I like the AO Prop Red. It's got a good dose of Merlot in it and is balanced nicely. I typically don't care for a lot of Merlot but I like this blend. If you want a real treat from AO, get the Stagecoach vineyard cab!

Impressed by the Darioush, but honestly by going over the century mark in price I think they're overreaching a bit?

None of the Darioush I got was over $100 except the one bottle of 2007 Napa Cab I got, and it was for a special occasion for the wife and I. Seems like the rest was under that, but who knows, I was trying wine all day and it was my last stop... lol.

The Alpha Omega Proprietary Red was so good that I joined their club on the spot. It was the only club I joined after three days in Napa. I also bought three bottles of a future cab that I TRULY enjoyed. I felt their wines were very very good.


All that being said I am not the most educated wine drinker out there, I either like something or I don't. I don't use key words like bold or deep or lift up the glass and say "There's a lot going on in there". So my opinion is probably not one I would take

Do you have to join the AO wine club or can you buy individual bottles at their winery?

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I was trying wine all day and it was my last stop.

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...and about 5:30 in the afternoon you slap your forehead and think "crap, I forgot to eat lunch again!"

Hoping to make our second trip to Napa in August. Getting the credit cards warmed up now.

You do not have to join their club, you can buy individual bottles from their winery.

My wife and I decided to join the Far Niente club earlier this week. We already got our first shipment. I am beyond excited!

Wow!

Any Dolce included in the club?

Aren't you guys worried about that wine sitting in a hot warehouse coming to Texas in the spring/summer???

I think most of the clubs ship direct (one or two day service) and suspend shipments to Texas from about now till October. Also, there are air conditioned alternatives for shipping, I think. But yeah, "wine baked by UPS" is not a good thing...

I don't ship from March til November. I wouldn't trust any winery that would suggest otherwise.

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Any Dolce included in the club?

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Yes. It's scheduled for the December shipment. I've never had it so I'm pretty excited about that as well.

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Aren't you guys worried about that wine sitting in a hot warehouse coming to Texas in the spring/summer???

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Yes. It's a valid concern. Most wine clubs won't schedule any shipments for the summer with the only exception being when someone new signs up. The one I just received was actually their April shipment but since I just signed up, I got it in May. My next one isn't scheduled until Oct. Most ship overnight or two day at a minimum.

Just picked up a few bottles for Mothers Day:

2007 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling
2005 Chateau de Fargues Sauternes
2005 Cristal Champagne

Dolce is an excellent botrycized wine. A can't quite articulate it, but it's different from Sauternes somehow, either that or I'm imagining things.

It's also nice that an open bottle keeps for quite some time, so you can savor it. I know pate is the classic pairing, but I like sharp cheddar, or even smoked cheddar with it.

Just FYI...

My shipment left Napa at 1:23PM yesterday and was delivered to my wife's office at 10:00AM this morning.

I'm a big Sauternes fan so I'm interested to see how it compares.

Overnight shipping should be ok, I just hate paying for it!

I almost bought a Yquem today but the champagne was a bit pricey so I had to slum it with some lesser juice of the sweet stuff.

Had a 2011 Domaine du Tariquet Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne Rosé de pressée (say that 10 times fast) tonight. For $11, it beats the pants off of rosés that are $25, and is perfect with roast chicken.

If you couldn't tell, I like a lot of cheap oddball wines too.

pute

Far Niente was an awesome place to visit and taste wines when we went to Napa. May have been the best tour we had. Dolce is awesome as others have pointed out.

Cross posted from beer thread:

This is what happens when you buy more than you consume. Yep, on top of two beer fridges and two wine cabinets, I'm now utilizing offsite storage.

Maybe that wouldn't happen if you didn't go 6 weeks without a glass of wine.

Peter falke '06 tonight. Big oak

I had a Wolfgang Puck cab at lunch today. A very "meh" glass. The 2009 Montelena cab later on in the day was much better.

Grilled lamb chops w an '09 paraduxx z blend. Deelish! Full bodied, like it should be, but very drinkable- the cab cuts the zin alcohol and the zin cuts the tannic cab... At $50, I'm not sure, but for $35, outstanding!

Opening this guy for dinner tonight.

What grape is that? I recently bought a couple of bottles of WTSO of nebbiolo. Haven't opened one yet...

CdN is Sangiovese I believe. Visited the place a few years ago- an unparalleled tasting experience. Still have a bottle of CdN grappa I'm working on.

Love that juice. 2008 is the absolute best year for Sangiovese in Tuscany. Find some of that and hold onto it for a while...

Yes, CdN is a Brunello de Montalcino, which by law must be Sangiovese and aged for a minimum number of years in barriques (I forgot the specifics). 2001, 2004, and 2008 were very good vintages.

This wine was excellent. Just excellent.

BSD,

I recently had that vintage CdN, awesome stuff, could drink my weight in it. The 06 Alban Edna Valley Syrah was off the chain as well.

A2

[This message has been edited by AlexSAWineguy (edited 5/13/2013 3:10p).]

Unfortunately that was my last '01. I do however, have some other vintages from those guys in 750 and magnums, as well as some Cerralto.

Tonight is a Napa cab kind of night I think.

Just got the reservations done. Heading to Calistoga for a week in August. We visited Napa for three days a couple of years ago.

Recommendations please? Wineries, restaurants and other stuff to do/see. Although wine will be the focus, we don't want it to be 100% wine this time...

Thanks!

Tomorrow is the last day of HEB's Pinot Noir sale. Any recommendations on some good pinots? I'm more of a Cab guy but tend to drink pinots in the summertime.

I'm already planning on getting some Goldeneye, Clark & Telephone, and Meomi. I enjoy Argyle Nuthouse but have plenty of it plus have recently been liking the heavier Belle Glos Pinots. All advice is greatly appreciated.

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Although wine will be the focus, we don't want it to be 100% wine this time...

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Get. Out.