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We are still here, but if you get the chance to attend a dinner hosted by Mike and Leah Smith, it's a must do.

Engaging people, great wine, great food.

Oh, and the opportunity to buy sold out wines

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I had a feeling that would be a fun dinner! We missed them in Tahoe by a day (personal, no wine dinners or anything), which sucks because I had room on the fishing boat for them.

Things are pretty slow for me wine-wise but I savor every glass I get. Here are the few wines I've tasted over the last month or so...

It was interesting hearing him talk about his desire to keep Napa (at least his small piece of it) corporate-free. Some of the price/ton increases on his grapes is amazing and makes it pretty clear you need deep pockets to get stable fruit supplies there now. Leah was fun - she's open and uncouth at times, but really doesn't care. I'm hoping for retun engagements since their daughter is going to CU Boulder now.

The wines we drank were on the young side, but that Dr. Crane is special even right now. People who ordered wine that night (all from the Smith's library since they were sold out) basically get to jump over anyone in front of them on a waiting list, if there was one.

Holy cow what an allocation day! Dana, Hundred Acre and Harlan all dropped today within about 90 minutes of one another. And I just ordered Vine Cliff, David Arthur and Kongsgaard yesterday. AMEX is going to love me this month. What I really need are about 6 assorted cases of good $100'ish Cali cabs 2013-2014 to fill additional wine cellar space that is ready to drink in next 12-24 months. Ideas?? Cheers!

Was the Kongsgaard the chard release? I'm a big fan of the Judge. As I mentioned, I finally found a bottle (close to release price) in Tahoe. Secondary prices on those are unreal.

How much was Harlan this time?

Hundred Acre went up nearly 25% this year, not sure where the Napa ceiling is but the winemakers are pushing the limits.

stagecoach dropping some cash!!

I got my Reynvaan allocation recently and they've gone up, top tier Syrah is now $100 each. A really great wine, but damn, I can just start buying top shelf CdP at those kids of prices.

Sometimes I read this thread and feel like a little kid standing outside the candy store with my face pressed up against the glass...

And then you look back to where you were when you started this thread?

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And then you look back to where you were when you started this thread?

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Well, yeah, there's that.

This whole "in the industry thing" is great. Tasting fees waived. The good stuff comes out. And (at least) 25% off each bottle.

Need to talk the Mrs. into coming to see you again now that you're on the OTHER side of the bar,...

Absolutely, and it's on me!

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And then you look back to where you were when you started this thread?

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Well, yeah, there's that.

This whole "in the industry thing" is great. Tasting fees waived. The good stuff comes out. And (at least) 25% off each bottle.

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It saved me close to $800 the last time we went to Napa.

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Was the Kongsgaard the chard release? I'm a big fan of the Judge. As I mentioned, I finally found a bottle (close to release price) in Tahoe. Secondary prices on those are unreal.

How much was Harlan this time?

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Kongsgaard dropped white and red. The Judge sold out in two days at $200 per but still has the regular Chardonnay at $95, cab at $180 as I recall. Didn't order the others as I have plenty from last year.

Harlan priced at $750 and $1600 for mag. The Maiden was $225?

Hundred Acre hit $400

Prices still sky high on premiums

Also bought some Law Estates out of Paso Robles today, the Audacious. It's the best Bordeaux style red out of Cali at $70 I've ever had. They have several blends I recommend checking out.

Dana allocation opens Sep 7th.

Anxious for some <$100 13 and 14 cab recommendations that aren't on allocation or where someone may want to share theirs. Just bought a fair amount of Paul Hobbs, The Grade and some malbecs as well. Already a buyer of Grgich, Heitz, Continuum, Paradigm and Tate. All suggestions welcome. More than anything I enjoy discovering the next value or "big" thing out of Napa (or Sonoma like a Verite) before the price triples! Thanks

Edit: sorry for late posting I'm on West coast time tonight

Yeah I got my allocation for hundred acre and saw $400 a bottle and hit delete on the email. I love the wine, but I don't love it that much!

Damn these prices are crazy. I got the 2013 Judge for $225 at a retail shop so I'm pleased with that purchase. Had I known I wouldn't make the cut again, I would have bought two. Harlan is just crazy. I signed up when it was $150 but got added at $350. I didn't buy at that level because back then that price was way too much. It's more than doubled since then. Unreal.

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Anxious for some <$100 13 and 14 cab recommendations that aren't on allocation or where someone may want to share theirs.

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I'm not much of a sub $100 cab guy (strictly because I don't drink much so when I do, it's going to be really good) but I'm on several lists that I don't mind sharing.

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Sometimes I read this thread and feel like a little kid standing outside the candy store with my face pressed up against the glass...

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I'm certain you have an opinion on my inquiry, please share!

stagecoach,

look at some Wash cabs under $100 from '13 that might fit your bill. Gramercy, Delille, and I hear good things about Fidelitas bordeaux offerings. Also Chris Upchurch has his own label, he is part owner and winemaker at Delille and he makes good cabs that are under $100 and I think available online.

Mark Ryan wines get a lot of love but they are really big and tannic and not really a style I like but you might enjoy them, obviously a lot of people do.

Dusted Valley is another Washington winery that has emerged recently as producing a lot of quality wine, most Rhone focused but they make Bordeaux stuff, too.

I'm sure there are some good Napa offerings from '13 under $100 but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. I can't think of anything better than what you are already buying (Continuum, etc)

Mark Herold makes an $80 can that is pretty good.
Wallace is always good.
Chappellet Signature is good for the money.
L'Aventure has made some sub-$100 wines in the past, but I haven't prices them recently.
Neal and O'Shaunessey are some great Howell Mountain wines that are less than $100.

Sherwin Family

Spring Mountain. Excellent.

2010 Estate cab is $95 and 2011 is $110. Napa cab is $65. All are good.

Ditto what Cecil just said. Good people

Thanks for the suggestions! Will look into it. Just went a little heavy on my Sarocka order today and Marston is dropping next week so may be done for Spring Mointain District this year. Anything from Atlas Peak fit the bill?

how much Sarocka did you order? I haven't completed mine yet, but likely only doing a 3 pack this year.

Almost $1200 out the door, double what I consider normal but I did pick up a large format as well.

Anyone's thoughts on 4 Winds and Hayfork?

I have enjoyed Lewelling in the past, and that is the same family that makes Hayfork. They are good people. I'm sure it's worth a shot.

Also, Drinkward Peschon is a great sub-$100 wine. I don't buy a lot in that range anymore but after the 2006 I had on vacation, I may start buying them again.

Lewelling and Hayfork are both excellent.

Northern Rhone tasting tomorrow. Eight to nine wines are showing up at my house tomorrow. It will be a large time.

Drank some good stuff last night

[img][/img]

Those definitely don't suck.

Did our northern Rhone tasting last night. Did six wines and ranked them. Wines 1-3:

Wines 4-6:

Interesting that wines 1 and 6 came in best and worst, and that they are made by the same producer, but different appellations. The worst wine was judged to be the best with the food (roasted leg of lamb). All of the wines were good, so there was some hair-splitting to pick the winner. I also would have never thought that Cote-Rotie and escargot where such a good pairing.

Vintage on the first Cote Rotie?

Do you have any thoughts on the widespread use of microxygenation in these wines? I'm wondering if a similar line up 20 years ago would have required much older vintages at the time of consumption?

2012.
I'm generally not opposed to it as long as it doesn't compromise the quality of the wine. I understand that is somewhat subjective, but in the end the market will decide if it is a good thing or not.
FWIW, the Cote-Rotie and Hermitage are babies and could easily age for another 5-10 years. Really tannic, but it was subdued some when paired with lamb and escargot.
The main issue is that no one had any older wines to compare and see how they are doing. I love the wines, I just don't collect them.

Nice. We drank an '03 Bond Vecina last year and it was phenomenal. I wish I had more...money.

Nice, I was beginning to think that this thread needed to be renamed "What Cabernets are in your wine cellar" good to see some variety. Here are some good Cali Syrah's we popped recently.
[img][url=http://imgur.com/ovvqHhA][/url][/img]

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but in the end the market will decide if it is a good thing or not.

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True. But in a very real way market forces have caused the movement towards it. A wine gets rated young and that rating tends to stick with it for years, so a wine that in the past would take 10 years to begin to show it's best gets penalized and suffers in the market. Micro-ox presumably condenses that aging period so that the wine gets a higher rating in the beginning.

The Realm offering is out. I probably will be a little more reserved this year.

update: and wow, after looking at allocations, I won't have to worry about going big. 4 Bard (cab), 1 each of Tempest (merlot/Cab Sauv)and Falstaff (Cab Franc/Merlot).