@kaolis
Didn’t blow me away either. It’s a bit young, I suppose. It was actually really good about a week later, after sitting on the counter re-corked and ignored.
last couple of nights have been good stuff!
2012 Iron Horse Vineyards Wedding Cuvée Green Valley of Russian River Valley
2012 Tercero Verbiage (Rouge) Santa Barbara County Red Rhone Blend
2016 Navarro Vineyards Chardonnay Première Réserve Anderson Valley
@klezman Bought the 17.5 lb. Rib Roast, and had them begin their 4-week dry-aging process. I did get the bones cut off and smoked them today…Excellent! Had them with local corn on the cob, cauliflower and a bottle of 2013 Shafer Relentless. Life is good.
Put some ribs on the grill for dinner 2-3 hours from now. About to open a JL Quinson Cote de Provence Rose (TJ’s special) for easy drinking.
Not sure what we’re going to have with dinner (and friends).
@rjquillin Berserker day buy…one of my very few. He makes old vine Mourvedre and other curiosities from old vineyards. At least with that label. (He’s also P’tit Paysan and La Marea)
@rpm
Very nice couple of nights! couple of questions how was the Moulin Touchais? I have 1 bottle left from 86 that was still great a few months ago. Also how was the Dagueneau? I have been meaning to source a bottle from before he died but have not gotten around to it yet.
@ScottW58 The Moulin Touchais was amazing, though not quite up to the 1959 I had some 15 years ago or the 1949, which I had in the late ‘80s. I’d say the ‘64 has at least another decade in it before it could begin to slide. I’d say you ‘86 needs at least a decade… It was a marvelous wine.
I liked the Dagueneau very much. A very rich wine - bigger and more complex than I usually expect even from Puilly Fume, even from him. We had it with oysters, and I confess SWMBO thought we should have had the 2014 Dolly Sancerre Silex or another Champagne instead. Check out the website for the importer Chemin des vins to see what he has from Dagueneau - he and his wife are good friends of ours.
@rpm
Email sent thank you so much for the recommendation and your thoughts on the wines. Although I don’t know how I can wait another decade to drink my last bottle, but I will try
Cat and HaK brought out the special stuff yesterday for a BBQ.
2005 Iron Horse T-bar-T Cab Franc
2005 Vincent Arroyo Napa PS
2003 Delibori Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico
I contributed a 2003 Wellington Old Vines Port.
We drank them in the above order.
Yes, the T-bar-T was still amazing.
The PS was probably a little young, just leaving its dumb phase (opened up after a bit in the glass). The Amarone was knock your socks off. And of course, the port was great.
@rjquillin@WkdPanda Agreed! And good to know those two are still enjoying good wine, even if they rarely make it to these parts.
Love that Vincent Arroyo.
Never had that Iron Horse, but a fellow wooter said there might be one to open should I make it to their place.
@klezman@WkdPanda T bar T …
If that third person is somewhat local, I think I’ve got a few bottles we might choose among to add as well.
Be interesting to do an Iron Horse gathering at some point.
Plenty to choose from.
2006 La Massa Giorgio Toscana. It was everything I love about a nice Italian wine. (50% CS, 40% Merlot, 10% PV). Paired with a penne pasta + Italian sausage and a stuffed 8-ball zucchini.
2016 A Tribute to Grace Wine Company A Wine Named Luke, I love her wines but this bottle is a wow wine! with Cauliflower puree and Flannery short loin tails.
2010 St. Supery Dollarhide Petit Verdot, purchased on the 2014 rpm tour. Excellent now, but will be better with even more time.
Checking my stock, I still have 18 bottles out of 40 from the 2014 tour, mostly 2012’s from Foppiano, Pedroncelli, and Dry Creek, plus older wines from Corison, Bell, and Wellington. Ahhhh, good times, good times.
last night
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Willamette Valley - Never saw tartrate crystals in a PN before. Good bottle thought.
2015 BV Rutherford Cabernet, Pop-N-Pour, pretty darn good. I just got it from Empirewine as one of their buy-4 free shipping wines @$26/ and was gonna take one for the team, but I notice that it’s not free shipping any more. Good price though.
Last night we opened a magnum of 2004 Seghesio Omaggio that I’d bought on the first RPM tour. Got to reminisce with @JavaDrinker and @MarkDaSpark about it. Also Mark brought some deluxe sherries that he should describe.
2014 LARGE BOLD TEXT from the other place, with smoked pork chops and fresh Ohio corn on the patio. With the hummingbirds, finches and cardinals around on a perfect evening, a great wine and it was a steal!
2011 Wellington Cabernet, basic Sonoma County
Weird: the capsule was nearly bonded to the bottle. There was some gunk underneath it, but not obvious leakage. The cork was softer and more moist than normal, but the wine didn’t get all the way to the top. This bottle had been sitting in a wine fridge, too.
Initially it was rather closed, but even with 10 minutes of air it’s starting to come back to life. I think it’s a good thing I opened this one now!
@rpm Fair point.
The Wellington vineyard designate Cabs have continued to improve. I think this bottle/bottling is nowhere near as structured. I’ll probably finish these off within a year at this stage.
2013 Twisted Oak Grenache Torcido
2014 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank
2014 Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Vineyard
2015 Anne Amie Oregon Pinot Blanc, out at a lobster pound on our last night in Maine. With a few new souvenir mosquito bites, because without them, how would I know I was in ME? Now winding down the evening with a Rising Tide Zephyr IPA.
Starting with 2013 Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay
A hint of oxidation plays pretty nicely with this wine. But perhaps that’s an indicator to not leave it sitting around for another five years.
Drank a bunch of bottles with the in-laws over the weekend, the highlight of which was a 2002 Carini Cab Sauv, St. Helena with a thick juicy top sirloin. Only 45 cases produced and it was singing!
Other bottles consumed were;
2011 Wellington Chardonnay
2015 Kunde Chardonnay
2014 Le Formiche Gavi Del Comune Di Gavi
2017 OTP Rosé
2017 Nervi Gattinara Rosa
2007 Lang Wines Zinfandel
2009 Foppiano Petite Sirah Lot 96
1996 Chateau Bellefont Belcier St Emilion - very good - starting to access some Bordeaux that my wife bought well before we got married (which was 11 years ago). My first aged Bordeaux and hopefully not my last.
2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit - Opened. Decanted. 30 minutes - Merlot was over-shining with some body and floral notes. wine then went “dumb” until around 2 hours. Really opened up with great body and taste. Hold 2nd bottle 5 years
2015 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Crianza - Superb $20 bottle from local cheese store that paired it with a truffle cheese. Instead we paired it with Cottonwood River cheddar and Marcona Almonds. Amazing. The wine has a great profile with just a hint of oak, so perfect to drink immediately. Will be my new wine to have around half a case of around for the wife to drink anytime.
Dinner Sunday - 2016 William Chris Vineyards Enchante Granite Hill Vineyard. WC is one of our absolute favorite wineries in texas. Great blend of Cab Sauv / Merlot / Cab Franc. Paired wonderfully with my Pasta dish with Mariana
and Lastly, we decided to take the plunge and open one of the final offerings on WW.
2014 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon - Paired with Taleggio, prosciutto, marcona almonds. Drinking Exceptional after around 30 minutes decanting. One of the best wines we have ever had.
I’ve i could sign up for Cathy’s wine club right now I would have done it on the spot. I likely will before the end of the year.
tonight’s bottle of choice. 2017 Etienne Besancenot Cochon Volant paired with Brie (no crackers). The wine showed a little age on the initial PnP but lightened up after 10-15 minutes. Rose’s still aren’t my favorite but this one has become a favorite. Especially when paired with brie and the way the fat cuts through the acidity to bring fruit forward such as strawberry.
2011 Campo alla Sughera Arnione Bolgheri Superiore (40% CS, 20% CF, 20% Me, 20% PV)…never disappoints. Wish this was more available in the U.S. Paired with spaghetti & meatballs.
Last night was the first half of my last bottle of 1995 York Creek Vineyards Meritage, Spring Mountain. Made by a (then) relatively unknown winemaker called Cathy Corison. Shockingly youthful and amazingly delicious.
I’ll be “enjoying” the “excellent” selections of United Airlines-provided wine. The white will be palatable enough (i.e. likely an oak-bomb Chard with enough acidity) and the red will be a flabby fruity mess (and taste like fruity pebbles). Or maybe I’ll end up having beer.
@CorTot It’s a mixed bag…they never have the beer they list in the magazine. And I’m not a fan of the IPA craze. But sitting in the Lufthansa lounge in London, however, gives me much much better options.
2007 Kunde Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley
Time has been kind, years left.
With Flannery burgers; 50% Hanger, 25% Wagyu, 25% Prime Rib Cab fat. Juicy is an understatement.
@rjquillin Wow, that’s a fatty burger! How do you cook it so the juices all stay inside? Even with my more modest fat-level blends I can’t figure it out.
@rjquillin That’s actually why I rarely grill them - cast iron gets a really nice sear and crunchy exterior if you get it screaming hot. I’ve also recently learned why one salts only the exterior of the burger and not the middle (texture).
@radiolysis I always mixed salt in with the rest of the seasonings. Apparently salt is good at dissolving myosin (i.e. muscle protein) and it makes the interior or a burger more “sticky”. Kind of like sausage in a way.
Had a nice glass of South African Chenin Blanc with a seafood Scotch egg and then a glass of a Sicilian Syrah/Aglianico blend with a venison Wellington. Who says Brits can’t make good food??
@ScottW58
Soft-cooked egg wrapped with sausage meat, rolled in breadrumbs, and deep fried. Yup, sounds terrible.
Venison tenderloin seared, wrapped in truffle and mushroom-coated puff pastry. Aside from the venison being the tastiest piece of deer I’ve eaten in a long time (maybe ever), the truffle potatoes were like crack.
Also, the place was called The Laughing Gravy.
Got my 4-week aged rib steaks today and was grilling sausages, so I threw on the smallest of the steaks, seasoned with a little olive oil then garlic salt and freshly cracked pepper. Wow! Probably the best steak I’ve eaten. Had it with an 86 point 2011 Barolo, which was not to my liking (old world, acid, (SWMBO said Band-Aids)), until I had it with the steak…then it came around. Also sauteed brussels sprouts. A fitting end to August.
@chipgreen@FritzCat I often taste (Curad medicated) band-aid in South African Pinotage), especially in past years (they’ve gotten better at getting rid of it – maybe they stopped burning rubber tires in the vineyards ).
2014 Robert Foley Vineyards Cab Sauv, Napa, with tomato garlic bread and fried calamari. My Friday night Italian joint is jam packed tonight. I can’t even get a table! There’s a wedding rehearsal dinner in the main room, so I’m sitting at the bar.
@InFrom
Haha! An excellent question.
The bartendress (is that a word?), Felicia, is lovely and quite entertaining…but not really my type.
I was still greeted with the usual hugs by the owner, head waiter, and bus boy/man. Next Friday, we should all be meeting Mr. September. I know you are waiting with bated breath.
Tonight, 2015 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. With take-out grilled chicken, and roasted zucchini and leeks.
Last night, 2016 Scott Harvey Barbera Mountain Selection. With la specialite de la maison, pasta with broccoli rabe and turkey sausage.
Tomorrow night, Gruet Brut Rose, under the stars (I hope) at Tanglewood. With picnic treats TBD.
2009 Wellington Victory - good cork - great bottle.
I had a 12 Estate Syrah recently that had a very soft cork - broke in half while opening, wine was ok but not as good as other bottles I have had.
@radiolysis
For once, my pack-rat-itus payed off.
I kept some pieced of the old unit that this one replaced 5 years ago.
While the correct value is an 80+5uF I had a 55+5uF 440V start capacitor.
Back in service.
Correct cap scheduled to arrive tomorrow, thanks to Bezos.
@rjquillin cool! start and run capacitors are pretty easy. Our problem was that the coil was installed incorrectly, so filled up the pan due to all of the humidity.
I’m getting a little tired of the stickiness – this isn’t why i pay the Sunshine Tax.
Last night (still August, haha);
2017 Van Ruiten sparkling Rose. I still can’t believe how good this is for the money. Since we can’t get Gruet shipped to Ohio it’s nice to have Van Ruiten. I hope they come up again on Casemates but in the meantime, we bought a mixed case directly from their website to try their other wines along with a couple more bottles of the sparkling Rose.
A new month is upon us…time to introduce my new Friday night “date”. Please meet Mr. August.
Tonight, he will be paired with the 2015 Halcón Pinot Noir, tomato bread, and salmone salsa rosa.
@karenhynes So what did you think of the Halcon? Thought it was ok, didn’t blow me away by any means.
@kaolis
Didn’t blow me away either. It’s a bit young, I suppose. It was actually really good about a week later, after sitting on the counter re-corked and ignored.
@kaolis @karenhynes
I always felt that his Syrah is his really strong suit.
2015 Scott Harvey Zinfandel Vineyard 1869
2015 Vino Noceto Sangiovese
last couple of nights have been good stuff!
2012 Iron Horse Vineyards Wedding Cuvée Green Valley of Russian River Valley
2012 Tercero Verbiage (Rouge) Santa Barbara County Red Rhone Blend
2016 Navarro Vineyards Chardonnay Première Réserve Anderson Valley
A friend showed up with a couple bottles:
2017 Boscoe Grenache Blanc
2017 Boscoe Syrah/Viognier
Nowhere near deserving of their retail price, but perhaps an opportunity for WD to swoop in.
@klezman Bought the 17.5 lb. Rib Roast, and had them begin their 4-week dry-aging process. I did get the bones cut off and smoked them today…Excellent! Had them with local corn on the cob, cauliflower and a bottle of 2013 Shafer Relentless. Life is good.
@FritzCat See you in four weeks?
@FritzCat Very nice!
I’ve never tried the Shafer stuff, actually.
@jmdavidson1 Come on over.
@klezman Shafer One-Point-Five CS was my first…it’s all very good.
2003 Chappellet CS. Drinking window? I would say it is at a great point to enjoy.
@jmdavidson1 Can’t go wrong with any Chappellet.
Put some ribs on the grill for dinner 2-3 hours from now. About to open a JL Quinson Cote de Provence Rose (TJ’s special) for easy drinking.
Not sure what we’re going to have with dinner (and friends).
1999 Astrale e Terra Arcturus
Strangely…
Last opened one of these seven years ago, to the day!
2009 Esterlina Riesling
2016 I. Brand Cabernet Franc Bayly Vineyard
K&L has the latter and I want to see if Ian is all he’s cracked up to be with this grape!
@klezman
Is this not in CT?
found it
2016 I. Brand & Family Cabernet Franc Bayly Ranch
@rjquillin Berserker day buy…one of my very few. He makes old vine Mourvedre and other curiosities from old vineyards. At least with that label. (He’s also P’tit Paysan and La Marea)
2013 Peterson Winery Barbera La Stupenda
We visited our serious wine friends over the past few days…
Day 1:
Jean Pernet Reserve - Grand Cru Champagne
2002 Chambolle-Musigny premier cru - Dominique Laurent
1982 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou
1964 Moulin Touchais (Coteaux du Layon, Anjou-Saumur)
Day 2:
2006 Puilly Fume Silex Dagueneau
2005 Vina Todonia white Rioja (90% Viura 10% Malvasia)
2016 Montagny Les Coeres Premier Cru Domaine Feuillat-Juillot
2010 Chateau Vannieres Bandol rouge
@rpm
Very nice couple of nights! couple of questions how was the Moulin Touchais? I have 1 bottle left from 86 that was still great a few months ago. Also how was the Dagueneau? I have been meaning to source a bottle from before he died but have not gotten around to it yet.
@rpm Very nice!
@ScottW58 The Moulin Touchais was amazing, though not quite up to the 1959 I had some 15 years ago or the 1949, which I had in the late ‘80s. I’d say the ‘64 has at least another decade in it before it could begin to slide. I’d say you ‘86 needs at least a decade… It was a marvelous wine.
I liked the Dagueneau very much. A very rich wine - bigger and more complex than I usually expect even from Puilly Fume, even from him. We had it with oysters, and I confess SWMBO thought we should have had the 2014 Dolly Sancerre Silex or another Champagne instead. Check out the website for the importer Chemin des vins to see what he has from Dagueneau - he and his wife are good friends of ours.
@rpm
Email sent thank you so much for the recommendation and your thoughts on the wines. Although I don’t know how I can wait another decade to drink my last bottle, but I will try
Cat and HaK brought out the special stuff yesterday for a BBQ.
2005 Iron Horse T-bar-T Cab Franc
2005 Vincent Arroyo Napa PS
2003 Delibori Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico
I contributed a 2003 Wellington Old Vines Port.
We drank them in the above order.
Yes, the T-bar-T was still amazing.
The PS was probably a little young, just leaving its dumb phase (opened up after a bit in the glass). The Amarone was knock your socks off. And of course, the port was great.
@WkdPanda Well done!
And good to see you around.
@rjquillin @WkdPanda Agreed! And good to know those two are still enjoying good wine, even if they rarely make it to these parts.
Love that Vincent Arroyo.
Never had that Iron Horse, but a fellow wooter said there might be one to open should I make it to their place.
@klezman @WkdPanda T bar T …
If that third person is somewhat local, I think I’ve got a few bottles we might choose among to add as well.
Be interesting to do an Iron Horse gathering at some point.
Plenty to choose from.
2006 La Massa Giorgio Toscana. It was everything I love about a nice Italian wine. (50% CS, 40% Merlot, 10% PV). Paired with a penne pasta + Italian sausage and a stuffed 8-ball zucchini.
2012 Vinoce Vinyards Cab Sauv Mt.Veeder
2011 Ross Andrew Syrah Boushey Vyd. with grilled lemon chicken strips, broccoli and linguine alla carbonara.
With leftover roasted Turkey sandwiches, really nice entry level Etna wine.
2016 A Tribute to Grace Wine Company A Wine Named Luke, I love her wines but this bottle is a wow wine! with Cauliflower puree and Flannery short loin tails.
@ScottW58 Graciano and Grenache! Nice!
Tonight’s Martellotto Malbec
@CorTot tardy rat
2010 St. Supery Dollarhide Petit Verdot, purchased on the 2014 rpm tour. Excellent now, but will be better with even more time.
Checking my stock, I still have 18 bottles out of 40 from the 2014 tour, mostly 2012’s from Foppiano, Pedroncelli, and Dry Creek, plus older wines from Corison, Bell, and Wellington. Ahhhh, good times, good times.
@merrybill
Good times, indeed! I still remember talking fantasy baseball with you on the patio at Chateau St. Jean.
last night
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Willamette Valley - Never saw tartrate crystals in a PN before. Good bottle thought.
2015 BV Rutherford Cabernet, Pop-N-Pour, pretty darn good. I just got it from Empirewine as one of their buy-4 free shipping wines @$26/ and was gonna take one for the team, but I notice that it’s not free shipping any more. Good price though.
Last night we opened a magnum of 2004 Seghesio Omaggio that I’d bought on the first RPM tour. Got to reminisce with @JavaDrinker and @MarkDaSpark about it. Also Mark brought some deluxe sherries that he should describe.
@TimothyB
Bodegas Tradicion on all three, all VORS (Very Old and Rare Sherry or Vinum Optimum Rare Signaturm) 30 years old from Jerez region.
2014 LARGE BOLD TEXT from the other place, with smoked pork chops and fresh Ohio corn on the patio. With the hummingbirds, finches and cardinals around on a perfect evening, a great wine and it was a steal!
@pjmartin
Nice shot!
Took a bottle of 2010 Tercero The Climb to Yosemite. It was brilliant over two nights by the fire with grilled meat.
2014 Campesino Grenache Steel Plow Vyd
2011 Wellington Cabernet, basic Sonoma County
Weird: the capsule was nearly bonded to the bottle. There was some gunk underneath it, but not obvious leakage. The cork was softer and more moist than normal, but the wine didn’t get all the way to the top. This bottle had been sitting in a wine fridge, too.
Initially it was rather closed, but even with 10 minutes of air it’s starting to come back to life. I think it’s a good thing I opened this one now!
@klezman generally speaking, 2011 is a year for relatively early consumption, imho.
@rpm Fair point.
The Wellington vineyard designate Cabs have continued to improve. I think this bottle/bottling is nowhere near as structured. I’ll probably finish these off within a year at this stage.
@klezman @rpm Are you thinking generally Napa/Sonoma reds, or more extensively Amador/Lodi as well as northern and central coastal areas as well?
2016 Halcon Vineyards Pinot Noir Oppenlander Vineyard
Think I opened this one too soon…
2016 Pocas Duoro Quinta Vale de Cavalos. Great value from Costco.
2011 Foley Johnson Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
2016 Channing Daughters Rosato Pétillant Naturel, 80% Merlot, 20% Lagrein.
Last night I played sommelier by donating/pairing/pouring and talking about wines for a fundraiser.
With assorted appetizers:
2014 The Federalist Chardonnay
2014 The Federalist Zinfandel “Visionary”
With baked salmon:
2013 Harvest Moon Pinot Noir
With filet mignon:
2010 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon
With jambalaya:
2010 Derby Fifteen10 White Rhone Blend
With mixed greens salad:
2017 Van Ruiten Sparkling Rose
With cheesecake:
2007 Hunt Country Late Harvest Vignoles
@chipgreen
That had to be fun!
2011 Wellington Vineyards Syrah Estate Vineyard Sonoma Valley
Because I couldn’t find one of the 16 bottles of '11 SC CS CT claims I have.
This was, however, a tasty alternative.
2013 Twisted Oak Grenache Torcido
2014 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank
2014 Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Vineyard
2012 Stewart Cab Sauv Max Vineyard (early Casemates offering) with (charcoal, the only way!) grilled ribeyes.
2015 Anne Amie Oregon Pinot Blanc, out at a lobster pound on our last night in Maine.
With a few new souvenir mosquito bites, because without them, how would I know I was in ME? Now winding down the evening with a Rising Tide Zephyr IPA.
2014 Meeker Barrel Select Zinfandel
This seems like my kind of Zin! Kind of what I’d expect from Meeker.
With a tomahawk not a great paring but I don’t care it’s working for me
@ScottW58
Love the magenta color
2017 Williams Selyem Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (RRV). Not a bad way to start a week of vacation.
@karenhynes
@karenhynes @ScottW58 allow me lend you an eye.
2006 Eagles Trace CS magnum
I’ll bet that is excellent, I went very heavy on them when they were available. If your ever in Salt Lake…
2013 Wellington Victory
2017 municipal winemakers Grenache koffer ranch Cucamonga rose
2006 WineSmith Cabernet Franc Sonoma
Starting with 2013 Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay
A hint of oxidation plays pretty nicely with this wine. But perhaps that’s an indicator to not leave it sitting around for another five years.
Then we’re going to add a bottle of 2016 Once & Future Oakley Road Zinfandel. Super excited to try this!
2001 Bodegas Valsardo Ribera del Duero Reserva Superior
With buffalo steak, blue; outstanding.
Finishing a 2016 Twisted Oak *%#&@!
Starting with a 2017 Liquid Farm Mourvedre Rose. The Pink Crack lives!
Not sure what red I’ll open up yet.
Last night
Pedroncelli ‘17 rose
Red zeppelin ‘13 Alicante Bouchet
Tonight
Erath ‘18 rose of Pinot
Campesino ‘15 Grenache steel plow vineyard
Freshly delivered Y. Rousseau Colombard.
2008 Twentyfour by Charles Woodson CS
Drank a bunch of bottles with the in-laws over the weekend, the highlight of which was a 2002 Carini Cab Sauv, St. Helena with a thick juicy top sirloin. Only 45 cases produced and it was singing!
Other bottles consumed were;
2011 Wellington Chardonnay
2015 Kunde Chardonnay
2014 Le Formiche Gavi Del Comune Di Gavi
2017 OTP Rosé
2017 Nervi Gattinara Rosa
2007 Lang Wines Zinfandel
2009 Foppiano Petite Sirah Lot 96
Lunchtime wine and cheese birthday for a coworker’s 74th:
2014 Taken Wine Co. Napa Valley Red Wine
2016 Y. Rousseau Colombard
NV Gruet Brut
@radiolysis 74! Congrats are due.
1996 Chateau Bellefont Belcier St Emilion - very good - starting to access some Bordeaux that my wife bought well before we got married (which was 11 years ago). My first aged Bordeaux and hopefully not my last.
2008 Bogle Vineyards Phantom
2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit - Opened. Decanted. 30 minutes - Merlot was over-shining with some body and floral notes. wine then went “dumb” until around 2 hours. Really opened up with great body and taste. Hold 2nd bottle 5 years
2015 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Crianza - Superb $20 bottle from local cheese store that paired it with a truffle cheese. Instead we paired it with Cottonwood River cheddar and Marcona Almonds. Amazing. The wine has a great profile with just a hint of oak, so perfect to drink immediately. Will be my new wine to have around half a case of around for the wife to drink anytime.
Dinner Sunday - 2016 William Chris Vineyards Enchante Granite Hill Vineyard. WC is one of our absolute favorite wineries in texas. Great blend of Cab Sauv / Merlot / Cab Franc. Paired wonderfully with my Pasta dish with Mariana
and Lastly, we decided to take the plunge and open one of the final offerings on WW.
2014 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon - Paired with Taleggio, prosciutto, marcona almonds. Drinking Exceptional after around 30 minutes decanting. One of the best wines we have ever had.
I’ve i could sign up for Cathy’s wine club right now I would have done it on the spot. I likely will before the end of the year.
tonight’s bottle of choice. 2017 Etienne Besancenot Cochon Volant paired with Brie (no crackers). The wine showed a little age on the initial PnP but lightened up after 10-15 minutes. Rose’s still aren’t my favorite but this one has become a favorite. Especially when paired with brie and the way the fat cuts through the acidity to bring fruit forward such as strawberry.
With a Pork Belly Banh Mi, after a two hour decant this wine rocked!
2011 Campo alla Sughera Arnione Bolgheri Superiore (40% CS, 20% CF, 20% Me, 20% PV)…never disappoints. Wish this was more available in the U.S. Paired with spaghetti & meatballs.
2012 Wellington Cab Sauv Sonoma
2010 Panzano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
2013 Bootleg Red Wine, in our new Riedel glasses.
Very good. With grilled chicken, broccoli and local
corn.
2014 Sailor Seeks Horse PN paired nicely with grilled salmon (teriyaki glaze), grilled asparagus and rice (with mango, pineapple, avocado).
2011 Blackbird Vyds Arise
2009 Liquid Sky Cabernet Sauvignon with Costco prime New Yorks.
2014 Windrun Pinot Noir Lafond Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills
Slowly working through my case of Indian creek ‘08 red blend.
Overall the 1st bottle I opened was a smoke bomb the rest have been good. Not a bad buy!
Last night was the first half of my last bottle of 1995 York Creek Vineyards Meritage, Spring Mountain. Made by a (then) relatively unknown winemaker called Cathy Corison. Shockingly youthful and amazingly delicious.
@klezman that reminds me that last I checked my local GO has some york creek ports from the early 2000’s.
Second half of this tonight, but this time with Flannery hanger steak.
@CorTot, I bet those ports are tasty!
2012 Notre Vin Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
2012 Nico Moscato Giallo (dry Moscato, what?!?)
2010 Chamisal Vineyards Pinot Noir
@chipgreen 2014 D&D purchase at Dick’s, iirc
@rjquillin
Both of those were Underground Cellar purchases for me.
I’ll be “enjoying” the “excellent” selections of United Airlines-provided wine. The white will be palatable enough (i.e. likely an oak-bomb Chard with enough acidity) and the red will be a flabby fruity mess (and taste like fruity pebbles). Or maybe I’ll end up having beer.
@klezman beer is the only choice.
@CorTot It’s a mixed bag…they never have the beer they list in the magazine. And I’m not a fan of the IPA craze. But sitting in the Lufthansa lounge in London, however, gives me much much better options.
A nice light drink with burgers on Sunday afternoon.
2013 Ty Caton enTycement - First time in months we’ve been able to have the windows open all day
2015 Campesino Grenache with chicken tamales, grilled chicken, black bean salad and salsa verde.
2007 Kunde Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley
Time has been kind, years left.
With Flannery burgers; 50% Hanger, 25% Wagyu, 25% Prime Rib Cab fat. Juicy is an understatement.
@rjquillin Wow, that’s a fatty burger! How do you cook it so the juices all stay inside? Even with my more modest fat-level blends I can’t figure it out.
@klezman Fire control on the grill is the larger issue.
It is one juicy burger however.
@klezman @rjquillin I bet!
@rjquillin That’s actually why I rarely grill them - cast iron gets a really nice sear and crunchy exterior if you get it screaming hot. I’ve also recently learned why one salts only the exterior of the burger and not the middle (texture).
@klezman What happens? Of course I salt the inside of meatloaf/meatballs, but I never had even considered for burger patties.
@radiolysis I always mixed salt in with the rest of the seasonings. Apparently salt is good at dissolving myosin (i.e. muscle protein) and it makes the interior or a burger more “sticky”. Kind of like sausage in a way.
2010 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Pedroncelli Sangiovese Alto Vineyards
2011 Scott Harvey Syrah Mountain Selection
@rc70
Thoughts?
@chipgreen
If I had more I would be moving to my drink up rack, it was still an enjoyable bottle but definitely past peak for me.
@rc70
Thanks. I was the person who gifted a bottle to the guy who trashed it in CT, lol.
Last night with hanger steaks with chimichurri and salad.
Had a nice glass of South African Chenin Blanc with a seafood Scotch egg and then a glass of a Sicilian Syrah/Aglianico blend with a venison Wellington. Who says Brits can’t make good food??
@klezman
Pretty much everybody on the planet! And from what you just described I don’t think I will be changing my mind anytime soon
@ScottW58
Soft-cooked egg wrapped with sausage meat, rolled in breadrumbs, and deep fried. Yup, sounds terrible.
Venison tenderloin seared, wrapped in truffle and mushroom-coated puff pastry. Aside from the venison being the tastiest piece of deer I’ve eaten in a long time (maybe ever), the truffle potatoes were like crack.
Also, the place was called The Laughing Gravy.
@klezman
Well traditional scotch egg yes but you said seafood scotch egg and venison is not in my wheelhouse
Got my 4-week aged rib steaks today and was grilling sausages, so I threw on the smallest of the steaks, seasoned with a little olive oil then garlic salt and freshly cracked pepper. Wow! Probably the best steak I’ve eaten. Had it with an 86 point 2011 Barolo, which was not to my liking (old world, acid, (SWMBO said Band-Aids)), until I had it with the steak…then it came around. Also sauteed brussels sprouts. A fitting end to August.
@FritzCat
Band-aids… sounds like brett
@chipgreen Could be. I didn’t taste anything off, and SWMBO tastes band-aid in many old-world wines.
@chipgreen @FritzCat I often taste (Curad medicated) band-aid in South African Pinotage), especially in past years (they’ve gotten better at getting rid of it – maybe they stopped burning rubber tires in the vineyards
).
@chipgreen @Mark_L Yes, Pinotage and Carmenere both have kind of an off taste for me. Wonder if they’re related? no.
2014 Robert Foley Vineyards Cab Sauv, Napa, with tomato garlic bread and fried calamari. My Friday night Italian joint is jam packed tonight. I can’t even get a table!
There’s a wedding rehearsal dinner in the main room, so I’m sitting at the bar.
@karenhynes How was the view, compared to your favorite table?
@InFrom
Haha! An excellent question.
The bartendress (is that a word?), Felicia, is lovely and quite entertaining…but not really my type.
I was still greeted with the usual hugs by the owner, head waiter, and bus boy/man. Next Friday, we should all be meeting Mr. September. I know you are waiting with bated breath.
@karenhynes I am waiting
Tonight, 2015 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. With take-out grilled chicken, and roasted zucchini and leeks.
Last night, 2016 Scott Harvey Barbera Mountain Selection. With la specialite de la maison, pasta with broccoli rabe and turkey sausage.
Tomorrow night, Gruet Brut Rose, under the stars (I hope) at Tanglewood. With picnic treats TBD.
2001 Bodegas Navalon Valdepeñas Anciano Gran Reserva - Aged 10 Years
Well, a bit more now if you include time-in-bottle.
2012 Wellington estate Syrah
Bad cork
2009 Wellington Victory - good cork - great bottle.
I had a 12 Estate Syrah recently that had a very soft cork - broke in half while opening, wine was ok but not as good as other bottles I have had.
AC crapped out…
2017 Acquiesce Belle Blanc
to the rescue.
@rjquillin gah! No good!! May the humidity gods be in your favor until it gets fixed. But I’m not holding my breath.
We got ours installed in March and it died a week ago. Luckily we were out of service for last weekend when it wasnt as bad.
@radiolysis
For once, my pack-rat-itus payed off.
I kept some pieced of the old unit that this one replaced 5 years ago.
While the correct value is an 80+5uF I had a 55+5uF 440V start capacitor.
Back in service.
Correct cap scheduled to arrive tomorrow, thanks to Bezos.
@rjquillin cool! start and run capacitors are pretty easy. Our problem was that the coil was installed incorrectly, so filled up the pan due to all of the humidity.
I’m getting a little tired of the stickiness – this isn’t why i pay the Sunshine Tax.
@radiolysis ‘A’ coil?
Supposed to be a drain under that.
Hope you kick it back to the installer, but that doesn’t provide immediate help.
@rjquillin Oh totally. It was warranty service. They replaced it no questions asked, but still unfortunate that it broke so quickly.
2014 Lagier Meredith Syrah, Mount Veeder
2006 WineSmith Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi
2013 Byington Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch
Last night (still August, haha);
2017 Van Ruiten sparkling Rose. I still can’t believe how good this is for the money. Since we can’t get Gruet shipped to Ohio it’s nice to have Van Ruiten. I hope they come up again on Casemates but in the meantime, we bought a mixed case directly from their website to try their other wines along with a couple more bottles of the sparkling Rose.
Saturday night: 2017 Apriori rose and TJs brut rose with sushi. A nice way to end the month.