Del Blotto is definitely a fun time. They have perfected the art of using wine as credit card lubrication.

Also, those barrels are just large serving containers. You can't open/reopen barrels over and over again during aging.

cecil77 said:

---

Del Blotto is definitely a fun time. They have perfected the art of using wine as credit card lubrication.

Also, those barrels are just large serving containers. You can't open/reopen barrels over and over again during aging.

---

The barrels and credit card lubrication was working well. Been to over 80 different wine tastings in Napa and this one was by far #1.

Also recommend the Mayo Family Room (a short drive away from Napa) for excellent food pairings.

Geoff and the rest of his hospitality team over at Failla are always great. Beautiful little secluded spot with great wines. It's actually the only winery that my wife and I revisit each time we're out that way.

Goose06 said:

---

Also, the 2 I'm currently considering adding are Failla and Mending Wall so any specific feedback on those two would be appreciated.

---

I think you'll be happy at both of those. We tasted at Failla a couple of years ago and had a good, relaxed visit. It's nice and cozy, with good Pinots. Like Cade, we don't do a lot of tastings anymore but I enjoyed this one and would recommend it.

I'm not sure what all they pour at The Royal We in St Helena but it's a Thomas Brown place (Mending Wall is his too). It might be worth looking into if you like his wines.

And Del Dotto…haha. That brings back some fuzzy memories.

Alright, booked Failla as our final addition to the plans. Thank you to those who provided input!

Got this bottle as part of a thank you half-case recently, and wasn't sure how it would be, as Late Bloomer is usually one of the first bottles we open in our shipment. But this was surprisingly good.

Nice!

How was it? I have that and an 83.

Anybody else purchase Mowe? I really like the sav blanc. Seems like they are already developing a pretty big following after only 2 releases.

Happy Labor Day Ags!!

I asked the folks at lastbottle about whether they had any blackbird wines left over for sale. They sent me the following.

Blackbird Vineyards Red Blend Paramour Napa Valley 2016 $59 per bottle
Blackbird Vineyards Red Blend Contrarian Napa Valley 2017 $59 per bottle
Blackbird Vineyards Red Blend Paramour Napa Valley 2017 $89 per bottle

They may still have some left over so it may be worth reaching out if you are interested.

Wow picture.

I had to google the les clos hospices. Interesting that they own a distinct parcel within Les Clos.

FriendlyAg said:

---

I had to google the les clos hospices. Interesting that they own a distinct parcel within Les Clos.

---

Interesting story on that block. It's planted east-west because it's so narrow. It was a small parcel given to the monks for taking care of an eldery landowner, and since it's so narrow, it made no sense to plant it north-south even though that's how most of the blocks in Chablis Grand Cru are planted. It's owned by the Louis Moreau family and a cousin. Chances are not great that anyone that purchased a bottle will get it; they only make about 600 bottles.

Macdonald offering is live. I'm all in!

And yes, I really have cut back on purchases this year. Instead of 4x my budget, I'm only at 2x! Haha. But seriously, I've been passing on a lot of Envoyer stuff that I'd usually buy (Yquem, champs, Dalla Valle) and I cut my mailing lists downs to half of what it was. But Macdonald? That one stays forever. I wish I had two allocations!

Quote:

---

Interesting story on that block. It's planted east-west because it's so narrow.

---

That's actually better as the sun travels down the row and you don't have morning and afternoon sides getting differing amounts of sun.

Interesting that RDV Vineyards in Virginia is now owned by Chateau Montrose.

cecil77 said:

---

Quote:

---

Interesting story on that block. It's planted east-west because it's so narrow.

---

That's actually better as the sun travels down the row and you don't have morning and afternoon sides getting differing amounts of sun.

---

It's interesting as Le Clos is almost all planted north-south, but most everything else is east-west. I'm not about to tell a bunch of Frenchmen that have been doing it for hundreds of years that they're doing things wrong.

Terrain can play a roll, as can a decision made decades ago with little thought!

HTown - how were the Chablis? Did you stay in the town? Favorite wine of the lineup?

Had some of Drake's champagne yesterday, wasn't bad but I've grown to much prefer blanc driven or Meunier driven champagnes. I likened this to having a strawberry scone.

Also, no, I did not purchase this with my own money

FriendlyAg said:

---

HTown - how were the Chablis? Did you stay in the town? Favorite wine of the lineup?

---

This was at a tasting at a wine bar in Lakeway (I'm usually there on Sundays for White Burgundy Sunday). They were all excellent, though pricey (Grand Cru Chablis for $145 is a little hard to stomach). The Van Ligneau was the only one that didn't really blow up my skirt, so to speak. It was very mineral-driven, and almost transparent.

singer10 said:

---

Started drinking this earlier than I was expecting after our performance today against Kentucky

---

Nice. Notes after pls.

I'm taking a group of customers to Napa in November for a customer event.

Day 1
Ciccio for Dinner
Day 2
Joseph Cellars
Amulet Cellars- lunch plus tasting
Round Pond
Dinner-LongMeadow Ranch

Day 3
Gotta Lunch
Raymond Wine Making Experience
B Cellara for Wine Tasting and Cellar Dinner

I had to bend some on wineries as I'm taking 20 people but splitting round pond and Joseph for morning evening with 2 vans.

I'm a huge fan of B cellars so pumped for the dinner there