Thanks for the input y'all!

Quote:

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Bordeaux is kind of crap shoot when it comes to quality when the wines are under $50.

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True, but I would recommend looking for a Cru Bourgeois classified wine. Unlike the higher classed ones from Bordeaux, this classification is renewed annually. So there is an incentive against having a bad year. Also, the wine is evaluated in a blind tasting. Now this being wine and France, there is a boat load of politics and hurt feelings but for a rule of thumb it's a good starting point.

I bought a case from Medoc (on sale) for $10 a bottle, not including tax. It's not life changing or anything like that but a pretty good wine at that price point is a good bargain no matter the region. This one just happens to be a Bordeaux.

Just bought a bottle of 1996 Salon Champagne. I got free shipping if I bought a case of wine so I rounded out the box with 11 x 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne!

(and I'm done buying champagne for at least a year, maybe 2)

BSD said:

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(and I'm done buying champagne for at least a year, maybe 2)

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Oh crap, I forgot that Maybach is tomorrow. Ouch.

BSD said:

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Just bought a bottle of 1996 Salon Champagne. I got free shipping if I bought a case of wine so I rounded out the box with 11 x 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne!

(and I'm done buying champagne for at least a year, maybe 2)

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That sounds like an alternative fact.

BSD said:

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Oh crap, I forgot that Maybach is tomorrow. Ouch.

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First world problem that I don't have.

Anyon buying Favia?

Stagecoach said:

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BSD said:

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Oh crap, I forgot that Maybach is tomorrow. Ouch.

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First world problem that I don't have.

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It doesn't have to be. I sent you a text.

Anyone ever stayed at the Poetry Inn outside of Yountville? Staying there for 3 days in March, but there isn't much info about it online.

Just got a few kind of wines to try for the first time each.... One wine from each of these 3 countries.

1. Italy - DOC Nebbiolo 2014 from Piedmont, specifically the Langhe hills in the Alba area. I really just wanted to try this grape variety for the first time to see what it's like. Have never had it before to my knowledge.

2. France - Beaujolais 2015. Have had a Beaujolais nouveau in the past, but it's been a while and I wanted to get a gamay wine to try out that wasn't BN. This one is a Beaujolais-Villages, so from the north. Not Cru unfortunately!

3. Spain - DOC Priorat red, 2012. Really looking forward to this one. This one is Grenache-based with Mazuelo (AKA Carignan) playing 2nd fiddle. I see that it's listed as DOQ but just found out that Priorat wines use DOQ instead of DOC. Hmm. Thanks Wikipedia!

BSD said:

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Stagecoach said:

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BSD said:

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Oh crap, I forgot that Maybach is tomorrow. Ouch.

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First world problem that I don't have.

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It doesn't have to be. I sent you a text.

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Appreciate it. Check your email

Wine need alert:
"grape variety" not "grape varietal".

Sorry, can't help it.

cecil77 said:

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Wine need alert:
"grape variety" not "grape varietal".

Sorry, can't help it.

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Oops

Chipotlemonger said:

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Just got a few kind of wines to try for the first time each.... One wine from each of these 3 countries.

1. Italy - DOC Nebbiolo 2014 from Piedmont, specifically the Langhe hills in the Alba area. I really just wanted to try this grape variety for the first time to see what it's like. Have never had it before to my knowledge.

2. France - Beaujolais 2015. Have had a Beaujolais nouveau in the past, but it's been a while and I wanted to get a gamay wine to try out that wasn't BN. This one is a Beaujolais-Villages, so from the north. Not Cru unfortunately!

3. Spain - DOC Priorat red, 2012. Really looking forward to this one. This one is Grenache-based with Mazuelo (AKA Carignan) playing 2nd fiddle. I see that it's listed as DOQ but just found out that Priorat wines use DOQ instead of DOC. Hmm. Thanks Wikipedia!

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I'm a huge fan of Nebbiolo from Langhe. No idea which producer you have there. 14 will be young but should drink well.

Lots of people love Gamay but I've never tried one I cared for, let us know what you think.

Dang autocorrect and 62 year old eyes looking at a phone!

Palmaz shipments always make me happy.

cecil77 said:

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Wine need alert:
"grape variety" not "grape varietal".

Sorry, can't help it.

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per my internet grammar sleuthing, I'm not sure this is a steadfast rule.

varietal usually refers to a specific type of grape, so in that context, using varietal or variety is fine. {I think}

I've spent a stupid amount of time on this.

"Variety" is a noun.

"Varietal" is an adjective.

When the new world begin making wine from a single variety of grape they were a "varietally labeled wine" which then became a "varietal wine", which then got truncated to a "varietal" (wine). Therefore a bottle of wine made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, was a "varietal wine" and also "a bottle of Cabernet". Over time the distinction got blurred and just due to sloppy word usage it became common to equate "Cabernet" and "varietal" - however the context was as a bottle of wine. With time people began to use the word "varietal" to describe a grape variety. That's not correct.
So, if you use "varietal" as a noun be sure you're referring to wine made from a single variety of grape.

The misuse is now as common as kids saying "me and John are going to the mall". So you'll see it misused a lot, oftentimes by people who should know better.

Question for BSD or anyone who wants to add input.

I am going to Napa in March with a group of 10-12. We are renting a house and we are bringing in a chef one of the nights. I invited Mike and Leah Smith for dinner and of course to bring their wines for tasting.

So is there any etiquette to this BSD? Obviously they will be fed, but should we just plan on buying several bottles of his labels for dinner that night? Anything else I should do for them?

This is just a new experience for me and I'm little shocked he said yes!

I would have everyone there be ready to buy his wines right then and there, should he offer (well, he'll have some at the warehouse that hell ship, he won't bring wine to sell). Who knows, he might not have any to sell. But what I would do is buy a bottle of nice champagne or Yquem as a treat for them since they are providing the rest of the booze.

Any recs for places to visit in the Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sebastopol area?

cecil77 said:

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I've spent a stupid amount of time on this.

"Variety" is a noun.

"Varietal" is an adjective.

When the new world begin making wine from a single variety of grape they were a "varietally labeled wine" which then became a "varietal wine", which then got truncated to a "varietal" (wine). Therefore a bottle of wine made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, was a "varietal wine" and also "a bottle of Cabernet". Over time the distinction got blurred and just due to sloppy word usage it became common to equate "Cabernet" and "varietal" - however the context was as a bottle of wine. With time people began to use the word "varietal" to describe a grape variety. That's not correct.
So, if you use "varietal" as a noun be sure you're referring to wine made from a single variety of grape.

The misuse is now as common as kids saying "me and John are going to the mall". So you'll see it misused a lot, oftentimes by people who should know better.

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awesome, good stuff!

jh0400 said:

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Any recs for places to visit in the Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sebastopol area?

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literally hundreds of wineries and tasting rooms, depending on what you like.

a few years ago went to Lynmar and it was a fun visit. nice tasting room, pretty good wines, wide variety, not too expensive. I like Unti in Dry Creek Valley just because they make some interesting types of wine (Italian varieties). I think they require an appt. (at least used to). If you want to spend $$ Papapietro Perry does a cheese pairing and wine tasting that is pretty good and you get to taste a lot of wine. requires appt and is like $45 per person I think.

Lots of wineries have tasting rooms in Healdsburg, so if you like that you can walk around the square and do lots of tastings. I prefer driving to the wineries just to see the area a bit and break up the drinking, but I could see the appeal of staying in the square area.

I'd have to look but I've posted in the past about West Dry Creek road and some of my favorites. Bella, Zichichi (sp), Papapietro Perry... and a pre-tasting hike thru Armstrong St Park. On the other side, Lancaster and Chalk Hill are fun. You'll need appointments for those to get the better experience.

For pinots in Sebastapol try Merry Edwards. Agree with Lynmar and Bella.

Go by Siduri in Santa Rosa. It's in a warehouse district but owned by Texans. Great pinot and cool people.

Water Turkey07 said:

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Go by Siduri in Santa Rosa. It's in a warehouse district but owned by Texans. Great pinot and cool people.

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Adam still runs it and he is the winemaker, but he sold out to Jackson Family a couple years ago I think.

Siduri has a tasting room in Healdsburg now.

Correct, Just a habit of calling it his (Diana's) winery

Realm single vineyard wines will be released next Tuesday. They are also releasing a white wine and their first estate wine, Moonracer. I'll probably pick up one of each.


Also, if is anyone is interested in purchasing a 2008 DRC la Tache, let's talk!

Did Realm change their white wine name from Ibid to Fidelio?

They must have. It is a Sauv blanc as well.