aggiejumper said:

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Realm BTK is my wife's favorite wine, let it lay down for a few years and it's one of the best expressions of the vineyard. Carter makes our other favorite BTK wine.

Tacos, how long did you decant?

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As long as it took me to drink the Shramsburg?

ILikeTacos said:

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Happy Birthday Wine Thread!

So I found out the my local Market Street had a dry aging section at their meat counter and I decided to try it out on Saturday night. Did the steaks up right (sous vide and brown butter cast iron) and made a nice meal for us. We had a friend over as well and decided to just drink some nice wine as well because that is what wine is for! I snapped this pic on Sunday morning while my head was still hurting... It was a good night!

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Well done!

We went out for a dry aged ribeye Saturday and took our own bottle - 2014 Outpost Howell Mountain zin. It was nice, had a lot going on for a zin - soft tannins, black fruit, licorice, tea, and pepper. It was also pretty subtle for a Napa wine (and particularly for a zin), if it were a blind tasting I would have guessed it was a bordeaux.

My philosophy is if you need to decant, wait longer!

I need to bring a few bottles of Austrian wine to an upcoming party, but I have never tried a single red bottle from the area. When in Salzburg I usually drink Italian or Bordeaux. I have had a couple of glasses of Austrian white, but it was not memorable, just something to wash down the schnitzel.

Please list a few of your Austrian favorites, both white and red as I will need both!

cecil77 said:

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My philosophy is if you need to decant, wait longer!

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Can you expound on that, please? Is that decant as opposed to aereate, because I thought they were kinda the same thing, except decanting let the sediment settle out.

Yeah, same purpose, other than than the sediment. My, only partly serious, comment was that more age will accomplish what decantin/aeration does, and perhaps more.

cecil77 said:

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Yeah, same purpose, other than than the sediment. My, only partly serious, comment was that more age will accomplish what decantin/aeration does, and perhaps more.

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Sure, the guy who started this thread 7 years ago can say that. But us Johnny-come-latelys don't have that luxury or we'll be 5 years between posts!

Then again, I'll be dead before much of my wine is ready...

cecil77 said:

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Yeah, same purpose, other than than the sediment. My, only partly serious, comment was that more age will accomplish what decantin/aeration does, and perhaps more.

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Now see, I didn't know this. I thought wine needed to be aerated no matter what the age, in order for oxygen to do what it does.

... a few weeks ago was on here *****ing about spending $60 on the Pott Napa cab, and now here I am trying decide whether to get any of the Tor releases, or a few magnums of Mirror's 2015 cab. Also thinking about the tin man release tomorrow. Yikes!

I am reminded of the Ron Burgundy quote one of you posted a few days ago re: things escalating quickly!

I had planned on pulling the trigger on M. Etain tomorrow but bought 2 3-packs of William & Mary instead. Maybe next year.

JCA1 said:

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I had planned on pulling the trigger on M. Etain tomorrow but bought 2 3-packs of William & Mary instead. Maybe next year.

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Bought a 3-pack of W & M and will get the 2-pack of M. Etain tomorrow

Spreading the love....

BigAg95 said:

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... a few weeks ago was on here *****ing about spending $60 on the Pott Napa cab, and now here I am trying decide whether to get any of the Tor releases, or a few magnums of Mirror's 2015 cab. Also thinking about the tin man release tomorrow. Yikes!

I am reminded of the Ron Burgundy quote one of you posted a few days ago re: things escalating quickly!

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It's referred to as "Christmas in October" in our house.

You guys help me out please! Charting out my Napa visit in November and making reservations.

10:30AM - 12PM Schramsberg

Picnic lunch

1:45PM - Stony Hill (or is that too tight? should I wait for the 3:45pm? Seems pretty close to Schramsberg)

From there I'm not sure. Too many possibilities! I'd like to stay in Calistoga area from Stony Hill. My wife loves sparking, but I want some great reds too. Please give me another can't miss spot in that area. A great estate experience would be neat. Is Castello Amorosa worth it? Also looking for a dinner rec since lunch will be pretty tame.

What do we know about the Casa Rodena or Gruet wineries in Albuquerque?

SouthTex99 said:

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You guys help me out please! Charting out my Napa visit in November and making reservations.

10:30AM - 12PM Schramsberg

Picnic lunch

1:45PM - Stony Hill (or is that too tight? should I wait for the 3:45pm? Seems pretty close to Schramsberg)

From there I'm not sure. Too many possibilities! I'd like to stay in Calistoga area from Stony Hill. My wife loves sparking, but I want some great reds too. Please give me another can't miss spot in that area. A great estate experience would be neat. Is Castello Amorosa worth it? Also looking for a dinner rec since lunch will be pretty tame.
___________

1) How many days will you be there?

2). Where are you staying? You mentioned Calistoga; that is really at the far end. We stay mid-valley (St. Helena), which makes it easier to get around, and does not get the heavy drinking crew you get in Napa

3). What are you comfortable spending on a bottle of wine (especially the "great reds")?

Let us know and you'll get a lot of help

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There for 3 days. Staying in Napa but that day will have a driver. Headed to that area in morning.

I don't have any business paying more than $100 a bottle, preferably less. But when in Napa, I'm trying to have an open mind. Great for me probably isn't "great" for some of you collectors. So that's good for my wallet I hope.

Day 2 will concentrate on Ruthford area. Day 3 probably hang around Napa, tasting rooms and art kind of thng. I figure we'll be ready for something different by then.

I would like a rec on a fun Napa restaurant for dinner I've heard some folks talk about Morimoto.

I'm all ears, thank you.

I typically go to Napa for the food: all the Thomas Keller restaurants (and Addendum is open til mid-November), Redd, Bistro Jeanty (puff tomato soup), Press (BYOW with steaks!), Cook (and Cook Tavern), Goose & Gander, etc. it has been a long time but Mustards and a Brix were both good on previous visits. I'm missing several here but there are so many great places to eat.

For wineries, consider a day on Spring Mountain (I'm afraid you could push past $100/btl on Howell Mountain really quickly or I'd suggest that too). On the floor, Alpha Omega is solid and diverse.

Edit: Redd is closing on Sunday, for good. Owner is moving to NY but will keep the ReddWood pizza place open. It's a shame because I was wanting to go there next month when we're out west!

Restaurants:

No on Morimoto. That is not a Napa restaurant; it is a transplant. You can get it in what 15 locations now? If you are going to Napa, experience Napa, not Vegas.

Just had Brix in August skip. Has gone downhill.

The Goose & Gander recommendation in St. Helena is good. I think Market is better in St. Helena. If you want steak, Press in St. Helena is the tops. Farmstead is a nice more casual option

Do grab a burger for lunch at Gott's. If Addendum in Yountville is open (it closes sometime in November for the season Ibelieve), go there for the fried chicken. Seriously fried chicken by Thomas Keller.

Wineries:

For your price points, and for good wine, consider Krupp Brothers (smaller production, but several different wines and great people). Convenient to Napa. Also look at Chappellet wines are good, and the view is incredible.

Stay away from places that the tour buses go.

For bubbles, Mumm over Chandon.

Austintm said:

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Stay away from places that the tour buses go.

For bubbles, Mumm over Chandon.

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Don't go to tour bus places, next sentence, go to mumm. Lol

This isn't a knock on mumm, I really like their tasting patio a lot, very relaxing, very pretty, love their art area. I just think it is contradictory. Also rec for sparkling go to that tasting room in yountville that is extravagant and over the top, I am forgetting the name currently but someone in the thread has to be able to remember...

750 Wines is the tasting room, I believe.

For bubbles, I've been to 3. I like Domaine Carneros the best. Mumm 2 and Chandon 3.

I second Alpha Omega. Consistently good wines, particularly if you can get them to pour some of their single vineyards. Italics is also a fun tour.

For food, I still hit Mustards pretty much every trip for the Mongolian pork chop. Also like Bouchon. Haven't tried Ad Hoc but I'm sure it's good. Thought Auberge was good but somewhat overrated. Nice view though.

ILikeTacos said:

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Austintm said:

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Stay away from places that the tour buses go.

For bubbles, Mumm over Chandon.

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Don't go to tour bus places, next sentence, go to mumm. Lol

This isn't a knock on mumm, I really like their tasting patio a lot, very relaxing, very pretty, love their art area. I just think it is contradictory. Also rec for sparkling go to that tasting room in yountville that is extravagant and over the top, I am forgetting the name currently but someone in the thread has to be able to remember...

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I get that, and thought about it as I wrote. He said he wanted bubble, and Mumm is less of a ****show tha Chandon. Tasting rooms are fine, but I really like to get out to the places.

I haven't been to a place that does over about 3000 barrels (and the vast majority under 1000, some under 500) in the last few trips. Those aren't the places he is wanting at his bottle price point.

HTownAg98 said:

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750 Wines is the tasting room, I believe.

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JCB also qualifies if you're talking over the top.

750 Wines is in St Helena but they aren't big on sparkling wine. They are great people, though!!! They were very kind to me when I got sick. You could spend a little more money there though since they concentrate on small producers from nice vineyards.

Under $100/bottle Napa tastings:

Mending Wall
Most up Spring Mountain as BSD mentioned
Cade up Howell Mountain
Heitz

Schramsberg by a mile for bubbles, do the reserve tasting if you can

We enjoy Elyse as well. Small, intimate tasting room. Prices range from $25 to $60 for most bottles.

jh0400 said:

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HTownAg98 said:

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750 Wines is the tasting room, I believe.

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JCB also qualifies if you're talking over the top.

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Ding ding ding. This is what I was thinking of. I am also not big on tasting rooms but this place was fun.

https://jcbcollection.com/location/tasting-salon-yountville/

JCA1 said:

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For bubbles, I've been to 3. I like Domaine Carneros the best. Mumm 2 and Chandon 3.

I second Alpha Omega. Consistently good wines, particularly if you can get them to pour some of their single vineyards. Italics is also a fun tour.

For food, I still hit Mustards pretty much every trip for the Mongolian pork chop. Also like Bouchon. Haven't tried Ad Hoc but I'm sure it's good. Thought Auberge was good but somewhat overrated. Nice view though.

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Ok I had to respond here, I really enjoyed Domaine Carneros as well. Awesome property, albeit a little touristy, but still cool.

I third AO, but I am also a member.

Haven't tried Ad Hoc?!? Ad Hoc is the *****

BSD said:

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Edit: Redd is closing on Sunday, for good. Owner is moving to NY but will keep the ReddWood pizza place open. It's a shame because I was wanting to go there next month when we're out west.

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Ok this sucks because I really enjoyed Redd in May when I was there. Or at least I think I did...

Tumble Weed said:

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I need to bring a few bottles of Austrian wine to an upcoming party, but I have never tried a single red bottle from the area. When in Salzburg I usually drink Italian or Bordeaux. I have had a couple of glasses of Austrian white, but it was not memorable, just something to wash down the schnitzel.

Please list a few of your Austrian favorites, both white and red as I will need both!

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I may swing down into Houston this weekend to pick up a few of bottles of Austrian wine for a party. I will also pick up a half case of assorted St. Emilion Grand Cru. What wine shops in Houston do yall recommend?

Houston Wine Merchant if it's anything like the Austin store.

Bought a couple at last TW sale.

Very good value. I thought a little weak compared the the Chateau Du Ferrand we bought at the same time, but then it cost twice as much!