We work with two clones for our E11even Pinot Noir, 2A and 667. The size of each cluster is quite tiny, yielding tightly crowded delicate berries that pack a punch! Each clone will contribute uniquely different layers to the finished wine. 2A represents the front palate notes of the wine: bright zesty red fruits like fresh wild strawberry and tangy cherry. More opulent and rich, 667 comes through in mid-palate and finish of this wine: showing off robust flavors like cherry cola and spicy sarsaparilla. We complement the nuances of this wine by aging for 16 months in 20% New French oak and employing an additional 8 months of bottle aging prior to release.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Appellation: Santa Rita Hills
Alcohol: 14.5 %
2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley
Tasting Notes
93 points ~ Wine Enthusiast
Santa Ynez AVA is a long, east-west corridor with very cool temperatures on the coast that become progressively warmer inland. Subsequently, many varietals flourish here, from Chardonnay in the west to Cabernet and Merlot in the east. Our Estate Vineyard lies within the borders of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA and sits at a slightly higher elevation, above the fog layer. The name Petit Verdot translates to “little green one” due to its tendency to ripen late in the season. Curtis Vineyard makes the ideal site for this grape, as it can soak up the sun’s heat longer, throughout the day. This warmer climate is a big aid in consistent ripening. Petit Verdot can be misunderstood, utilized as more of a blending component, not often bottled as a single variety. With small, thick-skinned berries, it shows a robust tannin structure, dark color and a lush flavor profile. In 2017, a heat wave in late August and early September increased pace of harvest season. Then temperatures cooled later in September, slowed things down and allowed grapes to ripen gradually. We aged this wine for 20 months in 25% new French Oak as well as an additional 6-month aging in bottle before release. On the palate, you will taste tangy summer cherries, black licorice, warming clove, exotic florals and a gravel-like minerality. This wine will continue to show strongly over the next 7-10 years. We submitted this wine to Wine Enthusiast Magazine and scored 93 points! We couldn’t be prouder!
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Appellation: Santa Ynez Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Tasting Notes
We source the grapes for our 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Great Oaks Vineyard, which lies within the eastern borders of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. In 2017, a heat wave in late August and early September increased pace of harvest season. Then temperatures cooled later in September, slowed things down and allowed grapes to ripen gradually. This contributed to higher levels of concentration found in the finished wines from this vintage. We balance that full structure shown in our 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon by fermenting the grapes in tank and pumping them over twice a day. This promotes a softer, more gentle extraction of tannin. We also age for 20 months in 30% new French Oak as well as an additional 6-month aging in bottle before release. On the palate, you will taste mouthwatering ripe blackberry, fresh brewed coffee, warming cinnamon, cooling eucalyptus, black tea and peppercorn-like spice.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Appellation: Santa Ynez Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
Included in the Box
3-bottles:
1x 2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
1x 2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley
1x 2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Case:
4x 2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
4x 2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley
4x 2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
This is a very personal project for me. You see, I adore music about as much as I love wine. I am also nostalgic for an era when music did not come on a chip, an era before auto-tune, before hi-def, when scratches and skips were a sign of a beloved album played over and over again. Informed by this all-consuming passion, my E11even label is inspired by a vintage concert ticket that I found. It got me thinking and dreaming and scheming. It got me to here and now. The E11even wines are all Estate Grown and crafted with the utmost care and precision. They truly represent the best that we can do here, on the Curtis Estate in the heart of Los Olivos.
No expense was spared in the farming or the crafting of these stunning wines. In the vineyard, we cherry-picked the best blocks, restricted yields, and used every trick up our sleeves with the singular goal of harvesting the very best fruit that we can grow. In the winery, we took our winemaking efforts to the next level…we took it to 11. We double sorted the grapes to ensure only the best looking berries made it into our fermenters. We aged the wines exclusively in French Oak for 18 months to ensure immense pleasure upon release. The wines are rich and decadent, yet remarkably balanced, pure, and varietally correct. They speak softly of their variety and their origins. They shout, “Drink Me!” These wines exemplify the Natural, Locavore and Farm-To-Bottle movements.
Some may ask, “Why E11even?” We think we are one better than “10”, always pushing the envelope in order to grow and craft the best wine possible. While others may settle to be a “10”, we strive to be better, we yearn to be an “11”! Oh, and Yes, the name is also inspired by one of my favorite movies, “Spinal Tap”.
This offer is part of the 2020 holiday gift week and will be accompanied by a small carefully selected Casemates related gift. Happy Holidays!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
E11even Mixed Reds from Andrew Murray
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $239.99 $20/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Christmas came early this year as the Brown truck arrived with a single oblong package addressed for me! I waited a full two seconds to tear open the box to discover I had won the golden ticket, a bottle of 2017 E11even Petit Verdot! I remembered seeing this wine on a casemates mixed case deal (that I was too late to purchase as it sold out pretty quickly) a few months ago so it was pretty exciting to find it in my hands now. I immediately placed the bottle with it’s cool looking label into the wine cellar to let it hang out with the other wines so that it would feel more comfortable opening up to me later in the weekend. Of course I didn’t want to celebrate our windfall without our wine drinking friends and so called them over for a social drinkstancing extravaganza.
Upon opening we found the inky color, like a dark crushed cherry, that poured out of the bottle and into the glass really intriguing. We’ve all had Petit Verdot blended and even as a stand alone varietal before so we weren’t surprised by how dark the color was but it is worth noting as it’s definitely something special. On the nose we picked up bramble berry and something floral. One tasting mate described the nose as minerally or “when it rains on the lava rock” here on a warm day in the High Desert of Central Oregon.
After the first sip we all agreed that we tasted a black cherry flavor that was very pleasant. The wine had a very dry finish, think tannic, and we think this wine could/should be cellared for at least another 4-5 years. One of the social drinkstancers picked up black licorice and the minerality that was noticed on the nose as well as some blackberry. We all agreed there was a really nice continuation of flavor throughout the pallet that held on for a while before the tannins set in. Absolutely superb.
We paired our first tasting with Cougar Gold, a sharp cheese out of Washington State University, and it only added to the tasting experience. We didn’t necessarily think of this as a food wine, per se, but it will definitely stand up to rich, fatty foods like lamb and barbecue, no problem. We all thought that if paired with grass fed burgers and melted smoked gouda and sautéed mushrooms, we would be in heaven.
Letting it decant for two hours, the flavor profile was still there and opened up nicely as the tannins softened a little. We paired it with more sharp and smoky cheeses as well as some sausages from Olympia Provisions. This is, no doubt, a great match for bold flavored foods. One tasting mate picked up a warm and comforting spice on the nose and the cherry was still there on the pallet. Those great cherry notes create a wonderfully balanced wine.
All-in-all this is an awesome wine of a great varietal that is semi-hard to find as it’s typically a blended grape, which if you’ve read this far I’m sure you already know.
If you have the cellar space and don’t mind holding on to bottles for 5 years I think this is your deal. I’m planning on buying some to store just to see how good it gets as I no doubt believe this will be outstanding the longer it cellars. I like fairly obscure wines as they tend to have a story to tell and are fun to share with people who haven’t experienced them before and this is one of those. I look forward to breaking out a bottle in five years to celebrate anything with anyone at this point.
Thank you for the opportunity to rat this wine, thank you WD and Alice! It was an awesome experience for us and we appreciated the chance to check out some really good juice and share our thoughts. In for a case!
@mattkillpatty
Wow, thanks for such a thorough and thoughtful review. Of course I am so very happy that you enjoyed the wine, but I am mostly thankful to you and this community having a lab rat program where real peeps can try the wine and share their unfiltered thoughts! Thank you! May your day go to E11!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 E11even Mixed Reds from Andrew Murray - $40 = 14.27%
@CruelMelody right, but the numbers don’t add up for me. from my calculations (which could easily be wrong), the September offering had a better discount. Just wondering why.
@CruelMelody@danidani12
Very observant. The stated retail value of the earlier case was $472 vs $448 for this offer and at the case deal price, each bottle was $19 last time vs $20 this time, so an overall swing of + $3/bottle, comparatively.
But, hey… for all those who bought a second case last time just to get the 2017 E11even PV (really?!?) but ended up with 2016 again, your wish has been granted!
@chipgreen@CruelMelody true. I can’t find the specifics of the winery shipping cost for the September deal, but the $448 for this deal includes $45 shipping to texas (from the screenshot). I feel like it’s a bit confusing to include shipping when trying to compare bottle for bottle price.
I hope it’s not that but instead because of the overwhelming response to the previous AM offer and the fact that it was supposedly a “once in a decade deal”. While I am abstaining this time around, it’s nice to see them back so soon and hopefully AM will become at least a semi-regular player.
@chipgreen@CruelMelody@danidani12
Not my style to raise prices…I am not really in charge of pricing. But our last offer (the first one in far too long) contained some wines that cost more and some that cost a bit less, so it is hard to really know exactly what you are paying for any one bottle? I think last time we had some of our most prized wines that sell for $50-55/bottle, which would drag the prices up a bit. Either way, the E11even Wines are highly regarded for their price points. Their production is tiny, carefully produced from select blocks, mostly from our 3 estate sources…If you go in for some, I hope you enjoy!
@AndrewMurray@chipgreen@CruelMelody Appreciate the response! It seemed like the cost of the wines in September were more expensive overall, which is why I thought this offer should be less. But alas, I am not the Grand Poobah of pricing.
@ELEM
Good question. Yes, the grapes were grown in the Santa Ynez Valley for the PV and Cab and in the Sta Rita Hills for the Pinot Noir. We had no fire stress at all in 2017. Unlike our poor neighbors to the north up in Napa and Sonoma…it was a tough year for them, as was again this year…
@kitkat34 Yes, Casemates asked me for a follow up holiday offer with Andrew Murray wines, but you all bought up way too much and I had nothing left (despite the challenging year). Our E11even tasting room was closed for 7 months straight. It just reopened a month ago, so we had missed out on lots of opportunities to share these wines with new peeps this year. I love love love our E11even Wines. They are now made by a wonderful young woman, McKenna Giardine, who we hired back in 2013 to assist in winemaking. She is moving E11 into an even higher quality zone, while crafting the wines with a gentler touch. I am very proud of the wines in this offer. They deliver so much varietal character and depth. They are full bodied, ageworthy, drinkable now anyway wines that are truly perfect as the weather continues to cool off. So, yes, the E11even wines make it so the whole Murray collection is here this year. Thank you and this community for welcoming us in.
2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
Last week I got a mystery box coming from UPS, and upon a little detective work I discovered I had a Lab Rat bottle coming! Delightful! When I got the email confirming the date of release, I realized that the wine gods had gifted me a Lab Rat bottle ON MY BIRTHDAY! Whoa! What a coincidence! Happy birthday to me
Enough about me, and my birthday wine, let’s get to the juice…
Oh goodie, it’s a red. My favorite. I love all the reds. It’s darker than I expected, but bold is my go to, so let’s give it a whirl…
On the nose…fruit! I can distinguish what I describe as cherry, strawberry, and more cherry. Very fruity. On the palate…dark fruit, and “warm”. Bolder than I expected, and I love it! This could use time to cellar, and benefit from time to open up before drinking. I will leave it until tomorrow and post any changes after leaving it sit overnight. Although you can order, open, drink, and enjoy now (and you should, I recommend you do), this could benefit from being tucked away for a few years too. This mixed red case is a steal if the other two are anywhere near the gem this Pinot Noir presents itself to be. This would make a great holiday wine to serve during dinner, or with a cheese plate during a small gathering (while social distancing, or course). I’ve already committed to split a case. !
@kasandrae Thanks for the review and happy BDay! If you get to re-taste, wondering if you can detect any dark or earthy notes on the finish. That’s one of the things I really like as seen in some Oregon PNs (only the expensive ones unfortunately…) I didn’t actually know the term for this until it came up on a recent discussion here as Sous Bois
@kasandrae@pmarin
“Forest floor” is a good one. I wonder how many different places you have to lick to get a good overall impression of that forest floor flavor profile? Leaves? Twigs? Moss? Bare earth?
I will never forget the girl from SOMM who talked about licking rocks to be able to better identify aspects such as slate and flinty minerality in a wine.
@pmarin after a day, it’s still fruit forward, but with a tinge of “spice” that is more prominent than yesterday, and earthy (forest floor-y) but NOT prominently. Some people taste mushrooms in pinots, but I’m getting none of that. The fruit is prominent. Some of the heat is gone (described yesterday as “warm”). It’s not a light bodied wine either. It is truly delicious and will age well when cellared, but I’m having no problem drinking it now.
@kasandrae Happy Belated Birthday. Im blushing - such a nice and thorough review. The E11even Pinot comes from an older PN planting in the Sta Rita Hills, from the Rio Vista Vineyard. Mostly 667, from long undulating rows and some valley floor clone 2A. The vineyard is owned by an amazing family (Thorne Family - and I am lucky enough to call them friends), and farmed by a a great farmer (John Belfy). Together, they allow the contracting winery to dictate the farming practices, which allow us a lot of control for non-estate grapes. Yes, the wine is dark (we saignee the juice right after crushing to increase concentration ever more - even though the berries are tiny and the clusters are impossibly small. We employ 100% whole cluster fermentation in some tanks and none in others and then blend the wine to reveal what is in this bottle. We then age the wine for about 12-16 months in French Oak, a small percent new. Mostly Francois Freres barrels for the new portion. So, this is a rather rich and full-bodied Pinot Noir, but all very naturally and carefully crafted. It is not heavy, as the wine retains the cooling, natural acidity from the coastal climate birthplace. Thanks again for the review!
I do not have room for these. I do not have room for the Pedroncelli case I have coming. Also working my way through a wine advent calendar so won’t be making too much room through December. But still the Andrew Murray wines I’ve had so far are really tasty so in for a case.
@a5meiser Damn, I hate to do this to you. Truly. But this has been my most favorite comment thus far (reading top to bottom). Feeling blessed for this kind of support. Thank you. Hopefully you get to catch up on drinking and sharing the wines with friends soon. Thank you. stay well! Enjoy in good health.
Want this, especially after discussion of the last deal! But the last week of deals has us WAY over budget, unless we buy wine instead of birthday presents for our kid.
@klezman we might even consider throwing in for a set of 3 bottles if any of you are looking to make up a case. But what’s the toy included? Oh…and hi old friends.
@klezman Thanks so much. Sorry for not hanging around yet. I was travelling all day yesterday and am just now getting into a place where I can fire up the laptop. I am here for you all, enjoying this thread. I love the supportive nature of this community. You all are are supporting so many small, family businesses (family farms like ours) when you purchase these wines. It both humbling and satisfying to witness. Thank you very much!
@CorTot@rjquillin@time2testit
If this can get time2testit off the sidelines I can facilitate if needed. I can probably be talked into a few at this rate. Sheesh. I’ll just see what shows up, as usual.
@CorTot@klezman@time2testit
Not sure how the split ended up on this one.
One set of three for each of the four of us?
That’s how it’s entered now, but if someone wants out, that’s fine too.
@rpstrong@Winedavid49 I only remember getting some chocolates (I think?). I didn’t score wine glasses or a decanter or opener (I seem to remember that others got those).
@dkralston I hope they are delish to you! We of course think that they are amazing (or we would not bottle them up). But, we always hope that our customers and fans enjoy them even more than we do. Drop us a line at info@E11even.wine and let us know what you think. Thank you!
I’m trying to hold off on this. I have about 6 cases on the way before the end of the year, and one case that UPS seems to have “lost”. I wish I had tried some of the wine in the last mixed case of Andrew Murray I got, but on the other hand, my kid is of drinking age and loves reds. I’ll have to sleep on it, and half hope its sold out in the morning.
@Springbank Me too! But I have had several of his wines from the case and they are all excellent. I am caving and getting a case. Excited to try the Pinot.
@danandlisa@Springbank Thank you so very much. Hope you love the Pinot (and the rest)! Thanks for going on in on the last case - glad you have enjoyed them so far! Thank you.
@Springbank And, dang, I hope the “lost” case gets found. UPS and FedEx have been struggling this year - its basically been the holiday volume of shipping all year for them. I just met a FedEx pilot who says that they have never seen this kind of sustained shipping volumes. He actually mentioned that he was thankful they did not get the contract to distribute the vaccine when it becomes avail since it would have put an even bigger strain on their capabilities. So, hope it gets found. If the case was of our wine, let me know so I can help make you whole - it is the giving season after all!
@AndrewMurray Thanks for the offer. It has been found, or more correctly, was never really lost. It seems that UPS somehow entered the shipping date as the expected date of delivery. The odd thing was they kept showing the expected delivery as 12/1 until this morning. About the same time it disappeared from the UPS, I got a notice from De Negoce that it had been shipped on the first. I’ll be opening one of your wines from the last offer tomorrow. Really looking forward to it, and to the Petit Verdot in this one.
Thank you so much. That means so much to me. I share all of these comments with our winemaking and winegrowing team, so we all feel the lift and support and love. It means a lot to us. Truly. Thank you! We all do this (grow grapes and craft wine) to make other people happy. Of course, we enjoy it as well. But, we mostly enjoy making others happier. A glass or sip that betters a rough day, a bottle shared in celebration or sadly sometimes even a bottle shared over a loss. Wine can be a magical and life sustaining drink - this year more than ever. I know personally that I have purchased and consumed more wine than ever - and now, I first reach for the “good stuff”. Life feels a less certain for some reason. Whatever the “good stuff” is for each of us, I hope we reach for that more often and that we find moments to share it with others. Best to you and yours!
@rjquillin
Not sure, hope so! The Cabernet comes from a great hillside site (about 30-35 years old) in the Los Olivos district (still Santa Ynez). It is not Napa, think more of a classic Bordeaux from a decade ago, before they got too sweet and oaky. There is plenty of fruit, but also the traditional herbal and cigar box of Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is tiny-berried, from small clusters (almost Pinot Noir like). We cluster sort, destem and then berry sort to remove as much stem and unwanted material as possible. It is a very slow and laborious method, but it helps to make a “riper” style Cab than our area would normally allow. We think our Cab is delicious with rich tannins, it is dark and meant for the table. Hope someone Rats it soon. If not, hope you all enjoy it when it arrives. Thanks!
@danandlisa I am sorry everyone - I was travelling to see my father for his 81st birthday - today! Don’t worry, it is from a safe distance, but I needed to see him. He and my mom were the ones who inspired and helped me get into the wine biz so many years ago. I was just explaining this community to him and he is low-key watching me type away on my lap top from across the room. Today dad is 81 years young. Regrets for my absence. If not too late, I will be off and on all day. Thanks for the nudge!
@AndrewMurray@danandlisa Happy Birthday to your dad! It is so special you are able to celebrate with him (especially during these uncertain times). Hope you both have a wonderful day!
@AndrewMurray Damn, reading your notes and catching up on the other discussion had me ready to push the button - only to find out I’m too late. Ugh, I was pushed over the edge with the rats and you joining in. My dad turned 81 Sunday. I was with him for Thanksgiving. Cherish these times. I loved the Esperance from the last offer. Come back soon!!!
@peabs007 I feel you. I just purchased 3 cases of whites and Champagne - stocking up. We are still getting unbelievable warm and beautiful days in Los Olivos (thankfully since we are still only serving outside), but the nights are dipping below freezing every night. Hope the community offers up some more whites. We sadly just do not make much…
@danidani12@peabs007
Guilty - not from Casemates. I purchased a case of Champagne and half case of Mags from Kermit Lynch from their annual holiday sale - Paul Barra and Veuve Fornay. I have already had two bottles and a Mag. both delicious. Hard to find things to celebrate right now - but still drinking the good stuff. Then I purchased a mixed case of Boxler Riesling from Alsace (all Grand Cru sites - so goooood). I visited there in January of this year with my son when he was in Germany for his semester abroad, before the world imploded. I also bought a mixed case of lighter German Rieslings (Max Ferd. Richter) from Woodland Hills Wine Co., some Chenin Blanc from Loire (Domaine Huet) and yes, some amazing white burgs, from an importer friend. PYCM, Roulot, Dujac (these are some bucket list wines for later consumption for sure - or next Wednesday - one never knows what tomorrow will bring. So, all foreign wines as that is where my palate lives for white wines - across the pond, in the old world. For reds, I drink lots of domestic wines. Heck, I just plain drink a lot of wine! What kind of whites do you enjoy?
@AndrewMurray That’s quite the list of wines! Wow!
I’ve heard good things about Paul Barra - I think Envoyer brings them in or gets them from Kermit?
I’ve seen the Boxlers around. How are they in the pantheon of Alsatian wine? I went to Luxembourg and Alsace with my wife as we were expecting kid #2 a couple years ago now. She’s a huge Riesling and dessert wine fan, along with foie gras, so it was an amazing trip. Came back with more wine than I care to admit. (Not as much as our trip to Austria, though, where we visited Kracher, though.)
Sounds like we get wine from many of the same places, since we’re also in LA. Do you ever get anything from LA Wine Company?
@klezman Wow, you have been to Kracher and Austria. Never been (at least to wine regions of Austria - love me some the wines from there. I am particularly fond of Knoll. Makes me want one right now just thinking about it. Not sure tbh where Boxler stacks up. I think less well known. But I showed up there in January literally at closing time without an appointment (5 pm on a Wednesday eve) and was treated to a 30 min dissertation on Alsatian wine - all in French of course - by the 4th generation of Boxlers, about to sit down to an early dinner. My son and I were so humbled by this generous gesture of hospitality. My son had just told me on the drive over from Germany how he was enjoying some 4 Euro bottles of wine with his classmates - so I had to buy him a case of my fave GC Riesling from Brand vineyard. It was only 36-45 Euros Ex Cellars chez Boxler…it shows you how the wine rises in price as it heads across the Atlantic …At full retail it is about $85/btl here. I already loved the wine. I have them both young and quite old, and they have all been amazing. For the money, they represent some of the best values in Riesling for me. After the visit, their stock went up even more. I will forever be among their biggest champions. I want to go back in Spring, with an appointment so that I can do a deep dive into Alsace. It was my first visit there and it was too cold. The food and wine there is amazing, only matched by the natural beauty. There is also so much amazing WWI and WWII history within a stones throw, we spent a day walking through very well preserved German and French trenches, in the snow. Sorry, I went down a rabbit hole there, but I am clearly a big fan. I am so glad that you have been there, so you already know how amazing it is.
Regrets, I do not have my CC on file at LA Wine Company. I buy lots from K and L since they sell so much of our wine. I buy almost all of my futures from them every year I should spread the love some more for sure. Thanks for that.
And, again, thanks for your involvement in and for welcoming me into this community.
@AndrewMurray wow - that is indeed an impressive list of wines. I am taking notes. I grew up in the Bay Area, so I mostly drink Sonoma (and some Napa) whites. I am trying to branch out and always looking for good recommendations for a wine to save or have next week, as you said. With all this mayhem, every day feels like a good day to enjoy a nice bottle. Thanks again for sharing (although my CC might not be as thankful)!
@danidani12 True true. I think we should all drink whatever we actually enjoy, whatever makes us happy. Keep supporting Napa and Sonoma - they need all of us purchasing and drinking their wines more than ever! We reach for those more than ever lately, even as we try to support our local neighbors as well… Thank you!
@AndrewMurray@danidani12@peabs007 Thanks for some great recommendations of whites. “What kind of whites do you enjoy?” Since you asked, and we’re on Casemates, I have to say that Winesmith Sparkling Grenache here a few weeks ago has to be one of the best sparkling wines I have ever had. Drinks like wine more than a sparkler if that makes any sense. Technically a white? Hell I don’t know but I called them and ordered a case after having some on Thanksgiving.
@danidani12@peabs007@scott0210 Nice - i just looked that wine up. Sounds delicious and certainly a different expression of sparkling wine…blanc de noir of Grenache. I just love that there are so many different types of wines out there… thanks for sharing back!
@AndrewMurray Our visit to Kracher was similar to your experience at Boxler. We had a plan to drive from Vienna for the day (while my wife was pregnant with our first) and explore the Burgenland. We were a touch late for our appointment, but were greeted warmly nonetheless. We got to talk to one of the Krachers (their English is WAY better than my German. At least my French is passable.) and while we’d figured on an hour or so, we left about 3 hours later. I think we tried about 20 wines, young and old, and they would have happily poured us others. They also provided us with some food to go with the sampling. Talk about an experience. Prudence with bringing it back here kept us to something like 8 bottles, although all were half or quarter size. And 30 Euros for the TBA wine is a hell of a lot better than ~$100 here.
I think the folks at K&L groan whenever I show up to pick things up. There’s always a “digging through the back” sort of event.
@takethefarm crap. i just saw the est delivery date and i’ll be out of town a few days before and about a week after. not sure how long UPS will hold a package either.
you mind ordering?
2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Since this deal will be going quick, I’m going to do a quick review because this is a FANFREEKINGTASTIC WINE.
I actually cracked it open last night because I nearly forgot to review it, so I didn’t have any food with it. I Immediately smelled ‘liquid raisins’, which my husband affectionally said ‘well yeah, it’s wine made from grapes and grapes make raisins’. Thanks babe.
This wine was sweet dry to me. There were some tannins in there - but really - it was sweeter than I was expecting. Personally, I got raisins, prunes, and cherry on the initial glass. It was super enjoyable and didn’t give me that weird “squidge” feeling in the back of my cheeks like other reds can do.
I let it sit open for an hour(ish) and came back to see if there was any change. I personally didn’t think there was a huge change - slightly more cherry but still heavy on the raisins and prunes.
To be honest, this would be great to shove in your cellar for a while because I think it would age beautifuly.
I also think this would be a phenomenal wine to make mulled wine with - with little effort, because it’s already got a really big taste.
This is, by far, one of the best wines I’ve had in my lab rat journey this far and I highly recommend it!!
@AndrewMurray
I saw your cellaring estimate in the write up for the PV.
Might you have opinions for the PN and CS; for one that appreciates dusty bottles?
Thanks
@rjquillin Thanks for asking. The PN can certainly be enjoyed over the medium short term 3-7 years, and the Cabernet Sauvignon should perform very well over the next 5-10 years without a worry. Thanks!
Got this yesterday evening. Along with a neat “Casemates” knit hat. Going to try the Petit Verdot this weekend, one of the two bottles I got with the AM Mixed case a month or so ago. That one should be over an issues from transport.
Delivered yesterday. The Petit Verdot is now in our wine fridge, likely for several years. The Pinot Noir is in the fridge, likely for a couple years. And, yes I know that the Cab could/should have been cellared, but on an impulse we popped it open at dinner last night to get a first taste of E11even and Andrew Murray wines. The verdict: young but simply delicious. It did not seem to have suffered from its long journey. We drank more than we intended before pumping the bottle to finish tonight. The Cab gives us great expectations for the other two bottles.
The white cap lagniappe is amazingly made in the U.S. It is marked both “Do not dry clean” and “Do not launder” so I will try hard not to spill red wine on it.
2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
Tasting Notes
Specs
2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley
Tasting Notes
93 points ~ Wine Enthusiast
Specs
2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$448.20 at Andrew Murray Vineyards for 4x 2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, 4x 2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley, 4x 2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
About The Winery
This offer is part of the 2020 holiday gift week and will be accompanied by a small carefully selected Casemates related gift. Happy Holidays!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 28
E11even Mixed Reds from Andrew Murray
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $239.99 $20/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
2017 E11even Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley
2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
@Winedavid49 You are killing my wallet. Andrew makes amazing wine. Love, love, love his wines.
@danandlisa Thank you so much! Hate that we are killing your wallet! I hope you enjoy these wines as much as we enjoyed crafting them!
2017 E11even Petit Verdot:
Christmas came early this year as the Brown truck arrived with a single oblong package addressed for me! I waited a full two seconds to tear open the box to discover I had won the golden ticket, a bottle of 2017 E11even Petit Verdot! I remembered seeing this wine on a casemates mixed case deal (that I was too late to purchase as it sold out pretty quickly) a few months ago so it was pretty exciting to find it in my hands now. I immediately placed the bottle with it’s cool looking label into the wine cellar to let it hang out with the other wines so that it would feel more comfortable opening up to me later in the weekend. Of course I didn’t want to celebrate our windfall without our wine drinking friends and so called them over for a social drinkstancing extravaganza.
Upon opening we found the inky color, like a dark crushed cherry, that poured out of the bottle and into the glass really intriguing. We’ve all had Petit Verdot blended and even as a stand alone varietal before so we weren’t surprised by how dark the color was but it is worth noting as it’s definitely something special. On the nose we picked up bramble berry and something floral. One tasting mate described the nose as minerally or “when it rains on the lava rock” here on a warm day in the High Desert of Central Oregon.
After the first sip we all agreed that we tasted a black cherry flavor that was very pleasant. The wine had a very dry finish, think tannic, and we think this wine could/should be cellared for at least another 4-5 years. One of the social drinkstancers picked up black licorice and the minerality that was noticed on the nose as well as some blackberry. We all agreed there was a really nice continuation of flavor throughout the pallet that held on for a while before the tannins set in. Absolutely superb.
We paired our first tasting with Cougar Gold, a sharp cheese out of Washington State University, and it only added to the tasting experience. We didn’t necessarily think of this as a food wine, per se, but it will definitely stand up to rich, fatty foods like lamb and barbecue, no problem. We all thought that if paired with grass fed burgers and melted smoked gouda and sautéed mushrooms, we would be in heaven.
Letting it decant for two hours, the flavor profile was still there and opened up nicely as the tannins softened a little. We paired it with more sharp and smoky cheeses as well as some sausages from Olympia Provisions. This is, no doubt, a great match for bold flavored foods. One tasting mate picked up a warm and comforting spice on the nose and the cherry was still there on the pallet. Those great cherry notes create a wonderfully balanced wine.
All-in-all this is an awesome wine of a great varietal that is semi-hard to find as it’s typically a blended grape, which if you’ve read this far I’m sure you already know.
If you have the cellar space and don’t mind holding on to bottles for 5 years I think this is your deal. I’m planning on buying some to store just to see how good it gets as I no doubt believe this will be outstanding the longer it cellars. I like fairly obscure wines as they tend to have a story to tell and are fun to share with people who haven’t experienced them before and this is one of those. I look forward to breaking out a bottle in five years to celebrate anything with anyone at this point.
Thank you for the opportunity to rat this wine, thank you WD and Alice! It was an awesome experience for us and we appreciated the chance to check out some really good juice and share our thoughts. In for a case!
VAN GOGH! MANGO! TANGO! AWESOME!
@mattkillpatty thank you for the great review on the PV
@mattkillpatty I might be in your area in 2025…or maybe I just should order my own case, since I don’t know where you live.
@mattkillpatty
Wow, thanks for such a thorough and thoughtful review. Of course I am so very happy that you enjoyed the wine, but I am mostly thankful to you and this community having a lab rat program where real peeps can try the wine and share their unfiltered thoughts! Thank you! May your day go to E11!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 E11even Mixed Reds from Andrew Murray - $40 = 14.27%
Can I ask why the price increase per bottle compared to the September offer? Thanks
@danidani12 price is nearly the same, and these are different wines
@CruelMelody right, but the numbers don’t add up for me. from my calculations (which could easily be wrong), the September offering had a better discount. Just wondering why.
@CruelMelody to clarify, the September offer had more expensive bottles for less than this offer
@CruelMelody @danidani12
Very observant. The stated retail value of the earlier case was $472 vs $448 for this offer and at the case deal price, each bottle was $19 last time vs $20 this time, so an overall swing of + $3/bottle, comparatively.
But, hey… for all those who bought a second case last time just to get the 2017 E11even PV (really?!?) but ended up with 2016 again, your wish has been granted!
@chipgreen @CruelMelody @danidani12 perhaps it’s to pay for the “small carefully selected Casemates related gift?”
@chipgreen @CruelMelody true. I can’t find the specifics of the winery shipping cost for the September deal, but the $448 for this deal includes $45 shipping to texas (from the screenshot). I feel like it’s a bit confusing to include shipping when trying to compare bottle for bottle price.
@CruelMelody @danidani12
Yes, including shipping in the stated retail value has been a point of contention at times.
@chipgreen @danidani12 eh, if my offer sold out right away last time, I’d raise my price a little for the next deal! Who knows
@CruelMelody @danidani12 @pmarin
It’s not much of a gift if you have to pay for it.
I hope it’s not that but instead because of the overwhelming response to the previous AM offer and the fact that it was supposedly a “once in a decade deal”. While I am abstaining this time around, it’s nice to see them back so soon and hopefully AM will become at least a semi-regular player.
@CruelMelody @danidani12
Yes, you beat me to it and put it much more succinctly.
@chipgreen @CruelMelody thank you both for your insight!
@chipgreen @CruelMelody @danidani12
Not my style to raise prices…I am not really in charge of pricing. But our last offer (the first one in far too long) contained some wines that cost more and some that cost a bit less, so it is hard to really know exactly what you are paying for any one bottle? I think last time we had some of our most prized wines that sell for $50-55/bottle, which would drag the prices up a bit. Either way, the E11even Wines are highly regarded for their price points. Their production is tiny, carefully produced from select blocks, mostly from our 3 estate sources…If you go in for some, I hope you enjoy!
@AndrewMurray @chipgreen @CruelMelody Appreciate the response! It seemed like the cost of the wines in September were more expensive overall, which is why I thought this offer should be less. But alas, I am not the Grand Poobah of pricing.
Very tempting. Were the grapes grown outside of the 2017 wildfires smoke area or else picked before the fires?
@ELEM
Good question. Yes, the grapes were grown in the Santa Ynez Valley for the PV and Cab and in the Sta Rita Hills for the Pinot Noir. We had no fire stress at all in 2017. Unlike our poor neighbors to the north up in Napa and Sonoma…it was a tough year for them, as was again this year…
@AndrewMurray Thank your for that information. I just placed my order and we’re looking forward to trying your wines.
@ELEM Thank you so very much!!!
Well gosh darn & dag nab-bit we’ll have the whole Murray collection going on here this season
@kitkat34 Yes, Casemates asked me for a follow up holiday offer with Andrew Murray wines, but you all bought up way too much and I had nothing left (despite the challenging year). Our E11even tasting room was closed for 7 months straight. It just reopened a month ago, so we had missed out on lots of opportunities to share these wines with new peeps this year. I love love love our E11even Wines. They are now made by a wonderful young woman, McKenna Giardine, who we hired back in 2013 to assist in winemaking. She is moving E11 into an even higher quality zone, while crafting the wines with a gentler touch. I am very proud of the wines in this offer. They deliver so much varietal character and depth. They are full bodied, ageworthy, drinkable now anyway wines that are truly perfect as the weather continues to cool off. So, yes, the E11even wines make it so the whole Murray collection is here this year. Thank you and this community for welcoming us in.
2017 E11even Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
Last week I got a mystery box coming from UPS, and upon a little detective work I discovered I had a Lab Rat bottle coming! Delightful! When I got the email confirming the date of release, I realized that the wine gods had gifted me a Lab Rat bottle ON MY BIRTHDAY! Whoa! What a coincidence! Happy birthday to me
Enough about me, and my birthday wine, let’s get to the juice…
Oh goodie, it’s a red. My favorite. I love all the reds. It’s darker than I expected, but bold is my go to, so let’s give it a whirl…
On the nose…fruit! I can distinguish what I describe as cherry, strawberry, and more cherry. Very fruity. On the palate…dark fruit, and “warm”. Bolder than I expected, and I love it! This could use time to cellar, and benefit from time to open up before drinking. I will leave it until tomorrow and post any changes after leaving it sit overnight. Although you can order, open, drink, and enjoy now (and you should, I recommend you do), this could benefit from being tucked away for a few years too. This mixed red case is a steal if the other two are anywhere near the gem this Pinot Noir presents itself to be. This would make a great holiday wine to serve during dinner, or with a cheese plate during a small gathering (while social distancing, or course). I’ve already committed to split a case. !
@kasandrae happy birthday!!!
@danidani12 thank you
@kasandrae Nice review and nice polish!
@kasandrae thank you for reviewing and Happy Birthday!
@kasandrae Thanks for the review and happy BDay! If you get to re-taste, wondering if you can detect any dark or earthy notes on the finish. That’s one of the things I really like as seen in some Oregon PNs (only the expensive ones unfortunately…) I didn’t actually know the term for this until it came up on a recent discussion here as Sous Bois
@kasandrae for the birthday girl…indulgent-caring-log, lol.
@kasandrae @pmarin
“Forest floor” is a good one. I wonder how many different places you have to lick to get a good overall impression of that forest floor flavor profile? Leaves? Twigs? Moss? Bare earth?
I will never forget the girl from SOMM who talked about licking rocks to be able to better identify aspects such as slate and flinty minerality in a wine.
@pmarin after a day, it’s still fruit forward, but with a tinge of “spice” that is more prominent than yesterday, and earthy (forest floor-y) but NOT prominently. Some people taste mushrooms in pinots, but I’m getting none of that. The fruit is prominent. Some of the heat is gone (described yesterday as “warm”). It’s not a light bodied wine either. It is truly delicious and will age well when cellared, but I’m having no problem drinking it now.
@kasandrae @pmarin that’s a dark Pinot! I’m having a J. Wilkes Pinot (from a recent offer) tonight and it’s very light colored compared to your pics!
@kasandrae Happy Belated Birthday. Im blushing - such a nice and thorough review. The E11even Pinot comes from an older PN planting in the Sta Rita Hills, from the Rio Vista Vineyard. Mostly 667, from long undulating rows and some valley floor clone 2A. The vineyard is owned by an amazing family (Thorne Family - and I am lucky enough to call them friends), and farmed by a a great farmer (John Belfy). Together, they allow the contracting winery to dictate the farming practices, which allow us a lot of control for non-estate grapes. Yes, the wine is dark (we saignee the juice right after crushing to increase concentration ever more - even though the berries are tiny and the clusters are impossibly small. We employ 100% whole cluster fermentation in some tanks and none in others and then blend the wine to reveal what is in this bottle. We then age the wine for about 12-16 months in French Oak, a small percent new. Mostly Francois Freres barrels for the new portion. So, this is a rather rich and full-bodied Pinot Noir, but all very naturally and carefully crafted. It is not heavy, as the wine retains the cooling, natural acidity from the coastal climate birthplace. Thanks again for the review!
I do not have room for these. I do not have room for the Pedroncelli case I have coming. Also working my way through a wine advent calendar so won’t be making too much room through December. But still the Andrew Murray wines I’ve had so far are really tasty so in for a case.
/giphy lovable-iconic-popcorn
@a5meiser Damn, I hate to do this to you. Truly. But this has been my most favorite comment thus far (reading top to bottom). Feeling blessed for this kind of support. Thank you. Hopefully you get to catch up on drinking and sharing the wines with friends soon. Thank you. stay well! Enjoy in good health.
Tempting. I’ve plowed through a lot of my old inventory I need to see if I can make room!
The last case was SO GOOD! Easy buy for me - some for now, some to cellar.
/giphy miniature-beloved-jelly
@DebRVA Thank you and thank you! Hope you enjoy. Take care!
Want this, especially after discussion of the last deal! But the last week of deals has us WAY over budget, unless we buy wine instead of birthday presents for our kid.
@klezman no brainer. give the kids the box. everyone wins.
@pete0744 He’s got so many wine boxes to play in/with already!
@klezman
I could do three or six if you want three or six or others want three or six and you have room.
Not sure what we’d do with the gift.
@klezman you’re aware Ron has an unclaimed 1/2 case of Andrew Murray at my house…
@CorTot @klezman
True.
The SS now has an unallocated column should any want to lay claim to those bottles.
@klezman we might even consider throwing in for a set of 3 bottles if any of you are looking to make up a case. But what’s the toy included? Oh…and hi old friends.
@klezman Thanks so much. Sorry for not hanging around yet. I was travelling all day yesterday and am just now getting into a place where I can fire up the laptop. I am here for you all, enjoying this thread. I love the supportive nature of this community. You all are are supporting so many small, family businesses (family farms like ours) when you purchase these wines. It both humbling and satisfying to witness. Thank you very much!
@CorTot @rjquillin @time2testit
If this can get time2testit off the sidelines I can facilitate if needed. I can probably be talked into a few at this rate. Sheesh. I’ll just see what shows up, as usual.
@CorTot @klezman @time2testit
affable-bedecked-tree
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin so…do we owe someone something?
@CorTot @klezman @time2testit
Not sure how the split ended up on this one.
One set of three for each of the four of us?
That’s how it’s entered now, but if someone wants out, that’s fine too.
@klezman @rjquillin @time2testit I didn’t want any.
@CorTot @klezman @time2testit
Thanks, I’ll clear it.
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin we were in for a set of 3 mixed bottles as part of a case with whomever if you were doing it. So just let us know.
/giphy indulgent-caring-log
@kitkat34
/giphy mulled twinkling party
I confess, I’m in it for the gift. Don’t judge me.
/giphy excellent-illuminated-snowplow
@rpstrong wonder if you get the gift with the partial case? @winedavid49?
@rpstrong @TimW you do.
@TimW @Winedavid49 And I’m pleased to say that I scored right well on those gifts last year.
@rpstrong @TimW how nice…
@rpstrong @Winedavid49 I only remember getting some chocolates (I think?). I didn’t score wine glasses or a decanter or opener (I seem to remember that others got those).
@TimW @Winedavid49 Many are called, but few are chosen . . .
@rpstrong That is great - hope the bonus wines make it all worth it then
Sounds delish! got 12+3
eager-singing-pie
@dkralston I hope they are delish to you! We of course think that they are amazing (or we would not bottle them up). But, we always hope that our customers and fans enjoy them even more than we do. Drop us a line at info@E11even.wine and let us know what you think. Thank you!
I’m trying to hold off on this. I have about 6 cases on the way before the end of the year, and one case that UPS seems to have “lost”. I wish I had tried some of the wine in the last mixed case of Andrew Murray I got, but on the other hand, my kid is of drinking age and loves reds. I’ll have to sleep on it, and half hope its sold out in the morning.
@Springbank Me too! But I have had several of his wines from the case and they are all excellent. I am caving and getting a case. Excited to try the Pinot.
@Springbank Go big or go home
@danandlisa @Springbank Thank you so very much. Hope you love the Pinot (and the rest)! Thanks for going on in on the last case - glad you have enjoyed them so far! Thank you.
@Springbank And, dang, I hope the “lost” case gets found. UPS and FedEx have been struggling this year - its basically been the holiday volume of shipping all year for them. I just met a FedEx pilot who says that they have never seen this kind of sustained shipping volumes. He actually mentioned that he was thankful they did not get the contract to distribute the vaccine when it becomes avail since it would have put an even bigger strain on their capabilities. So, hope it gets found. If the case was of our wine, let me know so I can help make you whole - it is the giving season after all!
@AndrewMurray Thanks for the offer. It has been found, or more correctly, was never really lost. It seems that UPS somehow entered the shipping date as the expected date of delivery. The odd thing was they kept showing the expected delivery as 12/1 until this morning. About the same time it disappeared from the UPS, I got a notice from De Negoce that it had been shipped on the first. I’ll be opening one of your wines from the last offer tomorrow. Really looking forward to it, and to the Petit Verdot in this one.
You people are a bunch of evil enablers.
/giphy traditional-overcast-sled
The offer earlier this year was the first time I’ve had Andrew Murray’s wines, and after that, I just can’t pass this up.
@xandersherry I am a long time fan. He works magic.
@xandersherry Same here!
@DebRVA @xandersherry
Thank you so much. That means so much to me. I share all of these comments with our winemaking and winegrowing team, so we all feel the lift and support and love. It means a lot to us. Truly. Thank you! We all do this (grow grapes and craft wine) to make other people happy. Of course, we enjoy it as well. But, we mostly enjoy making others happier. A glass or sip that betters a rough day, a bottle shared in celebration or sadly sometimes even a bottle shared over a loss. Wine can be a magical and life sustaining drink - this year more than ever. I know personally that I have purchased and consumed more wine than ever - and now, I first reach for the “good stuff”. Life feels a less certain for some reason. Whatever the “good stuff” is for each of us, I hope we reach for that more often and that we find moments to share it with others. Best to you and yours!
@WCCWineGirl @WineDavid49
We expecting a Cab Lab Rat?
@rjquillin
Not sure, hope so! The Cabernet comes from a great hillside site (about 30-35 years old) in the Los Olivos district (still Santa Ynez). It is not Napa, think more of a classic Bordeaux from a decade ago, before they got too sweet and oaky. There is plenty of fruit, but also the traditional herbal and cigar box of Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is tiny-berried, from small clusters (almost Pinot Noir like). We cluster sort, destem and then berry sort to remove as much stem and unwanted material as possible. It is a very slow and laborious method, but it helps to make a “riper” style Cab than our area would normally allow. We think our Cab is delicious with rich tannins, it is dark and meant for the table. Hope someone Rats it soon. If not, hope you all enjoy it when it arrives. Thanks!
@WineDavid49 @WCCWineGirl I miss Andrew’s participation on this wine.
@danandlisa I am sorry everyone - I was travelling to see my father for his 81st birthday - today! Don’t worry, it is from a safe distance, but I needed to see him. He and my mom were the ones who inspired and helped me get into the wine biz so many years ago. I was just explaining this community to him and he is low-key watching me type away on my lap top from across the room. Today dad is 81 years young. Regrets for my absence. If not too late, I will be off and on all day. Thanks for the nudge!
@AndrewMurray @danandlisa Happy Birthday to your dad! It is so special you are able to celebrate with him (especially during these uncertain times). Hope you both have a wonderful day!
@AndrewMurray No apologizes are necessary. Family comes first. Tell your dad thank you for his help on your path. Love your magical style.
@danandlisa Thank you! I just did…
@AndrewMurray Damn, reading your notes and catching up on the other discussion had me ready to push the button - only to find out I’m too late. Ugh, I was pushed over the edge with the rats and you joining in. My dad turned 81 Sunday. I was with him for Thanksgiving. Cherish these times. I loved the Esperance from the last offer. Come back soon!!!
@AndrewMurray
/giphy bedecked-eager-sled
Money where my mouth is, stock came back and I’m in
/giphy legendary-scrumptious-griswold
I’m ready for more white deals now. Getting kinda low.
@peabs007 I feel you. I just purchased 3 cases of whites and Champagne - stocking up. We are still getting unbelievable warm and beautiful days in Los Olivos (thankfully since we are still only serving outside), but the nights are dipping below freezing every night. Hope the community offers up some more whites. We sadly just do not make much…
@AndrewMurray @peabs007 Can you share which whites you purchased? I’d love to know!
@danidani12 @peabs007
Guilty - not from Casemates. I purchased a case of Champagne and half case of Mags from Kermit Lynch from their annual holiday sale - Paul Barra and Veuve Fornay. I have already had two bottles and a Mag. both delicious. Hard to find things to celebrate right now - but still drinking the good stuff. Then I purchased a mixed case of Boxler Riesling from Alsace (all Grand Cru sites - so goooood). I visited there in January of this year with my son when he was in Germany for his semester abroad, before the world imploded. I also bought a mixed case of lighter German Rieslings (Max Ferd. Richter) from Woodland Hills Wine Co., some Chenin Blanc from Loire (Domaine Huet) and yes, some amazing white burgs, from an importer friend. PYCM, Roulot, Dujac (these are some bucket list wines for later consumption for sure - or next Wednesday - one never knows what tomorrow will bring. So, all foreign wines as that is where my palate lives for white wines - across the pond, in the old world. For reds, I drink lots of domestic wines. Heck, I just plain drink a lot of wine! What kind of whites do you enjoy?
@AndrewMurray That’s quite the list of wines! Wow!
I’ve heard good things about Paul Barra - I think Envoyer brings them in or gets them from Kermit?
I’ve seen the Boxlers around. How are they in the pantheon of Alsatian wine? I went to Luxembourg and Alsace with my wife as we were expecting kid #2 a couple years ago now. She’s a huge Riesling and dessert wine fan, along with foie gras, so it was an amazing trip. Came back with more wine than I care to admit. (Not as much as our trip to Austria, though, where we visited Kracher, though.)
Sounds like we get wine from many of the same places, since we’re also in LA. Do you ever get anything from LA Wine Company?
@klezman Wow, you have been to Kracher and Austria. Never been (at least to wine regions of Austria - love me some the wines from there. I am particularly fond of Knoll. Makes me want one right now just thinking about it. Not sure tbh where Boxler stacks up. I think less well known. But I showed up there in January literally at closing time without an appointment (5 pm on a Wednesday eve) and was treated to a 30 min dissertation on Alsatian wine - all in French of course - by the 4th generation of Boxlers, about to sit down to an early dinner. My son and I were so humbled by this generous gesture of hospitality. My son had just told me on the drive over from Germany how he was enjoying some 4 Euro bottles of wine with his classmates - so I had to buy him a case of my fave GC Riesling from Brand vineyard. It was only 36-45 Euros Ex Cellars chez Boxler…it shows you how the wine rises in price as it heads across the Atlantic …At full retail it is about $85/btl here. I already loved the wine. I have them both young and quite old, and they have all been amazing. For the money, they represent some of the best values in Riesling for me. After the visit, their stock went up even more. I will forever be among their biggest champions. I want to go back in Spring, with an appointment so that I can do a deep dive into Alsace. It was my first visit there and it was too cold. The food and wine there is amazing, only matched by the natural beauty. There is also so much amazing WWI and WWII history within a stones throw, we spent a day walking through very well preserved German and French trenches, in the snow. Sorry, I went down a rabbit hole there, but I am clearly a big fan. I am so glad that you have been there, so you already know how amazing it is.
Regrets, I do not have my CC on file at LA Wine Company. I buy lots from K and L since they sell so much of our wine. I buy almost all of my futures from them every year
I should spread the love some more for sure. Thanks for that.
And, again, thanks for your involvement in and for welcoming me into this community.
@AndrewMurray wow - that is indeed an impressive list of wines. I am taking notes.
I grew up in the Bay Area, so I mostly drink Sonoma (and some Napa) whites. I am trying to branch out and always looking for good recommendations for a wine to save or have next week, as you said. With all this mayhem, every day feels like a good day to enjoy a nice bottle. Thanks again for sharing (although my CC might not be as thankful)!
@danidani12 True true. I think we should all drink whatever we actually enjoy, whatever makes us happy. Keep supporting Napa and Sonoma - they need all of us purchasing and drinking their wines more than ever! We reach for those more than ever lately, even as we try to support our local neighbors as well… Thank you!
@AndrewMurray Thank you! Do you have any favorite CA wineries? Again, so excited to try your wines and thank you for all your engagement.
@AndrewMurray @danidani12 @peabs007 Thanks for some great recommendations of whites. “What kind of whites do you enjoy?” Since you asked, and we’re on Casemates, I have to say that Winesmith Sparkling Grenache here a few weeks ago has to be one of the best sparkling wines I have ever had. Drinks like wine more than a sparkler if that makes any sense. Technically a white? Hell I don’t know but I called them and ordered a case after having some on Thanksgiving.
@danidani12 @peabs007 @scott0210 Nice - i just looked that wine up. Sounds delicious and certainly a different expression of sparkling wine…blanc de noir of Grenache. I just love that there are so many different types of wines out there… thanks for sharing back!
@AndrewMurray Our visit to Kracher was similar to your experience at Boxler. We had a plan to drive from Vienna for the day (while my wife was pregnant with our first) and explore the Burgenland. We were a touch late for our appointment, but were greeted warmly nonetheless. We got to talk to one of the Krachers (their English is WAY better than my German. At least my French is passable.) and while we’d figured on an hour or so, we left about 3 hours later. I think we tried about 20 wines, young and old, and they would have happily poured us others. They also provided us with some food to go with the sampling. Talk about an experience. Prudence with bringing it back here kept us to something like 8 bottles, although all were half or quarter size. And 30 Euros for the TBA wine is a hell of a lot better than ~$100 here.
I think the folks at K&L groan whenever I show up to pick things up. There’s always a “digging through the back” sort of event.
Can’t pass up Andrew Murray!
/giphy meaningful-symbolic-memories
@salcorn Well, I cannot pass up saying Thank You! So, Thank You very much!
Interested based on the last AM case I got. Anyone in Houston want to split?
@jlim13 Hope you find someone to step up… And thanks for taking a chance on the last AM offering. Take care!
/giphy blinking-celebrated-remembrances
@ampeloquin22 @takethefarm
anyone in MSP area want to split a case? just looking to do a 2-way split this time.
@carl669 I wish I could but my better half has insisted that I stop buying wine for a bit.
@carl669 I’m in!
@takethefarm crap. i just saw the est delivery date and i’ll be out of town a few days before and about a week after. not sure how long UPS will hold a package either.
you mind ordering?
@carl669
/giphy endearing-glowing-horse
2017 E11even Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
Since this deal will be going quick, I’m going to do a quick review because this is a FANFREEKINGTASTIC WINE.
I actually cracked it open last night because I nearly forgot to review it, so I didn’t have any food with it. I Immediately smelled ‘liquid raisins’, which my husband affectionally said ‘well yeah, it’s wine made from grapes and grapes make raisins’. Thanks babe.
This wine was sweet dry to me. There were some tannins in there - but really - it was sweeter than I was expecting. Personally, I got raisins, prunes, and cherry on the initial glass. It was super enjoyable and didn’t give me that weird “squidge” feeling in the back of my cheeks like other reds can do.
I let it sit open for an hour(ish) and came back to see if there was any change. I personally didn’t think there was a huge change - slightly more cherry but still heavy on the raisins and prunes.
To be honest, this would be great to shove in your cellar for a while because I think it would age beautifuly.
I also think this would be a phenomenal wine to make mulled wine with - with little effort, because it’s already got a really big taste.
This is, by far, one of the best wines I’ve had in my lab rat journey this far and I highly recommend it!!
@jtallant Thank you for this fine review on the Cab
I should clarify - I had the cab. Forgot to include that bit - kind of important!!!
Any Colorado Denver Boulder folks up for a split?
@kls_in_MD is really not sure how to do this giphy thing.
@kls_in_MD HAS placed the order
@kls_in_MD No giphy needed. I am not sure how to do this either. THANK YOU, for placing an order. Enjoy and share the wines in good health!
@kls_in_MD in a comment, on a line by itself, type /giphy followed by the order number. E.g.
/giphy figured-it-out
@kls_in_MD need some help carving it up?
/giphy colorful-naughty-poem
@GatorFL Damn I got in just in time…sold out
/giphy quilted-singing-lights
@AndrewMurray
I saw your cellaring estimate in the write up for the PV.
Might you have opinions for the PN and CS; for one that appreciates dusty bottles?
Thanks
@rjquillin Thanks for asking. The PN can certainly be enjoyed over the medium short term 3-7 years, and the Cabernet Sauvignon should perform very well over the next 5-10 years without a worry. Thanks!
@AndrewMurray I wish I had the willpower to forget about your wines and cellar them, but I know I won’t.
More inventory added. However the Pinot will be the 2018 vintage.
@WCCWineGirl oh great, now I have to order another case for the Pinot!!
@kitkat34 @WCCWineGirl @klezman
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
@kitkat34 @klezman @rjquillin @WCCWineGirl
How did that work out last time?
@chipgreen
Not well.
/ giphy holly-delicious-vacation
@slicknik82 ok I still don’t know how to do this giphy thing…
@slicknik82
/giphy holly-delicious-vacation
@slicknik82 don’t worry, you’re not alone. I had help…then it just happens…magic!
/giphy eventful-jiminy-icicle
/giphy little-eager-tale
Got this yesterday evening. Along with a neat “Casemates” knit hat. Going to try the Petit Verdot this weekend, one of the two bottles I got with the AM Mixed case a month or so ago. That one should be over an issues from transport.
My order was delivered back on 12/12, but it still doesn’t show as shipped in my account.
Delivered yesterday. The Petit Verdot is now in our wine fridge, likely for several years. The Pinot Noir is in the fridge, likely for a couple years. And, yes I know that the Cab could/should have been cellared, but on an impulse we popped it open at dinner last night to get a first taste of E11even and Andrew Murray wines. The verdict: young but simply delicious. It did not seem to have suffered from its long journey. We drank more than we intended before pumping the bottle to finish tonight. The Cab gives us great expectations for the other two bottles.
The white cap lagniappe is amazingly made in the U.S. It is marked both “Do not dry clean” and “Do not launder” so I will try hard not to spill red wine on it.