Farmer fizz is the way to go in my book.

I sampled a Delamotte brut nv at a local shop in DC. A real nice bottle of fizz .

Delamotte is the sister house to Salon. I like their Blanc de Blancs, especially for the money.

quote:

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Question for the group: What was your first Champagne that knocked your socks off?

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A Tattinger Blanc de Blancs ... many years ago. I am sorry but don't remember the vintage. It has been the benchmark for me.

On another note (siap): This "wine access gadget" escaped my Christmas list. It looks like a must have. Please report back to us if you get one before I do:

http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2013/07/how-to-drink-wine-without-opening-the-bottle-coravin

buy it here: http://www.coravin.com/

I got a Coravin when I got sick. My thought was that my wife and I could get a glass out once a month without opening the bottle. The only two bottles that we've opened in the last 6 months were at a dinner with friends so there was no need. We may actually have a chance to try it tomorrow night on some Realm Farella while we wrap presents. We'll see how it goes.

How many of you all use Vivino? What do you think about it ?

Reload: Just started using it and I like it. I've used it while at the stores to help push me to a buy/not buy decision if I have no clue but want to try something new. I also like that I can store my own thoughts.

I've used other apps to track my purchases as well. They all have their pros/cons, like every genre of apps.

TP, I just started using it over the holidays and I think it is okay. The way I have been keeping track is a spreadsheet. Deciding when to drink a bottle has been a conundrum to me in the past, and I hope this helps me manage my wine better.

I use cellartracker. I think it's very nice. A lot of users and notes from others are good. A pretty broad spectrum of users but it's not hard to discern serious from casual drinkers.

Does Cellartracker have in Apple app? Can't find if they do.

[This message has been edited by TP Ag '87 (edited 12/27/2013 7:31p).]

Interesting question. Don't know the answer. I'm not that tech savy.

IMO. Unless you are just buying everyday drinkers without any desire to age wines, Once u go over 100 bottles you have to find a sophisticated way to track your wines. I was lucky that CT started around the time my collection grew.

I do have a friend with over 1500 who still keeps his on paper. No idea how he manages it.

Cellartracker does not have an app, but there are several apps where you can import your data from cellartracker.

Wrote my own! That's what the long ago OP showed.

Not much to report here but at Christmas dinner, I was able to enjoy a glass of 2008 Realm Farella Cab with my beef tenderloin. On NYE, I took two sips of a 2009 Rivers Marie Silver Eagle Pinot. Both are from two of my favorite wineries and never disappoint.

Opened a bottle of the Ancillary Cellars Pinot last week (the Sangiacomo) and it was pretty dang good. I'm just learning Pinot and I think I'm gonna like it!

That was my favorite of the two as well. It's funny, now that I don't drink much, I'm really liking Pinot. Oh well.

for our NYE tenderloin dinner we opened a Stag's Leap Lot 23 from '06. Supposedly not a great vintage, but we all enjoyed the wine.

Tickets booked for Napa over spring break. We are staying at Lance Cutler's (former winemaker for Gundlach Bunshu) place. Should be fun.

A Alto Moncayo vertical was just recently completed by Robert Parker. Two vintages recieved 100 Points. Grab them while you can!

bodegasaltomoncayo.com/

I saw these wines at HEB Bunker Hill yesterday. The Leviatan is really good. We opened several bottles of various wines a few months ago and this was the clear winner. The Continuum is about $30 per bottle cheaper at HEB than what I paid

Got some Leviathan for Christmas. Looking forward to it.

Wish my HEB would've had Continuum during the sales last month...

Here is my report on Vivino .
1) Scanning and label recognition feature work well Occasionally you bust modify year or type of wine.
2) The rating system for obscure wines is a crapshoot because it is community base.
3) Big complaint is database tells you grape variety in blend ,but leaves out %s. Big difference between 5 and 30 % I of a grape varietal in a blend.
4) Over all it does a good job of organizing a collection and on a personal I found a few gems that I forgot about.

I'm not a leviathon fan, but man is that a good price on Continuum.

when was that? I'm tempted to go buy it

I believe that color tag indicates a "normal" price. 10% for six or more. When they have a sale it's 10% off plus the 6+ 10%.

So about $136 for Continuum!

The only bottles of Caymus SS, Ingisgnia, Quintessa I buy are at the 20% off price.

Just installed Vivino on my phone.

Got the first bottle I tried! A 2009 Antica.

bularry, that was Friday night. I wonder if you buy that and 5 other bottles of a less expensive wine, will that allow all purchases to be 10% off?

Yes. HEB is always mix/match. I've bought one bottle of Insignia and 5 of Hess Allomi and you get the 10% on all of them.

Pinot and tamales.

Who knew?

Cecil or other users, if you start rating on Vivino, please do tell. It would be interesting and educational to read your ratings.
Most of you all seem to be into the CA wine world. I myself have been fascinated by the wines of the Pacific NW. I think stylistically they are different, but I haven't tried many of the wines you guys mention from CA. Sorry for the long winded post.
I enjoy reading this thread. Keep up the good work

I love Washington wines. The problem is not many of them make it to Texas.

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Pinot and tamales.

Who knew?

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Maybe chicken tamales though I think zinfandel is the more classic pairing with Mexican food, or at least my preferred pairing. Well, that and Cabernet Dos Equis.

reload,

I, too, love the wines of the NW. There are more in Texas than you may realize.

I'm trying to do some online orders from a retailer in that area and get me some Soos Creek reds. have either of y'all tried their wines? Really top notch bordeaux varietals.

I have a few top bottles of NW reds I'm holding and a few rieslings, too. I would really like some more whites and a few more producers.

I'm on the Betz mailing list but not sure if I'm going to pull the trigger on their just released allocations.

[This message has been edited by bularry (edited 1/15/2014 5:11p).]

I really wish I had a chance to dive into NW wines when I could drink but a few things kept me away. First there were friends in Napa that kept me going back there. second, the one time I did travel to PDX, I had lunch at a brewpub, got drunk, and didn't leave for three days! PDX has some great brews there!

Bularry, I have just received a couple a of bottles of Soos creek 2010 artist series. Once I sample, I will tell you what I think. I have been trying to get a couple of bottles from different small wineries throughout the region.