Pinot also has dozens and dozens of different clones. Virtually all Pinots are blends of various clones which results in very different wines. Pinot was one of the first (may be first) varieties to recognize, develop and endorse clonal differences.

This link is good. It's a complicated subject. I'm far from an expert...

A Wine Geek's Guide to Pinot Noir Clones Around the World

Went to mutiny in houston for the first time last night. Been wanting to try it for awhile but the wife got pregnant right when they opened. Had our first "date night" last night so gave it a go.

The owners of kagan cellars own the restaurant. Wine list isn't extremely extensive but lots of smaller producers. And didn't seem like substantial markups either, including by the glass, which was nice.

Food was really good. I had a Chablis and the kagan stagecoach cab and the wife had a sauv blanc and kagan Pinot noir. We enjoyed all the wines as well. Actually bought both the stagecoach and Pinot. Also bought a lava vines Syrah as they've been on my list to try and this is the first place I've seen it.

Realm spring allocation out today. Not sure if it was expected, but seems they jacked up the prices for almost every wine.

Hard to say this as it was kind of my first Napa love, but starting to get priced out of Realm. Just too much alternatives at a better value.

That was me 2 years ago with Realm. Haven't purchased since.

Crazy expensive

Yep, I had to say no thanks to that one today too.

Those prices really are Absurd.

Nine hundred bucks for a magnum of cab franc?

Way too much better wine available for saner (well, a little saner) prices...

So many Napa producers have reacted to their crises with a touch of humility. Profound thanks, steep discounts, enticing offers.

Realm seems to be saying "F-you give us all your money.".

I'm pretty close to dropping Realm. I just love the Crane so much, though. But at $300 a bottle and the owner saying it's still a value? Please...

Random post, but I'm looking for recommendations on wines of similar profile to some of my favorites, but at a lower price point in the sub $40 range that aren't wine club only. Apologies in advance for the following very unsophisticated tasting notes.

I tend to prefer a more restrained fruit profile and prefer earthy (although not full blown old world earthy) and smooth. Some higher end favorites include Darius II and Darioush (their Caravan is ok but not my favorite), Quintessa, and Don Melchor. On the other end of the spectrum, I don't like the sweeter over extracted fruit bombs like Caymus and the Orin Swift lines.

For pinot noir I generally prefer Oregon to CA with favorites including Antikythera (best pinot I've ever tasted) and more recently a Domaine Louis Latour Burgundy that I really enjoyed. Similar theme here of preferring lighter more nuanced juice over fruit forward and darker pinot.

Thanks in advance for any TexAgs expert recommendations.

Try some Bordeaux (particularly St Emilion Grand Crus.) Sub $40 may be a challenge for something really good, but $50 isn't. We like:

Ch Fleur Cardinal

Ch Clos Labarde

Ch Laniote If you can find this one, please tell me where!!

Ch Quinalt L'Enclose

Ch Durfort Vivens (Margaux)

among many others.

Total Wine has the best Bordeaux selection I've seen. And there are plenty of St Emilion wines down to the $20 range. Buy a sampling and enjoy the fun of finding one you like! (and then come back here and share...)

Agree with Cecil, and would add to explore France in general. You may have to weed through some of the more earthy producers but for lighter wines that are more affordable you can look at Beaujolais. I'm personally a fan of Rhone, right now I'm exploring through crozes hermitage. Definitely going to have higher earthiness on rhone, though.

Thanks Cecil. I've had very hit or miss luck with French wines in the past with the majority unfortunately being misses. I like plenty of Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, but finding the sweet spot in France has alluded me until stumbling upon the Burgundy I referenced in a restaurant inventory clearance sale. That said, I may swing by Total Wine and give a few of these a shot.

For the Laniote, I am not sure if you're wed to the 2015 vintage, but it looks like you can pick up the 2016 Here

cecil77 said:

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Try some Bordeaux (particularly St Emilion Premier Crus.) Sub $40 may be a challenge for something really good, but $50 isn't. We like:

Ch Fleur Cardinal

Ch Clos Labarde

Ch Laniote If you can find this one, please tell me where!!

Ch Quinalt L'Enclose

Ch Durfort Vivens (Margaux)

among many others.

Total Wine has the best Bordeaux selection I've seen. And there are plenty of St Emilion wines down to the $20 range. Buy a sampling and enjoy the fun of finding one you like! (and then come back here and share...)

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Good info. I'm more of a Left Bank/Pauillac cab heavy blend myself, but yeah I wish we had a Total Wine here.

Sent you a PM, btw.

FTAco07 said:

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Random post, but I'm looking for recommendations on wines of similar profile to some of my favorites, but at a lower price point in the sub $40 range that aren't wine club only. Apologies in advance for the following very unsophisticated tasting notes.

I tend to prefer a more restrained fruit profile and prefer earthy (although not full blown old world earthy) and smooth. Some higher end favorites include Darius II and Darioush (their Caravan is ok but not my favorite), Quintessa, and Don Melchor. On the other end of the spectrum, I don't like the sweeter over extracted fruit bombs like Caymus and the Orin Swift lines.

For pinot noir I generally prefer Oregon to CA with favorites including Antikythera (best pinot I've ever tasted) and more recently a Domaine Louis Latour Burgundy that I really enjoyed. Similar theme here of preferring lighter more nuanced juice over fruit forward and darker pinot.

Thanks in advance for any TexAgs expert recommendations.

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That's a tough price point for Cali cabs, so the Bordeaux suggestions are good. Some thoughts :

These are in the $40-50 range, but buy a 6-pack and get the 10% discount:

Catena Alta Cabernet or Malbec (Argentina)
Turnbull Cabernet (Napa -- I'm talking about their white label)
Chateau Montelena

Under $40:

Obsidian Ridge (Paso)
Silver Ghost (Napa)

Quote:

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Chateau Montelena

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Yes! And frequently on sale. I think is pretty much what you described..

FTAco07 said:

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Random post, but I'm looking for recommendations on wines of similar profile to some of my favorites, but at a lower price point in the sub $40 range that aren't wine club only. Apologies in advance for the following very unsophisticated tasting notes.

I tend to prefer a more restrained fruit profile and prefer earthy (although not full blown old world earthy) and smooth. Some higher end favorites include Darius II and Darioush (their Caravan is ok but not my favorite), Quintessa, and Don Melchor. On the other end of the spectrum, I don't like the sweeter over extracted fruit bombs like Caymus and the Orin Swift lines.

For pinot noir I generally prefer Oregon to CA with favorites including Antikythera (best pinot I've ever tasted) and more recently a Domaine Louis Latour Burgundy that I really enjoyed. Similar theme here of preferring lighter more nuanced juice over fruit forward and darker pinot.

Thanks in advance for any TexAgs expert recommendations.

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Royal Prince Cabernet. It's normally around $40, but drinks like it is $75-$100.

I like Crozes-Hermitage too, but there's a "danger awaits thee" problem, because there are some well-made wines, and there's a lot of plonk for the same price. If you find a producer that made a Rhone wine from another area, find out if they make a Crozes-Hermitage too.

At those prices, buy by the case, because it's very hard to find good St. Joseph at that price.

Speaking of St.Emilion, I opened this tonight, primarily because I needed to make some room in the wine fridge. For $30, I wasn't expecting a bunch, but it's pretty good. Definitely a food wine.

Our Super Bowl lineup...Obvious which one stole the show...

Damn! That musta been some FINE wine!!!!!

Ruffino pinot grigio is a definite panny dropper.....

Looks like I'm shopping at the Heights now...

Damn, looks like I've been spending WAY too much on wine...

cecil77 said:

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Damn, looks like I've been spending WAY too much on wine...

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January and February are rough. And that's even with passing on multiple offers.

We had to cancel our river cruise to France this summer because of Covid. Wine spending in December and January alone took care of one business class ticket to Paris for when we rebook.

LOL, I was referring to the prices of the wine in that pic...

cecil77 said:

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LOL, I was referring to the prices of the wine in that pic...

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I used to spend that amount, now I'm more often saying "it was just $33, we can open for Tuesday"... and I wonder where all my dang money goes

cecil77 said:

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LOL, I was referring to the prices of the wine in that pic...

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Gotcha. Went right over my head.

Saturday Heights HEB report:
-No pink panties on the floor as of now... but the aisles are packed to the gills with Karen's loading up on Meiomi and Apothic Red so looks promising for some panty dropping as the day goes on
-Picked up some CDR's to get me through the freeze, may throw some into a pot with some venison roast, will see what the weekend holds.

bularry said:

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cecil77 said:

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LOL, I was referring to the prices of the wine in that pic...

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I used to spend that amount, now I'm more often saying "it was just $33, we can open for Tuesday"... and I wonder where all my dang money goes

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Get the kids grown and gone and it can double again...

CDR?