwm
Thanks! I just ordered a copy of the kindle version of the cook book.
@karenhynes Wow! I had no idea! Just don’t make the Brussels Sprouts recipe from that cookbook! We love Brussels Sprouts, but that recipe was gross! It has to be really bad for us to say that! We love our veggies!
@bahwm
Hahaha! There’s a zero percent chance I’d make Brussels Sprouts from any cookbook.
I’ve tried them many different ways and just can’t make myself like them.
@karenhynes I’m sorry! We’ve converted a few people–how about with bacon and maple syrup or in a baby kale and sliced Brussels sprout salad?
@bahwm @karenhynes So have we, including Scott. Just a simple roast with olive oil and some seasoning. Gotta get some browning to make it work.
@karenhynes @klezman I even like them steamed with a little lemon juice and some freshly ground pepper.
@karenhynes oh man are you correct! If there was ever a foul vegetable the brussel sprout is it!
@bahwm @karenhynes
I like them Ruth’s Chris style;
“Roasted with honey butter to a warm caramel color and tossed with crispy bits of bacon.”
@bahwm @chipgreen @karenhynes If you have an Instant Pot try this recipe, best sprouts ever. These have converted even the most strident anti-vegetarians and meatavores I know.
https://pressureluckcooking.com/recipe/instant-pot-bangin-brussels-sprouts/
I have been voting!
Interesting thread over on meh.
@winedavid49 @dave @chipgreen
“Casemates will give you tools to share orders with other people in your area”
Still waiting…
@rjquillin Yeah, that’d be nice.
Also easier ways to get people to respond to ongoing gathering threads. I still haven’t heard from Bill over in the SoCal thread!
@klezman @rjquillin I’m going to be a last minute decision. So keep me on the maybe list.
@merrybill @rjquillin Got it!
Hope you guys can make it!
From the old site…
Just NO!
@rjquillin
@rjquillin
Please tell me @winedavid49 had nothing to do with procuring that offer.
@karenhynes @rjquillin @Winedavid49
But what if you need to smuggle wine into a sporting event? It’s way less conspicuous than a beer hat!
@karenhynes @klezman @Winedavid49
Four knockers wouldn’t get attention?
Well, I guess in LA some could add two and not get noticed.
@karenhynes @rjquillin did not!
Happy New Year, everybody! This pub is so quiet these days. Here’s a some reading for you wineaux from the WaPo: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/grape-growers-felt-the-squeeze-in-2019-and-2020-looks-no-friendlier/2020/01/03/f58a9d96-2d6e-11ea-bcb3-ac6482c4a92f_story.html Hopefully there’s no paywall to stop you.
@InFrom Thanks for bumping the Pub.
Good news, no pay-wall, but the article does paint some doom&gloom.
@InFrom @rjquillin Good on Ali to get quoted in here. It should bring them some publicity and hopefully sales.
One thing that goes unmentioned is how much more expensive California wine is compared to its equivalents around the rest of the world.
But on the (maybe) bright side, perhaps @WineDavid49 is working on ways to get some excellent surplus juice into
Woot Cellars, ahem Casemates Cellars bottles for us.@InFrom @klezman @rjquillin @Winedavid49
Where is the Smith Story Casemates offer?
So I see on the Meh sale page for the QPR today, there’s a $10 casemates coupon, TRYCASEMATES, valid this month.
Wine Tour 2020
@davirom I like the secret stash in the closet. But the bathroom?
@Mark_L Well, it is the guest bathroom. Besides, white wines go through you quicker because they don’t have to change color.
@davirom
Sorry but only one possible reason to take a bottle of wine to the bathroom is…
@davirom @ScottW58 Oh no! What was it? Quita do Poco something something? Flawed or you just didn’t like it?
@davirom @ScottW58 I disagree about wine in the bathroom. A nice glass of wine (or more) while soaking in a jetted tub is fabulous. In the WC itself is a whole other thing.
@davirom @pseudogourmet98
LOL sadly I don’t have a jetted tub.
@davirom @ScottW58 Looking more closely, is it this? https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3357084 I have three coming and I hope that’s not a mistake!
@davirom @klezman @ScottW58 OMG, I’ve got a '95 Quinta do Poco something something in the cellar!
@davirom @klezman
Nope mine was a 95 Riserva not cab. Tasted a lot like herbed tomatoes to me, hated it. Still have one left it anyone wants it for free! I think a last bottle purchase.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=963538&searchId=34368B16%23selected%3DW963538_104_K9dc23b49879d581634fa9c8cbdb4e7d7
Posted on main thread then thought better of it. In any event, here are my thoughts about Brick Barn
not be popular as usual but not a fan of their wines. Been there twice and walked away with the same impression. My wife agreed along with friends who’ve visited on different occasions. Disjointed across the board imo.
Beautiful grounds, views, and service though.
Just sharing my personal experience. Others might feel otherwise
@losthighwayz fair enough. It looks like they have very young vines and little experience. I’d bet they’ll improve over time.
@losthighwayz Would I pay retail price, no. Is it worth $16.00, I don’t know yet. It does better with food than without.
@losthighwayz
Thanks Lost, pretty sure WD would appreciate it as well.
While tolerated, it is a bit more diplomatic to air the laundry here rather than there.
And I see @klezman resurrected the Poli"ticks" IV thread as well.
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin
To me, the point of the product discussion is to weigh the pros and cons of a possible purchase. I disagree that negative comments should be relegated to alternate discussion threads.
I don’t care for the especially mean-spirited posts that sometimes crop up but sharing one’s real world experience with a wine/winery is valuable information when considering a purchase and should be readily accessible to those in the act of doing so.
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin
Now that I have read through the product thread, I see that Lydia’s husband just took over the winemaking duties with the last harvest.
Your comment about the wines having been disjointed both times you were there could have been a product of the previous winemaker’s efforts and is perhaps why they made a change but now that’s just speculation in a sidebar discussion.
@chipgreen @klezman @losthighwayz
“wow” didn’t add much to the discussion.
The further explanation here answered the comment. Could it have been there, sure, you know I won’t mod it out. It is thoughtful, imo, to try not to alienate a first time vendor. Again, just my opinion.
Rather surprised, One of them asked how to post a pic, but last I checked nothing up yet.
Time for me to go home now…
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin
I think he did a ctrl-x of what you see above and replaced it with “Wow!” (maybe didn’t know that he could just delete?) but that is also speculation. Only his hairdresser knows for sure!
@chipgreen @losthighwayz @rjquillin Yeah, what chip said 3 posts up (since there’s no way to refer to a specific post otherwise).
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin
Four score and three posts up ago…
Haha, sorry I am feeling a little silly this evening for some reason. Haven’t even had a drink. I think work is getting to me!
The block quote thing works reasonably well to refer back to something specific, you just have to copy it from the previous post then paste it in next to the >
Just don’t make the amateur mistake of adding your own comments without a line break between them or it will all end up highlighted, causing confusion as to where the quoted text ended and your text began. I believe RJ pulled this off the other day (snicker).
Anyway, I hope your evenings have become less frustrating since your post from a few days ago!
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin truth be told their wines were pretty bad. That being said, I felt bad soonafter I posted and was able to retract on time. I typed wow for no other reason than to avoid a blank comment lol I know, it does not make much sense unless you are tired as heck from checking out Chromebooks and materials to elementary school families nonstop for 8 hours
@chipgreen @losthighwayz @rjquillin We had 3 hours of preschool today. I hear ya.
@chipgreen @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin But what chip said three posts up only works if nobody sticks a reply in there in the meantime.
EDIT: Never mind, I forgot the system doesn’t put the reply right below the comment being replied to. This is precisely why I rarely bother posting anything on here, or even on the current thread, unless I’ve been chosen as a labrat.
@ddeuddeg
And we do miss the two of you. Don’t be so scarce.
@ddeuddeg @rjquillin Yes, I agree with your diagnosis. Too bad nobody over at Mediocre seems to care.
Just wanted to post a reminder about Clark’s Zoom happy hour tonight.
“WineDown Fridays are the new TGIF! Kick back for a casual end-of-week hour to reset the spirit, 5-6PM Pacific Time…share a glass with Clark and chat about wine philosophy, chemistry, wine/music pairings, and whatever’s on your mind.”
https://www.grapecraftwineacademy.com/collections/all/products/winedown-fridays-with-clark-smith
@kawichris650
I’m going to try to make it but I’m waiting for the cable guy to come and do whatever it is he needs to do for the upgrade in my building. I’m the mean time, I’m about to open a 2003 Faux Chablis…unless I stumble across something else in the way.
@karenhynes
Oooo that sounds tasty! I think I only have 2 Faux Chablis left.
@kawichris650
Faux Chablis wins! Cable guy is here so I got booted out of the ZOOM. Hopefully won’t be gone for too long!!!
@karenhynes
How’s it doing? I’ve got an '04 and a '05.
@kawichris650
It’s delicious and I claim not to like Chardonnay, in general. A bit tart/acidic…lots of minerality, some apple and citrus (lemon).
@karenhynes
In general I’m not a big fan of Chardonnay either. However, I have grown to enjoy the unoaked Chardonnay from Iron Horse and also Peter Wellington’s Chardonnay.
Clark is certainly known for the minerality in his wines. I wonder how long he thinks the Faux Chablis will continue to hold up.
@karenhynes @kawichris650
IIRC, Clark said the 2005 was ready to drink sooner than the 2004. He has since declared the 2004 ready to drink as well so you probably can’t go wrong but I would still drink the '05 first. Or better yet, open them both at the same time to compare! Are you one of the new Coravin owners?
@chipgreen @kawichris650
In wonder if the Coravin would work well? Those corks are notoriously difficult.
@chipgreen
I don’t know about @karenhynes, but no, I do not have a Coravin unfortunately.
Edit: Karen also make a good point about those corks.
@chipgreen @karenhynes @kawichris650
Do NOT use a Coravin on a suspected bad cork! Just sayin
“Dream Job”. Any takers?
@davirom alot of people on this thread would be a great fit for that job.
@davirom
This could be your chance!
The guy they got for the job the last time they did this became well quite the winemaker
A research project seems to indicate wine ages faster in space.
Twelve bottles of Petrus (with an average price of $6,488 each) were sent to the ISS for 14 months. Then were brought back to Earth for a blind tasting as well as chemical analysis. Here’s a link to the article…
https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/petrus-wine-space-research-project-455239/
139 orders and 371 bottles from Last Bottle some the better ones were Moon Mt, Giacosa, Mr.K, Eagles Trace and the “Last Bottle” of 2009 Keating Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard.
Didn’t Iron Horse offer a free wagon tour of the Vineyards with David Munksgaard on one of their offers? Was it Casemates or WW? Or was I dreaming? Haha. @winedavid49 ? Anyone?
@chipgreen @winedavid49
That took firing off some long unused neurons, but you’re right; I recall that offer as well. Now, as to which site, given these last two years, I no longer have any accurate concept of passing time…
@rjquillin @Winedavid49
I was just saying the same thing to a friend. Could have been two years ago, could have been six years ago for all I know, haha. I seem to recall them saying no expiration on the offer, though.
@chipgreen Iron Horse DID offer a tour with then winemaker, David M. We actually did it with our author friend, Toby Neal. But he took us in his truck! It was a such a fun time and probably about 5 years ago or so. I’d have to check the photo evidence!
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!
Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian CaseMateys!
Yeah, the Pub is active again!
Merry Christmas to all of my CaseMateys who observe!
de Negoce flushes the brown and moves to FedEx
Dear Friends,
Exciting news! This coming Monday shipments will begin flowing out of our new, state-of-the-art DTC fulfillment center.
One of the perks will be a much higher level of visibility on your package including multiple levels of notification. You will also be able to re-route and/or hold your shipment at over 60k+ retail-partnered locations across the US at no charge.
However, all this accuracy and insight into your packages status does come with a change of carrier: we will now be shipping via FedEx Ground to home and business addresses. Faster delivery times, better tracking, more timely notifications, and more “last-mile” delivery options will make the fulfillment experience more fulfilling
.
To take advantage of all of these services, please take a moment to create a FREE FedEx Delivery Manager account (if you don’t already have one).
Again, you’ll be able to ‘Hold at Location’ at over 60k+ retail-partnered locations across the US for pickup if you’re not at home; it’s as easy as choosing a location closest or most-convenient to you from the available businesses. As well, you can now leave instructions for delivery drivers as needed (gate codes, other property access notes, or further relevant minutiae - sorry folks, adult signature will still be required, no way around that).
New, detailed shipment notifications will begin when we start shipping on Monday the 27th.
Gone are the days of the standard ‘order confirmed’ then waiting god knows how many days for the exciting ‘your order has shipped’ email. Around late-May to early-June, in-stock orders should begin going out within 24-hours of purchase.
Now, like all new, cool things, a little dust will need to settle at first, so please be patient with us as we get everything in order at our new home. For all your burning questions, please click here. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to get these new features and service levels orchestrated to make your shipping experiences elevated, and we’ll be in touch as soon as the next wave of features arrives - more to come!
Cheers!
de Negoce Team
@rjquillin Nice
It’s true - UPS has made their customer service worse while FedEx seems to have improved over the last couple years.
Now what they both really need is a “warning” feature that tells the recipient how many more stops until theirs. The old UPS truck map was amazing, but apparently caused too many problems. This would be the next best thing.
@klezman and they could learn that ‘warning’ feature from the A; a feature I appreciate, while I just attempt to tolerate the other nits of the Mother Ship.
@klezman @rjquillin De Negoce now offering a choice for shipping after feed back from customers - Fedex or UPS - a bit like Wine Spies. Now that’s an idea
@ctmariner @klezman
Just saw this early today as well.
What a concept; choose your shipper!
I’m thinking DN must have better margins than WD to allow that choice.
Who’s in?
https://apple.news/A2RimBu4qRD6fACL9ShaQtA
@Winedavid49 Nope.
@Winedavid49 Let me check for loose change in my pocket.
The site ate too much turkey and is barfing it up. The med team has been notified and is on it…
How’s everybody’s long weekend going? Assuming it is a long weekend, that is. I have tomorrow off, molarchae isn’t so lucky. Also, none of us are particularly lucky with a mini-outbreak of coxsackie virus in our house.
@klezman I don’t know what that is but I’m sure we’ve had it.
Doing Whole30 right now, so can’t drink. Meh. Kinda sucks, but good for me I know…Will be drinking wine soon, though!
@vaaccess wine is like a good dog, it will wait for you no matter how long it takes.
@bhodilee Indeed it will!
Fucking hell. A bottle of icewine slid between the racking on the wine fridge. 5 feet up from the floor. The tile-on-concrete floor. That’s the second bottle that shelf has claimed.
@klezman destroy that shelf, consign it to the burn pile.
@klezman It is obviously a sign that you need to come to the ice wine festival next year
@klezman Oh noes, not again!
@klezman Maybe you just need to chill those ice wines in a chiller.
@bahwm at least this one was a semi random lcbo purchase. It was still red icewine though.
@klezman
I keep seeing mention of a kickstarter coupon, how did I miss this?
@bhodilee I was literally just trying to figure out where to post this same question. Well, I didn’t miss the kickstarter coupon, but I am trying to figure out how/where to get the 3 $10 coupons from the WCC email…
@jasisk In another thread they mentioned they’re still working on getting those out to us.
@jasisk I have signed up for that, perhaps that is why WD said to email him
I submitted a request to customer service, as noted in another thread. I just got an email back asking if I had created an account or responded to the survey…
uh, yes, my account was included in the initial form, as was my email address, and I have the badges 
I’ll be doing my football draft Saturday morning, then beating myself up about it the rest of the weekend.
College football!
If any of you are still lamenting the sellout of decanters on w.w some time ago, they’re back on Gourmet.woot. Looks like a great deal at $14.99.
@ddeuddeg
If the picture is correct I don’t like those, they have a flat edge at the lip which catches a few drops of wine when you pour then the wine follows that edge to the bottom and leaks off the back.
@ScottW58
Worth noting, for sure. I usually have a paper towel handy to catch drips like that, because I’m basically clumsy.
Socal casematers and former wooters. Stop on by this thread for our fall meetup planning.
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/casemates-51
Made my annual batch of garden pesto. This year’s crop was pretty sad, unfortunately. I kept letting it accidentally go to flower.
Hi Guys! Through the years, those of you who hung in the old CyberPub heard tell of our visits with Cousin Bob near San Francisco and Cousin Alice near LA. Apparently, about 3 weeks ago, Bob was having problems breathing. He went to the hospital and after some tests and draining of fluid, they found that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Bob passed Monday night at the age of 87. I am glad that we had a chance to see him one last time this summer before the RPM tour.
@bahwm My condolences. so glad you had a chance to visit when you came out.
@Winedavid49 Thanks, David.
@bahwm So sorry to hear that. At least he didn’t have to endure months/years of suffering. I had an Uncle Jim in England who went similarly. Thought he had the flu because of an upset stomach. When it didn’t get better after a week or so he went to the doctor and ended up having end-stage stomach cancer and was also gone in about 3 weeks.
@bahwm Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. As they say in Judaism, may his memory be a blessing.
Quiet in the Pub this… season?
Anyway, this sucks.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/10/11/master-sommeliers-stripped-of-coveted-titles-after-cheating-taints-wine-tasting-test/
@InFrom scandal!
What a silly idea to cheat on that sort of thing.
@InFrom
That led me to THIS story.
@chipgreen Yeah, saw that one as well. I told my office wine friends, if that Goldman CEO had stuck to Pedroncelli, none of this would have happened!
I feel bad for those newly-minted somms who passed the test legitimately, only to have it snatched away. The thought of going through all that again must be horrible to contemplate. (Hopefully not enough to make any of them jump out a window of the Carlyle.)
@chipgreen @InFrom
Just heard this on NPR on my way home this evening. Not only is it sad to have the credential snatched away, but will also have significant financial impact as well. With the Master Somm they can earn three times as much (on average).
@InFrom
They’re supposed to waive the test fee and give compensation for travel & lodging for those having to re-take the test.
Warning Rambling Rant:
I think that helped keep things from totally stiffening up. The following Tuesday I decided I should go to the dr. ended up having to go to the Work mans comp doctor, which is a min. 45 min drive from school… depending on the traffic it could take up to an hour to get to. I call them Quack in a box. I not nice place. The doctor actually touched my open wound on my knee without washing his hands. The nurse didn’t clean my wound before she applied more antibiotic ointment… the list goes on… After 5 weeks, they finally decided I needed a MRI. I don’t know how I managed, but I did not tear, chip or break anything! They finally decided to send me to an orthopedist! Only took them 6 weeks. Then it took a week to get into the specialist. So this week I go back to the quack, their computers are acting up and they can’t access my file. The Doctor comes in, I tell him I went to the Orthopedic Dr. and this guy says “oh, then you don’t come here anymore” Seriously? I reminded him that he is the one that sent me to the other… he said "well, we don’t know when you will get your appointment… I pointed out that it would have been good information to give a patient that if they can get an appointment with the specialist before their appointment with the quack … to call and cancel! I am so not happy… Anyhow, I go back to the orthopedic doc in 2 weeks. My knee is still got a healing scar and is swollen… but it is much better… If I knew about all the crap and crappy care, I would have to go through with the workman’s comp, I would have gone to my own doctor and paid out of pocket.
I know it has been a while … things have been crazy. The end of August I fell at work. While at car duty (where we open car doors for our car riders) I managed to fall off the curb and fall full force on my knee. I proceeded to load up a few more kids before I realized how bad it was. That night my knee swelled up to about the size of a softball. Long story short. That was a Thursday afternoon,Friday I went to Disney for the weekend and walked/limped about 10miles each day.
Rant/rambling over thanks
@mommadeb
Yikes! At least you don’t have to go back to the Quack anymore. Feel better!
@mommadeb Wow, you’ve been through quite a Fall so far. Hope things continue to improve. Have you been working all the while?
@InFrom yup. I’ve been worki ng. I make sure to get my dr appointment for as late as possible. Not fair to everyone I work with to not be working. I did find out, it would have been quite easy to have the doctors write me a note saying I couldn’t work… they kept asking me if I wanted them to give me restricted hours and duty. No wonder why so many abuse the system.
Happy Holidays and upcoming new year! And happy upcoming russian christmas! I also miss the old pub/site community. Couldnt we sticky the pub? There are just too much posts/information
@tiger7610 You almost done with that whole dissertating business?
@klezman It better happen by this springs or there will be issues
Our choir party last night went really well. ddeuddeg and I are both exhausted! He did most of the cooking. I did a few little time-consuming things and got the house looking nice. Here was our menu:
Watching my Clemson Tigers demolish the tide tonight!
@pjmartin
They sure did and with 2 true freshmen leading the way - impressive!
@chipgreen @pjmartin After last year, yes this was fun.
@pjmartin I would have been rooting for any team that was playing against Alabama.
@pjmartin Way to go Tigers!
You want pics I have pics…the bathroom at my work.
Would any sane person (here) actually consider purchasing one of these Plum things at somewhere between $1500~$2000?
But, to it’s credit, it has a quad core 1.2GHz processor and a gig of ram and dual 2 mega pixel cameras and is well connected, 2.4 GHz b/g/n wireless, or wired.
What, no fiber?
And a 1024 x 600 IPS display just to tell you what bottle(s) you put inside.
Just to dispense wine?
They even offer a Zalto as an accessory.
Looking at ya @scottw58
@rjquillin. Sure, if I had to spend $30 million dollars to make $270 million!
@rjquillin It looks like someone saw a Coravin and thought: “you know what, that isn’t real luxury… People who don’t live in gated communities can afford those, we need something more exclusive.”
As someone who has drank at establishments with crappy tap lines, and have worked behind the bar, this machine is worthless without addressing that.
Hell, take a page from the espresso machines and sell a custom descaling (in this case, cleaning) bottle that you hook up after every use (revenue streams hooray!) to carefully make sure your little wine computer is pristine.
Right? It has one spout for two wines? What happens in between white and red pours? Does it discharge some water through the lines that goes into a separate resevoir? No? Then you are like a middle-schooler at a soda fountain putting every option in the cup.
(Plum can send me a prototype after taking my suggestions to heart… I promise to report back!)
@rjquillin
Umm yeah I already have a cool looking wine preserver that I never use
@KNmeh7 Funny, they also sell a cleaning kit, but it does have two separate dispensing spouts, one for each bottle.
@KNmeh7 @rjquillin The best wine preservation systems are (a) the Repour and (b) Ron’s homemade argon dispenser.
@klezman @KNmeh7 @rjquillin Amazon was trying to tell me this was a deal at $2k. Their deal of the day ain’t what it used to be!
here’s a random request. does anyone remember the simple wood 12 bottle counter top wine rack sold on the old site (it was part of a case offer) way back when? if so, can you produce a picture of it? we can’t find any !
@Winedavid49
This?
https://wine.woot.com/offers/mandolina-italian-varietal-case-with-wooden-wine-rack
@karenhynes Dang you are good!
@karenhynes this is it! I think it was bamboo.
Is this it?
https://wine.woot.com/offers/12-bottle-cubby-wine-rack-feb-25
https://sellout.woot.com/offers/kamenstein-butterfly-wine-rack
@karenhynes This (the first one) bears a strong resemblance to the one that came in the case deal. Mandolina, that’s a nice blast from the wine.woot past!
@InFrom
Agreed. I think its the same, just photographed differently.
@InFrom @karenhynes
What year were these offered?
@InFrom @rjquillin
Definitely no earlier than February 2009.
I don’t see any posting date on the listing though.
@karenhynes You are spot on!
Mandolina Italian Varietal Case with Wooden Wine Rack
Mar '09 - Mandolina Italian Varietal Case with Wooden Wine Rack $154.99 + $5 shipping Condition: Varietal Products: 1 Mandolina Italian Varietal Case 1 Wooden Wine Rack…
Here’s the link to the right forum: https://forums.woot.com/t/mandolina-italian-varietal-case-with-wooden-wine-rack/55209/2
Well, it’s happened.
Banned from work, with no hint when I’ll be able to return.
Not sick, or symptomatic, nor is anyone else at work.
Just seems I’m in the more highly susceptible demographic that is now being discriminated against working.
Am I pissed? You bet, and then some!
Thank you Gavin Newsom.
@rjquillin sorry dude! crazy times indeed. rooting for you Rjquillin!
@rjquillin
Yeah man i’m setting up my office at home as we speak. Good lord two or six weeks at home with my wife sounds like it could be a problem
@ScottW58 Mine is still working, for now…
@rjquillin Pain in the ass, yes. Necessary evil, also yes. The biggest mistake we can make is treating this as less serious than it is. Not alarmist, just being realistic and acknowledging the math here.
Confirmed cases in LA County have been going up by 30-50% daily. Obviously part of that is due to testing ramping up finally, but keep in mind that the true number of cases is somewhere between 10-500x the number of confirmed cases.
And yeah, you’re in the demographic that’s not just at elevated risk, but at massively increased risk.
It sucks that your job is not something one can do remotely, but I also thought the bunny suits could help keep things going there.
Read this: https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca. Not alarmist. Just math.
We’ve got at least 5 weeks without kiddo at school and the nanny has a cold (not a coronavirus) so we don’t even have her to look after the baby. We also both have full time jobs to attend to. This is screwing up life for just about everybody.
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 My work site closed their doors to all but critical staff late last week. We are all wfh for the foreseeable future. Wife and kids also home. At least we won’t be running out of wine!
@hscottk @rjquillin @ScottW58 We’ve not mandated work from home, but we are encouraging it. In our huge office space we now have about 200 square feet per person who shows up each day.
@hscottk @klezman @rjquillin
also it doesn’t hurt that I don’t really like people 
Well my first day working from home and I gotta say that I’m liking this! After I got everything setup anyways
@hscottk @klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 unless they’re wine drinking people, right? I thought you liked me
@hscottk @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin
Well yeah I like wine people who don’t annoy me…sorry Cory
@rjquillin my office did the same thing. Sent all those 65+ home. I think it’s the right call.
whats especially difficult is that demographic is often times less tech savvy with the current work from home set ups so its a big adjustment.
@CorTot Yeah, well, it’s really difficult to be ‘hands-on’ with hardware from home…
I’m not a paper pusher.
And you don’t annoy me.
@rjquillin lol, that’s a good point.
Think of it as a well earned extended vacation with only minor apocalyptic tones.
@CorTot @rjquillin is there a video of your work, or the type of work you do? that’d be cool.
@CorTot @rjquillin @Winedavid49
Coming up with that video could be something to keep you busy while you’re at home.
@CorTot @Winedavid49 @pseudogourmet98
Video, that would be boring.
Here is the company site with some pics of older cameras.
The site hasn’t been updated with newer stuff.
Another link to an article and video (of sorts)
taken with one of our cameras on Curiosity Rover from Mars.
I’ll see if I can dig up something a bit more interesting.
@CorTot @rjquillin @Winedavid49
What’s not interesting about that? Keep them coming
@CorTot @ScottW58 @Winedavid49
Ok, one more…
This from Elsa in ops.
Today, (actually May of 2018) the Planetary Society posted a blog about the Mastcam-Z hardware in the process of being built at MSSS, including many photos taken here at our company:
pic of the lab, I’m in the background, and some hardware photos
Thank you to Mike Ravine for supplying Mastcam-Z images, and to Ravine, Greg, Shaun and Ron for allowing and helping me take pictures in the hardware lab here at MSSS. Last but not least, thank you to Mike Malin for his editorial input to the piece.
@CorTot @ScottW58 @Winedavid49
One of four cameras scheduled for launch this July, two of which I built the electronics for.
@CorTot @pseudogourmet98 @rjquillin that was VERY cool.
My work is still operating normally ( with precautions in place) however I have chosen to relocate from Salt Lake City now that community spread has started happening, to my vacation home in south eastern Idaho in a small town of less than 500 residents. Fortunately for me I can conduct business there as I just need phone, computer and internet which I have.
Stay home stay safe and we should all come out the other side in a month or so I hope.
Wow, I didn’t realize the CyberPub was still alive and well on Casemates. It may be the only pub that’s open for the next 2-3 weeks, at least where I’m at. And I hate to admit it but I’m going to have a glass right now even though it’s only 4pm. My happy hour is starting early today. Cheers and hope everyone is doing okay.
@WCCWineGirl if i recall the original wine girl on the other site that won’t be mentioned (REALLY good beer cheese on there right now) played an early role in the CyberPub! cool beens.
I’m not too much of a tv show binge watcher. More of a movie gal but that may change with all the good suggestions. Happy Saturday everyone. Thanks for hanging out.
@WCCWineGirl finally watched Once upon a Time in Hollywood. i thought it was great.
So how is this ‘work at home’ going for ya’ll?
I ended up setting up a mini shop so I could do mechanical sub-assembly work that doesn’t require an ESD compliant workstation. Happened to already have an environmental oven in my garage shop I could use to cure polymerics, but had to get a 180l 230psi dewer of LN2 to keep it purged.
Bugger weighs over 240 kilos full.
Fortunately the local gas supply house, after some arm twisting, agreed to deliver to a residential address. Work required I set up an O2 sensor to insure I didn’t suffocate should it leak without notice. All in all, kinda interesting, but at least I’m not bored out of my gourd and can still be somewhat productive for the time being…
@rjquillin you may be the second most interesting man in the world
@radiolysis Should have mentioned too the adhesive, Henkel Loctite EA 9394 AERO Epoxy, needs to be kept cold after mixing; better than -75C, so a double insulated cooler and dry ice fill that bill.
Yeah, it’s kinda fun.
How you feeling?
Two screaming children. A perfect night for wine.
@klezman
Yup pretty sure screaming children is what sent me down this path
@klezman Just wait until they are sullen teenagers
@klezman
I’ll see your two screaming children and raise you one surly 20 year old man-child and three octogenarian grandparents.
@pseudogourmet98 Tough call…the older ones you can just tell them to amuse themselves and they understand the concept of “but we need to work”. But surly 20 year olds are a whole other ball of annoying.
@InFrom
/giphy poof!
no more user
@rjquillin Please help me understand what’s going on here.
@ddeuddeg @rjquillin Some interloper left junk links on a few of the threads this morning. A little whisper to a mod, and poof!
@ddeuddeg @InFrom @rjquillin I saw those and figured the user would be short lived.
@InFrom @rjquillin Makes sense now, LOL. Thanks.
Ever drop a small pellet of dry ice into a glass for a quick chill?
Or perhaps a wee dram of LN2?
Lately I seen to have quite the assortment to tinker with.
@rjquillin Winesicles!!!
@rjquillin Yes. Also with liquid N2 it’s a fun way to make ice cream.
@klezman @rjquillin I’ve never made it, but I have had it in an ice-cream shop. Decadent, it was!
California Man Climbs Under Wine Truck, Drinks from Tank not much else to say…
@rjquillin clearly this was supposed to be Florida Man.
Friend of mine said I gave him a bottle of
2017 Shannon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Urgency
that I have no CT record of (no surprise there).
Has anyone seen this and know where it may have been sold?
Did WD offer something by this name?
@rjquillin Yes
@klezman
Terse, and accurate reply…
Anything besides the (3) CS and SB?
@cortot you ever see this at GO?
@klezman @rjquillin Don’t recall seeing it but if its a CA designation i assume its bulk juice and typically skip it.
@CorTot @klezman Dunno. Gave one to Hakeem, and he and a local winemaker liked it. Trying to figure out where I got it. GO is my best guess.
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin
Top stores: Casemates (51 bottles); Winestyr (3 bottles); Publix (2 bottles); AJ’s (1 bottles); Gift (1 bottles)
@rjquillin this looks and sounds like an Invino offer
@chipgreen @CorTot @klezman
You must be looking at the CS or SB chip; no CM store listings at all I see for any of the three the PN vintages.
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin
Oops, you’re right that was the CS.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin
https://www.vivino.com/urgency-pinot-noir/w/5901770?year=2017
@CorTot @losthighwayz
Friar Tuck Online- Springfield IL, the vivino link, has had this listed now for nearly a year. I found where I emailed him the link last July.
fs/case, but not near that level of interest.
I still think GO. vague memory. thanks all.
Two hours with Brian and Katie Flannery is worth a pub post, and the time to watch it.
Reading some of the mod chatter on meh shipping…
While many here have issues and think UPS really sucks, check out the comments about P-B shipping, if you have an hour or two.
https://meh.com/forum/topics/pitney-bowes-complaint-thread
@winedavid49 it could be a whole lot worse.
@rjquillin is that why my coffee has taken almost two weeks to get here from Texas?
That thread was Xtra Large Popcorn AWESOME!
I too have a package in the P-B abyss with no idea when or if it will show up. Luckily, nothing meh! sells is of critical importance to me. They’re going to have a “fun” Xmas season if they don’t get this fixed.
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
50 best wine retailers, according to WE.
Sorry, couldn’t find an open link.
10 categories of five each.
I had to look.
best online 5 of 5
best clubs 0/5
education programs 0/5
back vintage 2/5
natural 0/5
best rare 3/5
best overall 3/5
best single focus (?) 0/5
value driven (qpr) 2/5
shop design (I care?) 0/5
So, overall, 11 of 50.
I’m somewhat worried worried.
@rjquillin kind of need to know who they are
@ScottW58
Found a link but no way to login to do a cut-n-paste, and not gonna do that much typing, yet.
Ah, clicking on the square(s) does seem to allow access.
ymmv
bump
Anybody bought into/tasted any of the De Negoce offerings - if so, any thoughts?
@ctmariner Nope. But if the SoCal crew wants to split one at some point I’d probably try. Cameron Hughes is good at what he does, so I’d expect great qpr which leaves it as a question of style.
Will be in Bodega Bay for a week. Haven’t been there in 10 years! Any zin and/or pinot winery recs in RRV, DCV, Alexander Valley? Thanks
@losthighwayz
Gotta be a hundred offhand but are any of them open during the current lockdown? or restaurants for that matter.
@losthighwayz Iron Horse is open for outdoor tastings. Smith Story, too.
@ScottW58 most with outdoor seating are open. Kinda takes away from the tasting room experience which I enjoy. Sucks but it is what it is.
@ScottW58 what would be your top 3 for Zin and PN, respectively?
@klezman Green Valley penciled in for one day. Likely IH, Dutton, and Marimar unless there’s another place you recommend? Also need to make sure kid friendly
@losthighwayz No idea, head north to Oregon and I can help you out
@losthighwayz @ScottW58 Zin and Pinot I’d go to see Randy at Harvest Moon.
Teldeschi has some good Zins
@losthighwayz You should head up to Fort Ross, both the Winery and the old Russian Fort. I have no idea if either is open. Great Pinots.
@merrybill checked out their website. They are rather close to Bodega Bay and the winery grounds are awesome. Added to our list! Thanks
POPSOCKETS! SPA KITS! POLLY POCKETS! AWESOME!
@losthighwayz added Pax and Furthermore to our list.
Not wanting to be snarky on the main page, I find this an interesting comment in the write-up
Didn’t realize Barbera was uncommon nor that Lake County wines should be enjoyed while young
@rjquillin
Well not to be snarky rjq although I usually am looking at the wines they make I see a bunch of unusual varieties, and I am not familiar with any wines coming from Lake County that are known for tgreat longevity of 20 to 40 years.
@rjquillin @ScottW58 Clark’s Cab Franc from Lake County is definitely in the 20+ year wine category. But I think that’s the exception that proves the rule, at least for now.
I expect that Lake County wines will keep increasing in stature unless we reverse climate change.
@klezman @rjquillin
So one wine thats probably heavily manipulated could possibly make old bones does not a case make.
@rjquillin @ScottW58
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 or so he’ll tell you ;)…
It has a zipper…
I have no comment, well, perhaps,
what are we coming to?
@rjquillin
It gives new meaning to the term “zip your lip”.
@chipgreen @rjquillin
I like and btw f u Ron you are an enabler that is costing me money
@chipgreen @ScottW58
Quit trolling CT.
Occasionally I do silly things.
I should quit work so I don’t have so much discretionary income.
Hi folks, does anyone know of a good site to purchase fine cheese to pair with all of this wonderful Casemates wine? Thanks in advance.
@Turner103200 You can wait for good deals to show up on Gourmet Woot (now called Grocery & Household). All the good deals for interesting foodstuffs come from the esteemed @WineDavid49.
He also gets some of them on other Mediocre sites, too. I got a couple pounds of Black Butte Reserve from MorningSave toward the end of last year and that stuff is amazing. Also keep an eye out for Creminelli Salami and Salumi Chicago for quality charcuterie to enjoy with your excellent QPR wines.
@Turner103200
I’m a big fan of Beehive Cheese
@klezman @Winedavid49 thanks!
@chipgreen thanks for the info!
@Turner103200
I just ordered over $75 worth of Beehive cheese, see what you made me do? Haha, j/k.
They had a nice sale on their Promontory cheese and shredded cheese.
@chipgreen @Turner103200 @winedavid49
This is cheese shipping season, may want to keep an eye on the old site, and, just perhaps, WD may give us a heads-up. Jus’ sain’.
I see the cheese board is up, need something to put on it.
@chipgreen @rjquillin @Turner103200 @Winedavid49 There hasn’t been any cheese on the old site for quite a while, I would have bought some if there was, will there be any in the near future @Winedavid49? I’ve gone from always having a 3 month supply on hand to buying it at the supermarket!
@chipgreen Ha! Ops, sorry bout that!
Thanks for the heads up!
Is anyone planning to join Clark’s ZOOM happy hour tomorrow evening?
“WineDown Fridays are the new TGIF! Kick back for a casual end-of-week hour to reset the spirit, 5-6PM Pacific Time…share a glass with Clark and chat about wine philosophy, chemistry, wine/music pairings, and whatever’s on your mind.”
https://www.grapecraftwineacademy.com/collections/all/products/winedown-fridays-with-clark-smith
@karenhynes
These would be great, except I’m still at work.
Say ‘hi’ for me if you would please.
@rjquillin
I’m going to try to attend, if I don’t crash and burn before it starts.
@karenhynes @rjquillin
I might try to make it. Thanks for the reminder.
@chipgreen @karenhynes @rjquillin agree hoping to carve out time.
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @karenhynes @rjquillin It’s prime kid-crazy time, so we’ll see.
@chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @rjquillin Well Clark did his homework on me so now I GOTTA show up!
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @rjquillin I completed the “purchase” and got an order confirmation, but nothing further in light of joining the happy hour. Am I missing something?
@bunnymasseuse @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin
I am not going to be able to make it. Hope whoever does has a great time!
@chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin I got a zoom link and connect info, if you don’t get it let me know. It was a follow up email not the receipt email.
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @karenhynes @Mark_L @rjquillin Nice to actually see some woot…er…casemateers!
@chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin It’s hard to stay anonymous when anyone can google me! What a spectacular night with @winesmith !
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin @winesmith How many people were on the Zoom?
@chipgreen @InFrom @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin @winesmith unless you show up I won’t tell
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @InFrom @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin @winesmith
So much fun! Looking forward to next week!
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @InFrom @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin We had about ten, coming and going. Twas a fine chat. Thanks to all.
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @InFrom @karenhynes @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin Back in 1964 when they played Batman and Robin in our gym at Seabreeze Jr. High, the Allman Bros. were known as The Spotlights.
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @InFrom @karenhynes @Mark_L @rjquillin @winesmith
Yeah, that was fun. Maybe I’ll be able to fully join one of these days instead of wrangling kids! (Not likely…)
@bunnymasseuse @chipgreen @InFrom @karenhynes @klezman @rjquillin @winesmith I tried to mention The Spotlights during the call, but I don’t think it got through. Spotlights, Allman Joys, Allman Bros – a great contribution to the culture.
Holy crap I had no idea
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=245136#.YJPrz7st-yE.twitter
@ScottW58 uhoh. i haven’t hit the 17 order average, but i’ve been happy with the orders i have made. I’ll keep an eye on that day. Thanks for the article!
@radiolysis
Lol well the guy who has 1028 orders has us all covered
@radiolysis @ScottW58
Phew, good to know I’m not even at 10% of that.
@radiolysis @rjquillin
I thought for sure that guy was you RJ
@radiolysis @rjquillin @ScottW58
This made me go look at my account, the first purchase I made was back in 2013 @40. 30 ea delivered. 2009 Keating Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard.
K&L has them at 80, going to have to dig one or two out and give it a try at tomorrows get together.
@40 @radiolysis @rc70 @rjquillin
last time I had one they were great!
Yeah made me look too, first purchase was in 2011 and I bought 4 of those Keating’s in 2013
@40 @radiolysis @rc70 @rjquillin @ScottW58 I’m apparently a slacker - 35 bottles over 13 purchases.
I didn’t know they owned invino, too. They started out as Winery Insider. So combined from them I have 64 bottles over 29 purchases.
@ScottW58 I was surprised to learn that I’ve had 23 orders with ~135 bottles, of which two were IPAs, and 3 were EVOO. Plus a dozen .375s of Garnacha.
I finally had to unsubscribe from their emails. I found their sales pitches particularly hard to resist, so I went cold turkey. I haven’t bought anything from them in a year and a half. Which is not to say I won’t tune in on the 11th.
@klezman @radiolysis @rc70 @rjquillin @ScottW58
169 bottles over 67 orders for me but only 2 orders in the past 3 years. My first order was 2 bottles of Chateau De Beauregard Pouilly Fuisse Classique 2007 in August of 2012.
@chipgreen @klezman @rc70 @rjquillin @ScottW58 I came in at 9:08am and it was already the “real” deal. It reads like they tried selling some birthday Night Train?
@chipgreen @radiolysis @rc70 @rjquillin @ScottW58
Don’t forget - they mentioned in that first email that they pulled an “instant cellar” winner and it was our very own @ddeuddeg!
@chipgreen @klezman @radiolysis @rc70 @rjquillin @ScottW58 Yeah, I’d love to score another deal like that: 34 bottles for $1.00, including the 2001 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon we opened for bahwm’s birthday last month.
@rjquillin There is a live NASA talk tonight at 7pm pacific
Hey @rjquillin - you also responsible for the cameras that just sent back pictures of Ganymede?
@klezman Yup, JunoCam.
Been sitting on this a couple days now, but had to wait for the release. While we took pics in three colors, this is the green channel and the framelets haven’t been exactly registered yet. Later pics should include the clipped off limb, when we get them.
Don’t have the geometry files yet either from JPL, but pixel resolution should be somewhere between 1~2 km.
@klezman @rjquillin
Shit the detail is unbelievable!
@klezman @ScottW58
@rjquillin @ScottW58 1-2 km per pixel? Simultaneously amazing detail given how far away the camera is from the surface, but also makes you think differently about the ridges and other features you see.
@klezman @ScottW58
more on Ganymede
Thomas Henry Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
waiting on the bot to create the discussion thread…
@rjquillin Awesome! (Trying to wake the bot.)
@InFrom Yup, but weekends can be sketchy.
@InFrom
@InFrom
@InFrom
we’re up.
This one is from Meadowcroft Wines.
@InFrom @rjquillin
Man… I LOVED the Meadowcroft Pinot offered a few years back!
@rjquillin So what’s the story tonight? Bot is re-watching the Tony Awards broadcast?
@InFrom Yup, bot is on strike again…
Already put the ticket in.
@InFrom Development team makes it happen.
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
Talk about a delayed reaction… Is that why you launched two polls tonight?
@InFrom The CS poll is a rerun from last week, iirc.
Reading through email this morning, this tid-bit from C-H regarding FedEx shipments.
@winedavid49
This news to you?
UPS have something like this coming as well?
Given the enormous number of orders we’re shipping out across the country over the next few days, it seems appropriate to notify everyone about some recent developments that will affect your shipments.
FedEx just rolled out a new delivery procedure nationwide that will affect ALL their alcoholic beverage shipments in America - not only CHW:
Beginning this month, FedEx drivers are now required to scan the barcode on the back of a 21+ government-issued ID before they can hand over wine shipments to customers. This scan only logs first initial and last name - no other personal data is recorded. Once the barcode is scanned, the signature field on the drivers’ hand scanners is unlocked, and you can sign for your package.
This is obviously an inconvenience, but they are now required to do so in order to stay within compliance.
FedEx has also informed us that due to worker shortages, overwhelming package volume, and increased bottlenecks from disruptions to the global supply chain, all customers nationwide should not be surprised by longer-than-usual transit times across the board from now through the holidays and end of the year.
@rjquillin That’s incredibly annoying. UPS and GLS/GSO haven’t started doing that as of this past week. I’ve got a bunch coming from Garagiste via FedEx soon, though, so I’ll report back.
How does a supply chain disruption affect the transport of shipments within the USA? That sounds like a BS excuse to me…
@klezman
I looked at the FedEx site for additional info as well. Another tid-bit that may have been catalytic in @winedavid49 leaving FedEx for UPS
Adult signature service option. State law, as well as FedEx policy, requires an adult signature at the time of delivery for every U.S. package containing alcohol. It is your responsibility to ensure the adult signature requirement service option is selected so that FedEx requests and obtains the required adult signature. A $5.75 fee per shipment applies for this service.
@klezman @rjquillin The drivers license/barcode with Fed Ex is real. I had to do it yesterday for wine. As far as delays, this is not a new thing, at least for me.
@danandlisa @rjquillin Yeah, the delays are common right now, I just have major issues blaming “the supply chain” for it.
The $5.75 fee for ASR is not new and all the carriers charge for it, except maybe GLS since they have a significant wine business.
@klezman @rjquillin I was not asked to pay the $5.75, just my driver’s license.
@danandlisa @klezman @rjquillin
Yeah I have had a bunch of FedEx delivers and they don’t charge.
@danandlisa @rjquillin @ScottW58 The shipper pays it as part of the shipping. It’s been a charge for ages, even if they may have recently upped the amount.
@danandlisa @klezman @rjquillin
Now UPS on the other hand is sinking me with 4.99 bastids
@danandlisa @klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58
On a UPS Casemates delivery earlier this week, I was asked to sign for the delivery again (something that has not been done since the COVID onset). When I mentioned this to the driver, he said if someone doesn’t want to sign he just leaves it (with an adult occupant) as per the usual COVID practice. I have not experienced any additional charges (I’m not sure if my My Choice Membership makes any difference in this).
@danandlisa @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin
I’m not working at home anymore so I have to move it to a store now 5.99 Cha ching
@danandlisa @klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 Or ante up for an annual My Choice membership for $20? (unless the $10 deal I posted in the Deals thread is still available)
@klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin @ScottW58 I have said this before, but I would love the option to send it to a store.
@rjquillin i did get wind of this change with Fedex. nothing so far from UPS. hope not. Ain’t UPS grand??
@rjquillin @Winedavid49
No, no they are not.
@danandlisa @klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin @ScottW58
I never have issues receiving wine at my UPS Store where I have a box (like a PO Box, but no PO in front). Only issue was a labrat bottle that arrived when I was out of town and UPS wouldn’t let it be forwarded.
But, I used it for business too, and prices have gone up. On the other hand, l don’t need to worry about Porch Pirates!
Tomorrow is national Zin day.
I miss ZAP.
From RWS, Jillian from Onesta on wine ingredients.
@chipgreen
Entertaining Rose Bowl
@rjquillin Huh? American football is tomorrow. Today is hockey day!
@klezman @rjquillin
We were at my SIL’s and she did not have the game on.
Just checking to see if the site if broken…
Poof?
@InFrom @mark_l
Fat fingers me accidentally killed off the wholesale website.
Had to nuke three of four of them the past week or so…
@rjquillin Oops! C’est la vie!
@InFrom
IngaCevere has been eliminated by @xx. Please wire the agreed upon amount of candy corn to your nearest speakerdock.
Impressed that this bullshit is still happening!
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2022/07/obscure-us-commission-puts-all-wine-shipping-in-peril
Calling @WineDavid49
@klezman If enacted, this could really blow…
@klezman @rjquillin Absolutely! I’ve usually been happy with stuff that the Uniform Laws Commission does, but sometimes they come a cropper, and they do have their biases…when I was working on a bar committee on a new LLC Act, we had to go around and around with them over a couple of issues that made no sense to our group - they seem to think of LLCs and ‘’mom & pop” operations rather than the sophisticated vehicles they have become….
@davirom So you are saying I will remember half of what I should because I drink copious amounts of wine
wait what did you say?
@ScottW58 Unfortunately, depending on your pov, most of the other things that are good for memory are “green stuff”
@davirom
I said half for god sakes I’m not greedy
How do you define disappointment? Getting a UPS notice of a 7 pound box from Wine Country Connect (imagining a 2 bottle Lab Rat shipment on the way?), only to realize it is for a 5 pound bag of coffee you bought from Woot grocery! Oh well…
p.s. Finding decent whole bean coffees at Costco has been a challenge for the past 6 months or so.
@Mark_L I keep hoping we’ll get a side-by-side lab rat opportunity one of these days!
@klezman I think I have had 3: the Flying Goat Cellars PN assortment, a Pedroncelli Mixed Red offering (of Nov 21, 2020, where I had a 2018 Sangio and 2017 Cab), the Paradise Ridge GSM (where I was shipped 2 bottles of the same vintage by mistake). All three were great!
@Mark_L HA! I’ve had that same feeling!! Did enjoy the coffee, though.
@radiolysis It just came today. I’ll be trying it when I finish what I am currently using.
Depending how you look at it a pretty cool feature in Cellartracker
https://www.cellartracker.com/charts.asp
@ScottW58 staring into the light of truth, is disturbing.
@rjquillin
Exactly
Mine shows a 50% drop from the beginning of June until the end of July. Alarming, right? It was almost entirely due to deleting dozens of phantom bottles from my list. In June I started packing everything into shippers prior to moving, and updating CT as I went. It became obvious just how lousy a job I’d been doing of keeping it up to date.
@InFrom choir here, checking in…
@InFrom @rjquillin
I need to start drinking way more than I buy!
Yeah my only drops are when I go through and delete bottles I know I drank, sadly the line is on a long and steady rise
@InFrom @rjquillin @ScottW58 I don’t need the charts to show me our cellar has grown too much too quickly.
I frequently use the (older) features of cellar summary by purchase time and consume time. Our consumption is pretty consistent and we’re slowly getting the purchasing down - but not nearly to where it should be! Hopefully next year will be the year we buy less than we drink.
@InFrom @klezman @rjquillin
Of course you don’t need the charts lol.
@InFrom @rjquillin @ScottW58 meant to also say that the charts are fun regardless!
2023-01-23
https://nationaltoday.com/wellington-anniversary-day/
@rjquillin Not quite the Wellington that we celebrate around here!
@Mark_L @InFrom
@InFrom @Mark_L @rjquillin
But if you try sometimes
You just might find
You get what you need
My question still stands
NYT article on boxed wines - top rated wine works out at equivalent of $18 a bottle. Not sure if I have ever bought boxed wine - maybe in the distant past
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/dining/drinks/best-boxed-wines.html
@ctmariner WD offered at least one boxed wine back in the day (boxx wine co) which we sent as a gift and heard was great.
Re: Underground Cellar’s bankruptcy filing and the possibility of customer orders being fulfilled, there was a hearing on October 5th which has now been reassigned/continued to October 16th.
https://www.inforuptcy.com/browse-filings/delaware-bankruptcy-court/1:23-bk-10554/bankruptcy-case-phoeno-wine-company-inc
@chipgreen Every time I hear about this, I am reminded of the CyberRebate.com fiasco.
@chipgreen @Mark_L I seem to have dodged even the news-splash radius of those, let alone the damage radius. But I’d have clocked it for a short-run grab-n-go just based on what they were visibly doing.
Can someone explain how to get back to the main listing of threads after viewing one? Whenever I view one, I keep having to manually scroll back to the top, and then click the “Community” button, and then click the “Casemates” link.
@HitAnyKey42 Remove everything after
/forum/from the url in your address bar.@arielleslie So basically, no buttons or links? Have to manually delete from the address? Though I suppose just using the main link as a favorite in my favorites bar would also work. Guess that’s the only way to actually navigate this website.
@HitAnyKey42 As you noted, you could scroll to the top and use the “community button” or you could double-tap the back button (or Alt-
twice).
@HitAnyKey42 @snapster Exactly why it was asked earlier for the addition of top and home buttons, for those lacking physical mice and physical keyboards.
Clarification to my above comment: You only need to double-tap the back if you commented. If you only read the thread, normal back will work.
@HitAnyKey42 I learned rather quickly that the first click on the “community” button opens the menu for the various Mediocre communities. A second click on that same button takes you to the forum main page for the site you’re on. I agree it’s confusing.
@dave @snapster maybe this is something we can add more links for? It’s also something I’d rather not have to scroll back up to the top to do every time.
@rjquillin you were asking about accessibility improvements? I was under impression was your usability feeling from woot to this.
@snapster Nah, Ron is just saying he usually uses his tablet for this stuff so he finds it annoying to have to scroll around so much. (It takes some time to learn to decipher Ron
)
@klezman I concur. Too much scrolling…A “back to top” that moved with the scrolling of the page would be splendid. No idea how easy/hard that is, but might be a simple approach?
@HitAnyKey42 Double click the community chat bubble icon at the top right:
@HitAnyKey42 Hit the back arrow in the upper left corner.
OK, too many posts in one thread that made me chuckle out loud - bowtie, really, I thought the exact same thing re ether, including the ae. HAK and others, as posted previously, filtering is your friend - play around a bit to set it up so you see your favorite threads… Cesare - really?! …and Mark, where do you find this stuff?!
@XsanityX sparky is the best
@XsanityX I have come to the conclusion that Sparky’s real job is cataloging gifs on the internet, cause he has one for everything.
Can we have either a tab or a sticky or something for this? Looking for it is REALLY going to push my apathy gene to the max.
@bhodilee Ya. But the more we comment, the higher it stays. I’d love to get the hookup threads out of my view…
Anyway, it would be awesome if we could “hide” threads or conversely, subscribe to threads, and have them take precedence somehow.
@vaaccess I thought maybe that was a thing you could do, but maybe it is a thing you cannot do, but would be a handy thing you could do if you could do that thing.
At least I don’t have to deal with # tags here
@kalfaz #thankgodforminormiracles
So far down the list
I, got my Little today and found out that there are other denizens of my State on here, which makes me feel territorial. I’ll be peeing on light poles henceforth.
@bhodilee Isn’t it cold enough there that that would be rather, um, odd?
@klezman Clearly you aren’t considering the source.
@klezman 52F yesterday, 48 today
link
Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks are delightful this time of year! The elevation really helps keep the heat down.
Love me some homemade pesto! What all do you put in “garden” pesto? Or is it just that the basil comes from your garden? Also, how do you store it? I usually freeze in ziplock bags and would be interested other options.
@pseudogourmet98 Just basil from the garden. Basil, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, garlic, a drop or two of lemon juice, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Regiano.
But then the final dish also includes tomatoes from the garden.
@pseudogourmet98 We freeze some of it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, put the cubes in plastic bags or containers, so you have easier access to smaller portions. We also put some in 1/2 pint jars, which is about enough for when we are making it for whole family.
not since the West Point Cadet football player scandal…!
I want to dry age some beef at home. Anybody want to help us with a “practice” cut? I was thinking of getting a prime striploin or rib subprimal from Costco and aging it for ~40 days. That way when the bone-in ribs make their appearance around xmas time I’ll be confident.
Anybody want to go in on the test round? The whole slab is usually in the $125 range depending on the day. We can sample the results (and even take multiple different ages if we want) for a nice dinner & wine gathering, probably near to Thanksgiving time.
@ScottW58 @rjquillin @CorTot @merbill
@klezman @ScottW58 @rjquillin @CorTot @merbill
Had to go down to the barrio yesterday to pick up dome fresh coffee, swmbo wanted to hit some Asian markets for supper last night. There was a commercial Costco on the way and I wanted some capers, at a decent price.
We wandered back to the meat area; yikes!
Huge cuts of nearly everything, not the household size offerings at the local outlets. Entire legs and shoulders of lamb at Costco pricing. Would have to acquire some major cooking implements to deal with some of these. Still, amazing to see the cuts.
How you thinking of doing the aging?
From what I’ve read, limited, it takes good temperature and humidity control with adequate air circulation to be successful.
@CorTot @rjquillin @ScottW58
Most stuff I’ve read agrees that a fan inside either a bar fridge or a freezer with an adjusted thermostat does the job well. Some also add a tray of salt to help act as an air desiccant. They key seems to be to ensure that the crust properly develops in the first few days.
Whole lamb shoulders sounds great. I wonder if there’s a commercial Costco near me…although it’s hard to suggest a full 109A rib is a household size.
@klezman tough to commit here, it sounds fun though! We’ll be around before thanksgiving but I’ll be out of town the week after. I’ve never dry aged a steak and wouldn’t know where to start. But I bet there’s a YouTube video for that.
@CorTot Mostly looking for people to help split the cost at the moment and then we’ll make sure all can attend the sampling! We’re also most of Channukah, so there will be some wrangling. Dec 15 weekend is a likely good time, and could double as a kiddo birthday shindig! (What two-year old doesn’t like a good dry aged steak?)
@klezman
You should do it! I have a friend who does this all the time but usually goes over where I like it. I prefer 30 day at most.
@rjquillin Costco Business is fantastic. But more importantly, what coffee were you going for? We’re always looking for new roasters to try out.
@ScottW58 The 100+ day aged rib steak at APL restaurant might change your mind
But I figured at least you’d be in because you could use some of the remaining cooler space when we do another round in December/January! Also, we need to get together to eat/drink. We can do weekend of Oct 26-28 or Sunday of next week. Next Saturday has no guarantees since I’ll be getting off a flight from Switzerland on Saturday.
Also, happy birthday to your lovely SWMBO! I hope she at least took today off!
@radiolysis Used to purchase from Pannikin, wholesale, when they existed. The roaster split off from the retail outlets after some fracas and is now known as Cafe Moto. Still purchase wholesale. This all started around '69 or '70. Settled in on a dark roast blend they call Blue Sky. I like a darker roast, but had to compromise with swmbo. We do #5 of beans every 3~4 weeks or so.
@klezman @ScottW58 @markdaspark I kind of miss sparky’s b-day greetings here. A tradition lost with ww it seems.
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58
Yes, not as easy to do.
@klezman
we both work Sundays now so no break for her. Next Sunday should work.
Yeah 100 days no thanks kind of prefer fresh meat
@klezman
I will donate to your Flankmates Kickstarter at the Kiddo Birthday Shindig Remote Party Pack level. Send the link.
@chipgreen Nicely done.
But if you’re coming to town we’ll throw a shindig just for you!!
@chipgreen @klezman
I can attest to that. When my husband and I were in SoCal a few years ago we were treated with open arms by the woot contingent. I was just telling someone the other day about it and they were dumbfounded. “Wait. You’re telling me that you were thousands of miles from home, you got into a car with some people you only knew from an internet chat, you let them take you to the house of another person you only knew from the internet (and you didn’t know exactly where that house was), and you lived to tell about it?” Yes! And we met some wonderful people and had a fabulous time, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!
@klezman
Sadly, not likely anytime soon… best chance would be if there is a 2019 RPM Tour. For now I will have to continue to live vicariously through the postings of yourself and others!
@chipgreen @klezman @pseudogourmet98 Right after the first rpm tour in 2008, we were making plans to attend a SoCal auxiliary tasting in Las Vegas, where we knew we’d be seeing some of the friends we made on the tour. The tasting was to be at the home of one of the people who had been posting regularly on the w.w blog, but whom we hadn’t met. We mentioned this at dinner in Buffalo with a bunch of friends, a few weeks before the tasting, and they were aghast.“You’re going to Las Vegas to a wine tasting at the home of an internet friend?” We talked about it on the way home; after all, just a few months earlier, we had sent a check to some (then unknown) guy in Michigan for a tour that, on its face would have seemed pretty sketchy to a lot of people. The tour happened and we had a fabulous time. But here we were, heading across the country to hook up with some “internet friend”, something we have for years warned our students never to do. We flew out after school on Friday, had a great time, flew home on Sunday, never missed a day of work. A few months later, we were back in Las Vegas getting married, but that’s another whole story. Life is beautiful.
Sadly, it appears that the old Wine.Woot forums are no more!
Hopefully someone off loaded the more critical threads!
@MarkDaSpark They’re definitely kaput? TT had said they’d be loaded, eventually. Are they going back on that promise?
@InFrom
I clicked on a link here (well, on the TO Mystery Case offer) regarding Kent Rasmussen post on PS Dumb phase, and it didn’t show. I then went to the forums, and they’re missing.
Says “Oops! That page doesn’t exist or is private.”
@InFrom
They might, it looks like changed Forum software, so maybe they will.
@MarkDaSpark They’ve been saying the forums will show up. “They” being TT. We had a brief discussion about the changes last week.
Is B Toffee Brandini? Whatever it is, it is up on Gourmet. I can’t really tell from the description.
@bahwm Seems to me I saw it up there recently. Shame we can’t look at the old threads atm. But I don’t think it was from Brandini.
@bahwm @winedavid49
WD, you know anything about this?
@bahwm Seeing that there are different websites for Brandini and B Toffee (and different names in the “Story” pages of the two sites), I would venture that they are not the same.
@bahwm @rjquillin not connected. Brandon of Brandini was put off by us working with another toffee house when we went full gourmet… gone radio silent since then… a pitty (and petty!).
@bahwm @rjquillin @Winedavid49 The toffee is dead…Long live the toffee?
@bahwm @rjquillin @Winedavid49 Wow, impressively lame.
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 So sad. Seriously lame and unfortunate for us, because I thought we got some pretty good deals from them and a great QPR. On another note, they don’t hesitate to send emails about some of their offers!
@bahwm @klezman @rjquillin @Winedavid49
it’s not my fault that you got me hooked on crack!
Yeah pretty lame but I gotta say when I got the email from them I jumped on it
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 More specifically to WD: I’m pretty sure that you never signed any document that said that you would ONLY sell Brandini toffee. Time for some people to grow up!
@bahwm @rjquillin @Winedavid49 They did start the business as teenagers, didn’t they?
@klezman @rjquillin @Winedavid49 Oh, the irony!
@bahwm @rjquillin he is young and he stepped back after I told him about the demands of gourmet. But still no deal. A bummer considering we honestly help launch the brand.
@Winedavid49 If the wineries acted that way, you’d be in a world of trouble. "I thought you were only selling my Pinot Noir!
@bahwm @rjquillin @Winedavid49 Hmmm…somebody forgot who helped them get to where they are today. Who’d have guessed…
Sigh
@bahwm @rjquillin @Winedavid49
They sell their popcorn in Costco, and roadshows with more of their products. But they should honor who got them there!
Here’s an interesting idea, the best wine to drink with Halloween candy:
http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/10/the-best-wine-to-drink-with-halloween-candy.html?utm_source=GetTheElevator&utm_campaign=739799d7d1-GetTheElevator-dot-com_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e6123ee6a2-739799d7d1-17482965
Sous vide thingy over at Meh today. Any thoughts on it?
@karenhynes Got mine and worried what
withdrawn-mountainous-ramen
may invoke.
Already have an Anova, but grabbed these to do circuit board cleaning with some warm IPA.
These look like they may be better for shallower vessels and not requiring as much (height/depth) liquid; at least hoping that’s so.
@karenhynes @rjquillin I’ve been thinking of getting one so I got two (other will likely become a gift). Like @rjquillin my order confirmation of sore-boiling-idea was somewhat unsettling.
@karenhynes @rjquillin What kind of acid is that? I don’t think you mean cleaning circuit boards with pale ale…
@klezman @rjquillin
I’m guessing isopropyl…
@karenhynes @klezman Yes, this. 99.999% IPA
What would Swilly call it?
@karenhynes @rjquillin Oh, alcohol, not acid. My brain must have gone towards etching rather than cleaning.
@karenhynes @klezman
Ferric Chloride would be the common household etchant.
@karenhynes @klezman @rjquillin
200 Proof!
@chipgreen @karenhynes @klezman @rjquillin woof!
ScottW, I hope you, your family, friends and co-workers are all safe and unharmed after last night’s shooting rampage. I wish we could find a way to curb gun violence in America.
@chipgreen It’s close to home, but thankfully not that close. (Closer for Scott, but also not that close.) Me, I’m more worried about another anti-Semitic synagogue attack closer to home.
@chipgreen
Thanks Chip! Fortunately as Adam said we were not that close. And thankfully after telling my kids for years that nothing good happens out there after midnight they don’t go out very often to hang out at night spots with there friends.
@ScottW58 @klezman
Glad to hear you’re all ok.
Klez, that is a good point especially with the way some of these psychos like to copycat other psychos.
@chipgreen @ScottW58 Yeah, too much shit to worry about. Things that one ought not have to worry about in a civilized society.
Hoping all of our California friends are safe from the fires. Please check in when you can!
Karen
@karenhynes No issues at the far south end, yet.
Wondering about @scottw58, gotta be close to him, but thinking it’s downwind.
Sad to see the Paramount Ranch go.
Have many fond memories of the Southern Ren Faire right next door in Agoura.
@karenhynes @rjquillin
I live in Sherman oaks not thousand oaks, it’s pretty far from us and the wind is going away from our house. But thanks for the thoughts!
Lost is that you?
@karenhynes @rjquillin @ScottW58
Heh, I thought you lived in Thousand Oaks. Oops but glad that the fires are not near you!
Went to the hockey game last night. Leafs dominated the Kings! Awesome!
I’m seeing a cup in the not-crazy-distant-future for the first time in 25 years…
@klezman ha! You have been saying that for years
@ScottW58 True, but now it seems less like wishful thinking!
Hey, everybody! Icewine Festival Gathering info has been created. Check it out! Icewine Festival
@bahwm Bump! I guess that didn’t work so well–it just got re-imbedded.
My meadowcroft wine order has been getting a tour of IL it has at this point hit chicago twice, and at least 2 more IL cities. Anyone else have this problem with casemate order?
@tiger7610 Don’t you want well-traveled wine?
@tiger7610 Mine has been in IL since Monday, still there it appears.
@tiger7610 On the bright side, at least heat during shipping is not a concern.
I mean if it comes with fun people to drink with sure, but in this case, I just want it to get here. At which point do I call fedex and request them to send out search dogs
Happy Boxing Day to all!
@chipgreen
Sorry for your Browns
@rjquillin
Thanks, I’m just glad they are fun to watch again. Maybe next year. Also sorry for you San Diegoans (?) - Chargers leave town and suddenly get good, ugh.
@chipgreen But hey, Ohio did quite well today!
Good game.
Chargers? I’ve not watched a game now in over a year. Spanos burned down that bridge long ago.
Now that Anthony is gone from Bell, it’ll be difficult to justify those purchases as well; as Spanos is a part owner and that connection we had on tour is diminished with AB leaving.
@rjquillin
I wasn’t aware he left, wow. Hopefully he will reappear soon.
@chipgreen retired
@rjquillin
Ouch… sad to hear that.
@chipgreen the spinmeisters there were hawking how little if anything would change; yeah, right.
@rjquillin Just lost the man who may know more about Cabernet clones than anyone else in the World, yeah it should be just the same!
Was that his wife we met with him? I would assume she retired too and that would also be a big loss.
Buffalo temperature at 2:30 PM today: 51 degrees!!
@bahwm W00t!, err, Ca$e!
currently 7C here in not-so-sunny SoCal.
Well, it is nighttime.
High tomorrow, 15C.
I’ll be enjoying the interior of the lab, running thermal-vac on the 2020 Mars rover cameras, but drinking vicariously with you.
Pics & TN’s!
@rjquillin Kind of sounds amazing, what you’re doing. Not a lot of drinking today–prepping for the choir party at our house tomorrow. Icewine Festival is next weekend.
Casemates glasses plus coupons over on regular meh. 4 for $16 plus two $8 coupons…so essentially free (plus tax/shipping).
I had to report my credit card “missing” today, so no joy for me. Go get 'em if you want 'em!
@karenhynes That’s one reason why I always have two working credit cards.
@Mark_L
Yeah…I do, but the other is at home and I’m not there until Friday night (or Saturday). I can survive with the 4 Casemate glasses I have.
@karenhynes I keep all of my credit card numbers as part of my LastPass information (along with all of the random passwords for logging onto any site) so I have them available wherever. Really helps.
At least, and from different issuers as well.
Write ups like for today’s Chard just make me want to scream and run away as fast as I can, which, unfortunately, is not nearly fast enough.
@rjquillin I would love to see video of that.
@rjquillin Well, you don’t actually want to purchase all the offers, do you? It’s good to have only a few of them be things you want.
Canned wines?
@rjquillin
Yes, they’re all the rage - hard seltzer notwithstanding. We sampled some canned Rose at Point of the Bluffs Vineyards during our recent Finger Lakes vacation.
@chipgreen @rjquillin They are mighty handy at picnics and the like. I posted a little while back about a Bonny Doon fizzy Rose that I enjoyed.
In other news… Does the world really need a Riedel crystal Coke glass? Much as I enjoy an icy cold Diet Coke, this strikes me as a bit over the top.
@rjquillin Not a fan. We have a restaurant that was just opened by some friends of ours. It’s called The Chicken Shack and can be quite irreverent! But, they make some mighty fine chicken there! Nothing fancy. They have gone the route of canned wines. There was a distributer there doing a tasting. One red was passable by our standards. One white might have been passable, but it wasn’t chilled properly.
When given those options, we go with beer. Local, draught beer, if possible!
@chipgreen @InFrom @rjquillin @ScottW58 A couple of years ago we stayed a few nights in a really cool boutique hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. They serve “breakfast in bed”. Well, they bring your breakfast at around the designated time and you may choose where you would like to eat it in your room–they do provide two comfy chairs with a cute side table between. I digress. But they do include freshly squeezed OJ and we knew it. So, we picked up some bubbly in cans at one of the local wineries or at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). It made for VERY nice mimosas!
@bahwm @chipgreen @InFrom @rjquillin
Now that sounds like a good use for a canned wine but for me that situation does not come up often enough to actually seek out and buy canned wines.
Fizzy wine in a can?! Sounds like they figured out a way to sell flawed wine
Hey, it’s still wine in a can, I didn’t hold it to that high a standard. Or any standard, really. I learned after the fact that he carbonated after the fact. It was enjoyable despite all of the above. And some good reading on the can, and on the site.
https://shop.bonnydoonvineyard.com/product/La-Bulle-Moose-de-Cigare-4-pack
@InFrom
I stand corrected
@ScottW58 Try it, you might like it!
I can see where my original description might not sound appealing.
@InFrom @ScottW58
I didn’t realize that carbonation had a “legal threshold”.
@chipgreen @ScottW58 I guess when you’re a winemaker trying to stay clear of the revenooers you have to be on top of these things.
@InFrom
Oh i’m sure it can be tasty it’s just with all the wine I have I just don’t really have a place for canned wines.
@InFrom @ScottW58 but, but, the pops is coming up in a couple of months.
@InFrom @rjquillin @ScottW58
Poppin’ tops at the Pops!
@InFrom @rjquillin
Naw we are classy at the pop’s we bring real stems and we have table cloths, thanks Cory
@rjquillin @ScottW58 Are you suggesting I drank it from the can? What kind of barbarian do you take me for?
Hey, have you guys been voting for Iron Horse? They’re falling behind! Do it here: https://buff.ly/2SyWhu1
@bahwm Done
Looks like we can vote once a day.
@bahwm @rjquillin
You can vote from different devices. You might be able to vote from different browsers, too.
@karenhynes @rjquillin
@bahwm @karenhynes @rjquillin
They should entice us to vote with a Casemates offer.
@karenhynes Clever - clearly the “Chicago way”: vote early, vote often!
@Mark_L
Chicago born and raised!!
Iron Horse is falling behinder. . .
bump for @karenhynes to post a pic…
@rjquillin
Try the what are you drinking thread
@chipgreen Just trying to see if we can get some additional activity here.
@chipgreen @rjquillin
Problem is that you no longer can have competitions regarding post counts (who can get to the next 1,000 post level) and other tomfoolery we used to have.
It also helped having people post late night (ala TommytheCat, Cheron98, Nallie, etc.), and jwhite posted morning recaps.
Along with the usual “Good night, jwhite6114. Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”, from Nallie.
@chipgreen @MarkDaSpark I do miss the earlier days.
FYI, you have around 5 hours left to buy two new Woot Monkeys using their App (Appsclusive). Geometric or Space capes.
@karenhynes
Hey, where’s the Mr. of the Month?
@rjquillin
Ooops I never posted Mr February, did I? It’ll be fine to meet Mr March this weekend, if I’m feeling better. Might have to post a double!
@karenhynes @rjquillin
Enquiring minds want to know!
/giphy National-Enquirer
@MarkDaSpark @rjquillin
I am required to be at work. Teachers and classified are not.
@losthighwayz With schools closed, what’s to do?
@losthighwayz @rjquillin teach from home? I’m getting small lessons plans daily for my son.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin
I don’t know about Lost, but I am working more than before closing campus and initiating remote learning, not less.
ok, i give. Please suggest binge watching shows. i’ll go first. Parks and Rec (start at season 3) or Breaking Bad
@Winedavid49 I’m planning to go back to 30 Rock. Also, not a TV show, but a nice diversion if you like that kind of thing, the Metropolitan Opera is streaming one old broadcast per day, for 24 hours. “La Fille du Regiment”, today’s offering, is fun.
I’ve also been meaning to check out “The Good Place”. I think this list from the NYT should be viewable, they’ve dropped the paywall for all things coronavirus.
@InFrom @winefarm will love the Opera suggestion! good call on 30 Rock. We are going to view a few old Taxi episodes to see if it still holds up and if our 15 year old would like it. stay tuned.
@InFrom @Winedavid49 @winefarm
My wife’s 10+ dr / hospital dramas are all I can take
Never would have dreamed that there could be a police drama followed by a fire fighter drama followed by a hospital drama.
I need to find something full of laughs.
@Winedavid49 Six Feet Under and Pushing Daises, oh, and Firefly.
Best song, Doors; Strange Days.
@InFrom @Winedavid49 @winefarm @CorTot: not “ha-ha” funny, but Good Omens on Amazon Prime does a good job with Neil Gaiman - Terry Pratchett material
@CorTot @davirom @InFrom @Winedavid49 @winefarm
What are you talking about? I haha’d a lot with good omens!
@CorTot @InFrom @ScottW58 @Winedavid49 @winefarm I am with Cory in looking for lighter fare. Seems most of the original series on Netflix or Prime are dark. I breezed through The Mandolorian, also grim and IMO not much fun. Should have named it The Baby Yoda Show, the Mandolorian was supporting cast.
@CorTot @davirom @InFrom @ScottW58 @Winedavid49 @winefarm Silicon Valley
You really can’t see much, a lot going on internally, but here are a couple of images of one I finished earlier today.
There are ffour internal ‘vanes’ that act as shades for the imager to hopefully eliminate glare and reflections.
@rjquillin no idea what that even is, but I’m impressed.
@rjquillin Do you use any Mitutoyo gear?
@Mark_L We do.
MF-176 series similar to pictured, but with a rotary stage, mostly for measuring and correcting for Z-axis sensor tilt; 400x optics iirc.
@rjquillin I retired from Mitutoyo about 1.5 years ago. I was a software specialist for the vision and CMM measuring systems. I worked on some MF units that had a camera so they could be programmed into (manual stage) automatic measuring systems.
@Mark_L There are three or four of us here that have “qualified” on the system we have. We have a golden unit and to qualify you have to be within 0.00003" of the mean on the Z-axis height measuremen of the pixel plane on on the sensor die surface. It’s amazing how porous aluminium and alumina (case, not die) are at those mags.
@Mark_L @rjquillin Wow, that’s some insanely tight tolerance.
@klezman @rjquillin Mitutoyo’s most precise measuring systems (contact and vision) have scale resolutions of .0000003937" (.01 microns), and accuracy specifications of around .000012" (.3 microns).
@klezman @Mark_L My comment on on porosity is really the limiting factor when dealing with “not smooth” surfaces. When we’re looking at a die surface of an imager (pixels) repeatability is actually much easier as the surface is, relatively smooth. But as we’re trying to make a wedge shim to insert between the case and the lens, we have to deal with machined aluminium surfaces that are just plain ugly. The granularity is pretty astounding, and trying to judge the “top” isn’t easy, have to look for shaved off tops of the granular structure and estimate.
@klezman @Mark_L @rjquillin
Wait what?! You’re enjoying working from home now? Thank you Gavin Gruesome!
@klezman @Mark_L @ScottW58
Killing what’s left of the economy, but I’m still trying to do my part.
Getting paid for not working just isn’t my style.
There are, however, a limited number of things I can do from here.
@ScottW58
Gruesome? Intentional or autocorrect?
I had a bunch of Flannery arrive today…shortloin tails for dinner!
@klezman
love the short tails!
Intentional and I think Ron’s long winded grumpy answer means yes
@klezman @ScottW58
Looks like I get an “Essential Worker” or whatever they call it card, so I don’t get locked up if I’m stopped while out and about doing essential work.
I could make this longer winded…
@klezman @rjquillin
Well I’m glad to hear that with all your complaing you’re happy working at home… doing essential things
email wine sales,
this from Invino
Low on Wine? We Have You Covered!
just make me laugh
even if it is only $11
Case of Pedroncelli Rosè on Meh
/giphy violent-whispering-fig
This is so nice to see. I got my first Flannery beef with the latest hanger deal. I’ll be back.
Santa Ana deliveries?
Pretty sure I’ve got some bottles for a few near or in Santa Ana. Looks like I’ll be up there tomorrow for a source inspection for work. Let me know if I have something for you, and if I can find it this evening perhaps we can do an exchange.
@rjquillin If you’re stopping by WineX you could pick up my outstanding bottles. Or not. Up to you, of course.
@rjquillin Just saw this, so today is out. I have 10 for you and you have a similar # for me (I’ll detail in an email soon), so next time you’re in the area LMK. I’m about 20 min. N of WineX.
@merrybill If you stop by WineX also please feel free to pick my stuff up. I don’t often get down there.
@klezman @merrybill
A, kinda, quick up and back, at least the driving part.
Traffic was moving right along. If I wasn’t doing 75~80 I was getting passed. Lots of lurking about.
Long day doing inspections, didn’t even break for lunch.
So, no pickups or deliveries for me or anyone else.
Is it safe to be out and about now? Thoughts?
@losthighwayz Depends on your definition of “out and about”.
Based on my reading and bioscience background, it seems like the LA County recommendations still make a ton of sense. Stay home when possible, or go outside in sparesely populated spots. Wear a mask if you’re near others or inside any indoor public place.
Above all, remember that the greatest danger may not be to you, but to the other people you know who might be higher risk. Especially people who have any blood pressure-related or diabetes-related comorbidities or people who are above (approx) 55 years of age.
FWIW, I took the toddler to the beach a week ago. That day, at least, it was easy enough to keep enough distance. The ocean breeze also helps disperse any droplets so long as you’re not a short(ish) distance directly downwind. When we were walking on city streets near the beach, though, masks were on.
@klezman @losthighwayz
When you were walking the streets was everyone else wearing a mask because I thought the mask only protects other people from you?
@losthighwayz @ScottW58 You’re correct in that it is much more effective at stopping outbound transmission than inbound reception. Most people in my neighbourhood either wear one all the time or are extra careful to stay fairly far apart. Personally, I’m satisfied with people’s compliance.
I keep a mask handy when I’m walking around with the kiddo or at the park. But I only put it on when others are nearby. That, to me, is a perfectly reasonable trade-off. (I also get a kick out of the people who wear masks when alone driving their cars. Makes no sense whatsoever.)
@klezman @losthighwayz @ScottW58 I see what you did there…
He’s Canadian not a monster !
@CorTot @klezman @losthighwayz
Lol Cory really knows me
@CorTot @klezman @losthighwayz @ScottW58
An interesting read…
fixed link with thanks to Klez
@CorTot @losthighwayz @ScottW58 Leave it to the Canadian to assume friendly ribbing and nothing more
Let’s face it - wearing a mask sucks. But it’s important. It’s too bad that much of the transmission appears to be from asymptomatic carriers. It would be so much easier if it was like the flu and you had to actually feel sick to be contagious.
@karenhynes Saw that the other day. Very interesting indeed. There was also a paper just pre-published showing that the number of ACE2 receptors in nasal epithelium seems to increase with age. At least up to age 60. That could be a partial explanation as to why kids appear to be less susceptible to becoming infected (and maybe also why they are less susceptible to the more severe cases as well).
@klezman I wear my mask in the car if I’m coming home from the store, as not to have to touch my mask or face with potentially contaminated hands. Then I’ll wash hands, take off mask, wash hands. I am overly cautious, but my hands are a nice shade of chapped!
@klezman @radiolysis That’s exactly our routine as well. What a pain in the ass.
@CorTot @karenhynes @klezman @losthighwayz @ScottW58 I get a 404 error with that link, which is fine, I probably would only undersand about half of it anyway.
@CorTot @InFrom @karenhynes @losthighwayz @ScottW58 Correct link: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/why-do-some-covid-19-patients-infect-many-others-whereas-most-don-t-spread-virus-all
(Some FB tracking stuff was added to it incorrectly).
I keep sanitizer inside my car and wear a nitrile glove (or two) for shopping. Load stuff into the car, get in, sanitize hands with the sanitizer I keep in there, then touch the inside of the car. Same basic idea, just I do it in the car.
Yes, total pain in the ass.
And, unsurprisingly, a week or so after LA County has relaxed restrictions we have an uptick in cases. Over 1800 new cases today, although “some” are from a testing backlog. Unless almost half of them are backlog results, this is a large increase from the roughly 1000 per day we’ve had the last week or two.
@klezman
Absolute numbers may increase, but how is the rate of positives/tested trending?
@rjquillin I don’t know - I haven’t looked closely at that particular data stream. My sense is that more people are getting tested regardless of symptoms and they’ve also started testing (e.g.) all workers in nursing homes to be safe. So I’d expect the rate of positive tests given having a test to go down.
But I’m not sure what you’re thinking that will tell us. With testing more widely available, you no longer need symptoms in LA County to get a test.
Two tests are really needed. First the RT-PCR test or similar that measures active infections. Systematic or asymmetric this is possible the best way to know the % of the population who have contracted the virus. Test two which currently has a very high false-positive rate would be an antibody test. Because we have truly only tested people who are symptomatic and those who had contact we really on have tested 5% of the population. We have little to no clue about asymmetric people. A reliable titer needs to be developed. However, ever after we do not know how long the immune system keeps this virus in its profile. It could very well be like the flu, slight shifts in the protein coat and the body can’t recognize it.
@klezman Absolute positive number may be higher, but % of those tested positive could be lower.
Absolute number is worthless. It will always increase while testing is done, unless this is totally eliminated, which is unlikely.
@rjquillin Still not seeing what your logic train is, Ron. Sorry…
I’m not talking total number ever tested positive. I’m looking at the daily trends.
@jml326 First, I love that your autocorrect changed “asymptomatic” to “asymmetric”. Unless you really meant people lacking symmetry
Yes, the two tests tell us different things. And yes, the antibody tests to date have had pretty terrible accuracy. (Even before the true PPV can be assessed given the actual seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.)
On a positive note, recent research suggests that SARS-Cov-1 antibodies provide some protection against SARS-CoV-2. The evidence so far suggests that the spike protein is not evolving particularly quickly, which makes sense - if it evolved too quickly it would lose its ability to attach to ACE2. Newly released evidence also suggests that antibodies persist for some time, and appear to confer some immunity. What’s not clear is to what extent.
I’ve gone a bit overkill I think, but I can choose my protection level. Box of gloves, if I’m really nervous about what I may have to handle, with a pair in my pocket on the way in.
In the car, a storage container with ~20 or so Handi-Wipes in the container, swimming in some 99% IPA. Second container for the used wipes/gloves. Back to car, open door, grab box(s) and open both, wipe anything I’ve touched (CC, keys, door handle, storage boxes) old wipe into the used box and close both.
So far it’s seemed to work…
Mask, yes, when required within a store, or in proximity to others.
So many people on FB and acquaintances in the LA area roaming around in groups maskless. Ticks me off but then makes me wonder if I am the fool for listening and protecting myself but more importantly my family. Tired of people saying it’s an overreaction, an attack on Trump, etc
Can somebody tell me the easiest way to post images on this site?
@Mark_L I think the easiest way is taking a pic with a tablet which has the “attach image” feature. Or I take a pic on my iPhone which shares to an iPad. I’m sure it works similarly in the Android world.
@hscottk @Mark_L How do either of those get an image into a comment here?
@hscottk @klezman I tried Imgur (which seems to work well for @ScottW58, but nothing showed up here. I finally tried using the “upload image” option and that worked.
@klezman @Mark_L @ScottW58 The twin peaks/sun icon to the right of the 1s and 0s icon (only seen on iPad not iPhone) lets you upload a photo from your library.
@hscottk @Mark_L @ScottW58 Yeah, I have that on the desktop version but not the Android mobile browser. Which is, of course, where my photos would most likely be.
@hscottk @klezman @Mark_L @ScottW58 In chrome on Android I just got to the menu and switch to “desktop site”. The attach file icon then shows up and you upload from your phones pics. Clunky, but it works. Who would have thought in 2020 it would be such a pain.
@hscottk @klezman @Mark_L right click the picture then pick “copy image address” then paste in the image upload thing.
FYI, Pedroncelli Friends cases (Red or White) up on Meh!
@MarkDaSpark Yes it is.
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/deals#5ed9c37f8d06c20450d2dd3a
Went in on the Scott Harvey Mystery and Library case offer, not like I don’t already have enough from Scott, but some interesting bottles showed up.
The normal and expected '17 and '18 Mountain and J&S Syrah (one an '06 J&S) and Barbara, a few Zins, a PS and a couple of twisties.
Interesting and unexpected were bottles of
2017 Wine on 49 Zinfandel Sutter Creek Nouveau
2006 Gazzi Pinot Noir Estate
@rjquillin I was looking at that case. Good to see what some options are
@rjquillin Gazzi?! I thought we bought all of that in the old site!
HOCKEY IS BACK!!!
GO LEAFS GO!
@klezman
Lol you meant Kings…right?!
@ScottW58 I mean, as the 4th tier in my priority list, sure:
Leafs
the rest of Canada except Montreal
Other original 6
Montreal
Kings or Sharks (and that’s really generous to the Kings)
other teams except
sunbelt teams
@klezman
Strangely I can completely agree with that list, just switch the Kings and the leafs
@klezman @ScottW58 all I can say is CAPS CSPS CAPS!!!
@bunnymasseuse @ScottW58 Caps? Feh.
The open bottle was in the fridge and is too cold.
I’m thirsty, now. (It’s been a long stressful week)
How do others do a quick warm-up?
@rjquillin Mircowave?
@rjquillin
Microwave. (I keed, I keed!)
I pour half a glass and roll that sucker back and forth in my hands for a few minutes. Learned that trick from watching Clark when he came here for a visit (also saw him shake a bottle of Cab Franc, Mollydooker style). Maybe not the most efficient method but it usually gets the wine fairly close to a good drinking temp, then do it a second time - of course the bottle is sitting out in the meantime, slowly warming on its own. Usually after I do a couple half glasses this way, I will pour a full one and do the same. If I keep going beyond that point, the wine is usually at a reasonable temp by then to just pour and sip.
@klezman @chipgreen
It’s been known to happen.
I think I once dropped a pellet of dry ice into a glass as well to go the other way. Elvira would have been proud of the visual results.
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin
Whiskey stones work for chilling quickly.
I needed to warm up a refrigerated red red recently while we had something in a long sous vide. Stuck the bottle in for about 5 minutes, did the trick.
Came across a review for Drop it wine drops. Two drops in your glass reduces sulfites according their website. Interesting
@losthighwayz But does it make wine better? You can’t just get rid of the sulphur, so what does it do?
@klezman @losthighwayz I always wonder about those things, if someone bought it who would admit they bought crap if it didn’t work? Always seemed suspicious to me.
@klezman no idea. I just found it interesting and curious if anyone had heard about it.
@klezman @losthighwayz
Wasn’t there something similar making the rounds a year or so ago? I think you stirred the wine with it and it was supposed to absorb the sulfites.
@chipgreen @klezman @losthighwayz
The Ullo Wine Purifier (revenue stream for the manufacturer)
Probably just reacts with the sulfites to make an insoluble precipitate.
Chag kasher v’sameach to all my fellow MOTs!
@klezman Same to you!
This may be better suited to a different thread, but to keep it in a bit more neutral setting it’s here.
Just read this piece about Epicurious and scratched my head a bit…
@rjquillin Yeah, I saw that and shook my head at it. I think I saw that it’s only they won’t do any new recipes with beef but will keep the old ones.
Seems dumb to me. Shrug.
@klezman @rjquillin
Bullshit, literally. While cows may be 20 times less efficient to raise than beans and 3 times less efficient to raise than chicken or pork they are 100 times more tasty. Particularly Flannery and Morgan Ranch.
I actually counted my purchases too, very surprised to see I had 90 buys but I didn’t count the bottles. But to be fair at least 20 or 30 bottles had to be from when I participated in the marathon’s? I don’t buy often from them anymore.
Yup, there is an issue with the Amavi Cellars Walla Walla Valley Syrah thread they’re working on…
@rjquillin I noticed the whole site disallowed posting last night. Still having problems now? Or is this a late post to the previous issues?
@radiolysis
The post here from me above you replied to was initiated ~21:20 last night. Interesting it finally showed up, if, errr, somewhat delayed…
I think it all started around 20:30 PDT, and the bot failed to create the discussion thread for the new offer as well. I was on the mod channel and it took them a while to realize the scope of what was going on and close to an hour after rollover to sort it all out. I’ve not heard what the issue was or how it was resolved, but many were working on it.
@rjquillin I’ve been there (all too recently). I tried to make my comment on the “What are you Drinking” thread a few times and figured i was just doing something wrong. Seemed the most likely at the time.
@radiolysis @rjquillin I was like “oh good I can go to bed now…”
Pax and Halcon.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/Two-wine-superstars-just-bought-162-acres-of-what-16542951.php
@losthighwayz Yup. Paul and Jackie emailed about that last week. Should be interesting and good wine, but likely unaffordable.
Here is a link to a highly technical and long (over an hour) discussion about chardonnay with a master somm and 6 wine makers, 5 from California and 1 from Burgundy. Full disclosure: I couldn’t make it all the way through.
@klezman and others around a Costco
Chanterelles are in stock
@rjquillin I was at mine yesterday and they were not, sadly. Unless they put them somewhere unusual to hide this year. My Costco never got them last year either. One in Torrance did, though. Annoying.
@winedavid49
Wine event happening here in San Diego.
Long list of those pouring.
Any in the list that qualify as “don’t miss this one”?
As well as “not worth it, just don’t bother”?
Tastings Include:
Alexander Valley Vineyards
Alximia
Anakota
Antigal Winery & Estates
APCOR
Avensole Winery
Baja Brewing Company
Ballast Point
Barlow Vineyards
Beach House Winery
Benchmark Wine Group
Bivouac Ciderworks
Blair Vineyards
Boatique Winery
Boochcraft
Brassfield
Burtech Family Vineyard
Cache Creek Vineyards
Caelesta Wines
Carol Shelton Wines
Casa Emiliana
Cava Sarquis
Chacewater, Engine House Wines
Chateau Montelena
Concierto Enologico
Cuvaison
Dancing Crow Vineyards
DAOU Family Estates
Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
Domaine Sante
Double Bond Wine
Driscoll Wine Company
Emeve
Falkner Winery
Fallbrook Winery
Fernet Branca USA
First Light Craft Spirits
Flying Embers
Frankly Organic Vodka
Freemark Abbey
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
Gelson’s
Guarachi Wine Partners
Hard Working Wines by McPrice Myers
Hawk and Horse Vineyards
Hope Family Wines
Howell Mountain Vineyards
Humboldt Distillery
Infinium Spirits
Izo Spirits
Jax Vineyards
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
King Frosch Wines
Koi Zen Cellars
Korea Tourism
La Finquita Winery & Vineyard
Lake County Wine Commission Winegrowers
Las Nubes
Legado Sais
Lescombes Family Vineyards / Soleil Mimosa
LJ Crafted Wines
Loosen Bros. USA
Marston Family Vineyard
McPrice Myers
Mermaid Valley Vineyard
Miami Cocktail Company
Milagro Winery
Mt Gay Rum
Nenow Family Wines
Niner Wine Estates
Nova Kombucha
Oak Farm Vineyards
Obsidian Ridge
Paoloni
Papapietro Perry Winery
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
Peter Paul Wines
Pijoan
Preiss Imports
Primate
PRP Wine International
ReBru Spirits
Relieve
Riboli Family of San Antonio Winery
Rincon Reservation Road Brewery
Rojas Vineyards and Winery
Roussillon
Safu Sake Company
Sagamore Spirit
San Pasqual Winery / Toast of the Town
Sangiacomo Family Wines
Santo Tomas
Shannon Ridge, Clay Shannon
Societe Brewing Company
Sol Rouge
Solare Ristorante
South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
Spirit of Wine
Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance
Stringer
Summerwood Winery & Inn
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Temecula Valley Winegrowers Assoc.
Thacher Winery & Vineyard
The Calling / Deutsche Family
The Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance
Thorn Spirits
Trasiego
Valle Seco
Valmar
Vide
Vinos Nivel
Wild Diamond
Wilson Creek Winery
Woof’n Rose Winery
If anyone is trying to get into Clark’s virtual tasting right now, please try this link.
https://oulg.maillist-manage.com/click.zc?od=3ze3a5ac2985a910043d2e84fc1f34209edfab6049660393667509cdf60d599ae9&linkDgs=1560c134b1d96ff0&repDgs=1560c134b1d945f3
Saw this article on apple news.
Please read and discuss. I personally have never tried a wine from Daou.
https://apple.news/AUfD8FzLUQNGXwnza1fkAzQ
@CorTot
You can add sugar in CA?
I’ve had a couple, not the top end stuff, and thought what I had was rather overrated. Perhaps time to grab another bottle from Costco and try one again.
@CorTot @rjquillin Quite the puff piece.
Likely not a ‘deal’ so here instead, but wondering is anyone knows anything about this one that’s up on RLL
2018 Beau Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Guest Cottage ~ Owners Reserve Stags Ridge Vineyard
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4081006
And in very anti-deal news, looks like WTSO turned the “last chance” and “premium” by-the-bottle into a $40 minimum for free shipping. Before it was free on even one bottle. Grumble.
@radiolysis name it easier to enforce the WBM
@radiolysis
didn’t they have a yearly fee for fs as well, or am I confusing them with another site?
@rjquillin no fee. So I’d take flyers on a $20 bottle before. Now probably not going to…
@radiolysis @rjquillin So be fair, sending you a single bottle that you paid $20 for actually cost them money.
@klezman I end up having them held and shipping 6-12 at a time. Saves me going to FedEx too frequently. I understand the cost so I’m not “mad” just changes the economics.
@radiolysis Gotcha. So they wouldn’t let you accumulate a case now and still get free shipping if you buy them as samplers? That is kind of lame.
@MarkDaSpark I finally got around to breaking down some boxes and one from you had these in it. Do you need them to complete the decor of your new place?
@MarkDaSpark That reminds me…aren’t we all supposed to be gathering at your place one of these days soon before you fully depart to Texas?
@klezman @davirom
Unless they are LOUS (Labels Of Unusual Size), I’m good.
As to a gathering … first I have to clean out my house to sell! Moving like a sloth though!
/giphy moving-like-a-sloth
@karenhynes
Something new.
Looks like when a user now goes poof, so does the thread.
@rjquillin Ooooh, interesting.
Probably a good thing if they’ve started a new tread but not necessarily good if they’ve commented on an old/existing thread.
Unless that only happens on new threads/topics.
@klezman I’ll move the plumbing talk over here…
That was my concern once I saw the gap – I figured there was some amount of water getting behind, and the “quality” of the flip prior to us was questionable. Wish I had thought a little more before diving in, but no biggie. We can upgrade the valve in the process…
oopsies.
A few months back I had a dripper that needed service. How tough could it be to change out the mixing cartridge? It was pretty well stuck with minerals, but there were some decent videos with suggestions. Couldn’t really tell what the proper replacement was, so I got to likely candidates. Was lucky, one worked, with minimal issues, and the other went back.
Wait, don’t we have the Pub for chatter…
Easy to forget that one is there.
Got a dozen duck eggs from a co-worker that also brings chicken eggs in from her friend that’s a bit out in the boonies. Had some leftover steak and I thought, humm, some 3-minute insta-pot soft eggs would be tasty with this so I cooked up four, a couple for later.
Surprise, the first two had extras included, mini ducks.
@rjquillin Mini-duck? Yuck.
@InFrom I thought they were kinda cute, little bill and all.
Swmbo, eating a different dinner, decided she was no longer hungry…
@rjquillin It was nice of you to show it to her.
@InFrom After seeing them, I was cracking shells in the sink, she asked “why did I come over here?” Neither of us knew, as I didn’t ask her to…
They made quite the racket in the disposal.
@rjquillin Baluuuuut!
Anybody want in on the Rivers Marie 2021 Pinot Noir release? Several to choose from…
@klezman I could take a look
@rjquillin I’ll forward you the email
@klezman Many sound interesting, the first appears most affordable, not knowing much about the others.
@rjquillin the first is limited and if I ordered I’d take that whole allocation of 3 bottles. They rig it so that you have to buy at least one of the expensive bottles.
@klezman guess it’s a pass for me then. Thanks
@klezman @rjquillin
They rigged it? You have to buy more than 3 bottles?
@rjquillin @ScottW58 yes, minimum order 4 bottles. The Sonoma coast is excellent, probably still decent value with the $5 increase this year. The $60+ bottles are good too… They’d better be for that kind of money.
I know this is a long shot: does anyone happen to have a cork with 1989 written on it?? Thanks! One of my friends is doing a project and this is the year she and her husband started dating!
A question for @rjquillin or anyone else versed in the ways of AR wine preservation. Do you remember the Re-serve that WD sold on Woot a million years ago? As I pack for moving, I see that I still have a package of the little AR cartridges it uses. My question: is it safe to pack them into moving boxes and send them along with the rest of my stuff? They’re going to sit in the truck overnight. They’re not gonna burst open in the heat and kill the moving guys, right? (Don’t laugh, I was a Humanities major.)
@InFrom
How did they get from the factory to you or the retailer you purchased from?
Seems like they must be safe to ship…
@rjquillin Good pernt!
With @winedavid49 and the
sales lately (no black tie emoji), Flannery, Alaska Gold and other offers, this is turning into a $$$$ November.
@rjquillin I am saving so much money I may go broke
. If no one picks up the last third of a case on today’s offer, we may actually avoid spending some money.
@davirom Ah, need to edit/revise that comment to bow out. Hopefully that saves you a few bucks and space.
Sorry to see that, I was hoping to try the wine.
Has anyone tried a Morgan Ranch prime rib? Looking at potentially ordering one for a holiday dinner, but wondering if the additional $$ is worth it over a standard prime/choice prime rib.
@dirtdoctor
I did last year it might have been the best ever! You owe it to yourself to try one
Time for an every-once-in-a-while poke at @MarkDaSpark about the gathering he was going to host ages ago!
How much confidence do people have in CT’s drink by dates?
@davirom They’re usually way too conservative. People think wine falls apart way more quickly than it really does.
I routinely have wines with drink by dates of 5-10 years ago that are excellent.
Today’s NYT Food Section has article on “How the most delicious wines stay true to themselves” with (small) write-ups on 6 wine makers including Cathy Corison, Mathiasson, La Garagista etc.
@ctmariner non-paywall link?
@ctmariner @rjquillin It took me a bit to locate the article. This link should work.
@InFrom @rjquillin Beat me to it - that works!
@ctmariner @InFrom
Interesting read, thanks for sharing the link.
AbV of wine…
Recently there have been multiple comments of ‘high alcohol’ in some offers, where the AbV has been in the 14% range, where I’ve refrained from commenting in the daily thread.
Do others consider ~14% high?!
Ok, if it’s in the high 14’s, perhaps, in the 15’s and above, yes, likely so. Well Swilly is excepted.
What is now considered ‘normal’ and ‘low’, at least for reds where I’ve noticed these comments.
I do remember, and miss, those 12~13+% bottles and would now likely consider them low-ish, but desirable and appreciated.
Just curious where this audience currently is.
@rjquillin Generally agree with you that it has crept up over time - I would say it is now:
12% to 13.5% Low
13.5% to say 15% Medium
15%+ High
I pick up quite a few wines (maily from Europe - particularly Italy) from my local wine store in the 13% to 14% range which I enjoy.
@rjquillin 15% is pretty normal now.
I consider anything below 14.5% to be low.
I’ve been drinking a lot of Zins, Amarones and Ports lately. I tend to like those flavors, and they come with high alcohol. I do prefer new-world flavors.
@rjquillin Case in point: I just opened up a Mollydooker Shiraz, “The Boxer”, and looked at the ABV, which is 16%. Delicious!
@ctmariner @rjquillin @FritzCat
I tend to think the definitions of low/med/high are stable over time rather than a reflection of current winemaking tendencies. I’d generally say:
under 13.5% is low
13.5-14.5% is medium-low
14.5-15% is medium
15-15.5% is medium-high
15.5%+ is high
Part of this is due to my general dislike of wines with alcohol much above 15.5% since they often start to taste bitter to me unless it’s fortified wine. I do sometimes like higher alcohol bottles, but it’s much more dicey. I was sure glad to see the latest Once + Future offer showing most wines under 14.5% and only 1 above 15%.
@ctmariner @FritzCat @klezman @rjquillin
My take is 14 and below is my sweet spot, 14 to 14.5 is medium and I have a lot of really great wines in there. 14.5 to 16 is high for me but In that range I have many well made wines that hide that alcohol very well and are delicious think SQN/Saxum/Quilceda creek etc. I break those out with friends that really enjoy them. My problem with those is I can only have a glass or two before I get tipsy because I’m old and I like drinking more than a glass or two
@ctmariner @klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 I almost always drink only one glass (1/4 bottle) of wine per evening, in deference to my liver. So a percent or two doesn’t make a big difference to me. I haven’t noticed that ABV affects bitterness. I and especially SWMBO appreciate the big over-the-top red wines…in moderation. Everything in moderation…including moderation.
@rjquillin My view hasn’t changed about what’s low or high, though fashions have changed about what’s typically available in the marketplace…
Under 12 is low, you see it in some whites, often German or Portugese.
Between 12 and 13.5 is the middle range, the sweet spot if you will.
13.5-14 is the push of the middle range.
Anything above 14 is high
Anything over 15 is very not and no longer table wine IMHO
“Anxiety Purgatory”: Winery Owners on the Aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse
We know some people here, Marcus of Goodfellow for example.
@rjquillin Tegan is Sandlands (as the article notes) but he’s also the head winemaker for Turley.
Adam Lee is formerly Siduri before he sold it.
And I sure hope Marcus gets the vineyard he’s trying to buy. Now I want to hear more from him!
@klezman @rjquillin
He posted that it went through but gained some grey hair!
@rc70
2018 Long Shadows Wineries Pirouette
I’m seeing the '19 on full pull for $65
Yes, better pricing elsewhere.
Any thoughts?
Anyone happen to have the link for Fat Gus Phat Goose video clip?
https://www.facebook.com/woot/posts/keep-an-eye-on-fat-gus-and-his-delicious-phat-goose-wine-hell-be-slowly-revealin/10151778938818548/
https://wine.woot.com/plus/woot-cellars-phat-goose-party
@rjquillin
You seem to have a fixation with this guy, is this something you really want to see again?
@ScottW58 there was a whisper request
Just read Underground cellars went belly up and they are not shipping wines that are in their cloud cellar? Hope nobody here got screwed! Website says they are not shipping anymore wines.
@ScottW58 Yikes…glad I don’t have anything with them!
@ScottW58 Deleted from my shortcuts.
@klezman @ScottW58
I had a few that didn’t make it into the last shipment; nothing to get worked up over, but I wouldn’t turn them down should they become shippable.
@chipgreen, you have any insights here?
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58
No clue. They did not send an email. Yes, I still have a lot of bottles there. There was a new CEO recently and they hired WCC to do their shipping. I recently had some cases shipped, not even 2 weeks ago. Ugh.
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin
I would try to do a charge back on your credit card?
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin
You probably also print out what you have in your cellar while that info is still available.
@chipgreen @klezman @ScottW58
Sure hoping @winedavid49 doesn’t get burned for cases already shipped!
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58
The vast majority of my bottles were bought over 2 years ago. I doubt that I would be able to recoup much that way but maybe for the handful of buys I have made in the past year? Will they allow a chargeback for a company going out of business like that?
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin
Yes, when premiere cru went belly up people got money back up until charges were filed and some even later. It just depends on your credit card company, I remember some people getting money back for purchases one or two years back from amex. Can’t hurt to try!
@chipgreen I ordered a wine fridge back in the 80s from a company that went BK before it shipped. I filed a dispute with the credit card company. They canceled the charge and that was the last I heard about it.
@klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 @Winedavid49
WD, if you have any insight please share?
@chipgreen @klezman @rjquillin @ScottW58 FUGLY
@chipgreen @klezman @ScottW58 @Winedavid49
Pretty concise reply you did there.
Some talk about this…
@ScottW58 I am amazed at the amount of wine and money people left tied up in their “cloud storage”.
@davirom
Ha I’m always amazed how many people do splits and don’t see the wine for 6 months to 2 years! Speaking of which, Ron I have a box of bottles for you that I picked up at wine exchange when my daughter was still in college at Irvine 4 years ago
@ScottW58 @rjquillin I hope they are reds!
@davirom @ScottW58 I have so many old bottles here for Ron. Some are at his northern wine locker and some at home.
@davirom @klezman
Some?? Haha
I guess there’s something to be said for not being a high-roller… or even a medium-roller.
An Iconic Wine Store and the Mystery of the Missing Bottles
@InFrom That link did not work for me, but this one did.
@davirom Ha, just tried it. Didn’t work for me, either. Thanks for catching it.
Need to know which bottle to pair with your pizza?
Francis-Ford-Coppola thinks they have the answer.
Starting July 1, 2023, curious consumers can text 601-706-WINE (9463) to get pizza-related advice from some of the winery’s sommeliers.
Purchasing does appear functional, if you are patient
Ordered a bunch of wine from my UC “cloud cellar”. With having to dish out 21% of the original price paid plus $93/case shipping plus 3% fee for using a credit card, I am paying an average of 50% of the actual value for wine that I already paid for once and could have had shipped for free if I had not let it sit.
December 8th is the deadline to order and it’s first come, first served. I ordered half of what I had stored and will order more but probably not all of it. Interestingly, every single one of my bottles was listed as “in stock”. We will see what happens when they ship.
@winedavid49 I hope you swooped in to get the shipping contract. If not, I hope my cases will be shipped via FedEx.
@chipgreen $93 shipping?!?!?!
@chipgreen not touching it.
@klezman
Yes, case shipping varies from ~ $50 to a high of $93 depending on zip code.
@Winedavid49
Looks like Biagi Brothers are handling the shipping, via FedEx.
Ended up using some credit to pick up several 2016 Ty Caton Tytanium and Four Rows cab. Decided to give them a try based on comments on CM and WW over years. Haven’t actually tried something from Ty before.
Wondering if I’m the only one that missed an announcement that CA would be enacting CRV on wine and liquor containers beginning in January.
@rjquillin No, you are not alone
@davirom @rjquillin First I’m hearing of it. Yuck.