Bularry , I was searching for some Reynnvann, it looks like pogo in Dallas has a couple of 09 contenders.

Here is a good article on WA state Syrahs. Note the Reynvaans.http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2014/07/02/walla-walla-winemakers-showcase-terroir-style-in-syrah/

reload, those are hard to find.

I have a bottle of Reynvaan 2010 The Unnamed Syrah. I'm holding it for a while.

I signed up for their wait list back in the fall, be interesting to see how long it takes to get anything. I signed up for Betz at the same time and was wait-listed, but was able to buy a few offerings before release, but still not officially "on the list".

[This message has been edited by bularry (edited 7/8/2014 11:10a).]

Sat down by the water tonight in the West Indies and had a glass of '07 Realm Dr Crane cab...easily one of my favorite bottles every year.

Jamaica? St. Martin?

I want to know precisely how jealous to be...

Nevis. Not a bad place. I had a Cuban Romeo and Julieta as well. Shhh, don't tell my doctor.

[This message has been edited by Bsd (edited 7/10/2014 5:55a).]

BSD livin the dream!!

cheers!

Drank a 2010 Benovia Pinot Noir Russian River Valley La Pommeraie tonight. Dark cherry, ripe raspberry, cola. Fragrant and very floral on the nose. Elegant but powerful. Drinking very well right now, but has enough acid to go another year or two.

I have a bottle of that. Probably will hold another year. they do a great job of capturing the cola and cherry of RRV with a good backbone and structure. Post hear if you ever try their chard (not the estate, the general one), I think it is a gem.

I like their wines a lot, although I will say their '11 Zin was pretty underwhelming, which is a shame because I was a huge fan of their 09's and '10's.

2011 is pretty underwhelming across all of California.
I've had some of the chards before. I think the Sonoma coast is my favorite because it's less buttery than the other chards they make.

Speaking of RRV Pinot, opened a bottle of Papapietro Perry Leras Family Vineyards 2010 last night. More cherry flavor than anything, but props to whoever recommended that back in March. Those lighter pinots are just great in the summer.

Last weekend on a whim, my wife wanted us to try the two buck chuck merlot. She found something online on someone tasting these. Maybe ten years ago I could convince myself that it was "not bad", but now the best description is that it starts weak and just about the time you think there is enough of a fruit flavor to figure out what it might be, it stabs you in the neck. Not the worst commercially avaialable wine I've had, but not a whole lot better.

Here is my writeup from my trip to Walla Walla. Fun time and beautiful place.

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=102385

thanks for the link, some really good pics. I can't wait to go there next year.

Rivers Marie cab and chard release is today, so I'll be picking up a bottle of each vineyard.

Nice writeup, MHLY01. Looks like you had a great trip!

Thinking of buying one of each from Rivers Marie also. BSD, what's your favorite vineyard based upon the past vintages?

I love the regular lineup chard so I'll be getting that (never had Sonoma coast since it's new). For the cabs, I like Panek best and like the Napa bottling for the value. I was talking to the guys there and they said the Calistoga will be good. It's from the Larkmead vineyard.

MLHY, besides your tasting notes which ones would you buy and what were your general cellaring potential perceptions? Thanks. The green pepper notes on the cabs were they from the 10 and 11 vintage?

In my experience with rivers Marie the chards need a year or two to settle down. I bought their chards/pinots in '08&'09 vintages. Super high acid with the chards. Very nice super crisp whites but teeth jarring acid. Of the pinots I've only drank the appellation Sonoma coast which is a great qpr. I have their other svd pinots but haven't gotten around to drinking them. The regular cab I've had and it's a worthwhile fruit forward, balanced oak cab. The panek and other svd cabs I haven't had. I passed on those allocations. As u may know the svd chard is from theriot, a very well regarded Sonoma coast vineyard that also sells grapes to littorai. The Sonoma coast chard is from two vineyards I'm not familiar with, lucky well and joy road. This is Thomas rivers brown's personal project. Doubt u will go wrong buying and enjoying his wines. Hope this helps.

It did help. I purchased one of each to try in 5 years and two of the regular cabs so I could pop one now and get an idea of their wines.

My wife and I tend to like more balanced wines, good structure and acid with some earthiness and fruit, more on the new world bigger side. We ended up bringing home like 11 bottles.

We bought:
Mackey '09 Condordia
Mackey '10 Right Bank
Rasa '09 QED (another Rasa Syrah bottle broke)
Rotie '11 Southern Blend and Homage
Gramercy '11 Syrah
Maison Bleue '11 Syrah
Couple Rose from Kerloo and Gramercy.

Most everything we tasted was the '11 releases for the cabs, syrahs. Much more pepper and terroir driven. I felt everything could use some age to give them some more balance and elegance. We tasted older vintages and it is why we ended up with them instead of the newer releases. Living in by Paso we really enjoy rhones so that is what we ended up buying.

Did get a bottle of each of RM and Myriad this past week.

Which Myriads? Just place an order this week for a couple of the new cabs. It and the Elysian ordered last spring should be here in November!

Also opened a bottle of Myriad Whole Cluster Syrah Monday evening. Quite good. The acid was... well.. "bracing" I suppose, but some very soft tannins rounded it out nicely...

for sure, the '11 Syrah's from Wash will need bottle age. I've got an 07 Betz that I doubt is ready to drink.

I have found those Syrah's to be quite different than the Paso Syrah which I would label more "new world" as they are more fruit forward and more approachable at an early age (in general) while the Wash stuff is more acidic and structured. takes a year or five for the fruit to open up on those in my limited experience. once they open up though they can be pretty big.

The merchant in Seattle that I buy my WA state wine emphatically states that the Syrahs from WA state begin their sweet spot at year 6 and the are at their peak until 10 years post vintage . I am using his figures as my guide. FYI he feels that the cabs and Merlots from the better sites have a greater shelf life.

Bularry. I have a bottle of the 08 black tongue from Stevens winery in the Yakima valley. The other 2 bottles were consumed and were wonderful . I will hold the final one in reserve and see how it does. Have you had a Syrah from the Rocks?

reload,

I don't think I have. I have had a few good Syrah's from Walla Walla area (Gramercy, Gorman), but don't know if they were specifically from the Rocks or not. My wine budget is zero right now but I'll be hunting in the fall for some.

HEB's 10% off all Napa wines sale starts Wednesday. Buy 6 or more and get another 10% off.

There goes the budget!

I got some 2011 LWC Rosella's Vineyard Pinot and Gary's Vineyard Pinot yesterday. Both of these are very good wines made in a very challenging year. Very well balanced and drinking well right now. They normally retail for around $45-$50, but it's on sale for $25, and my discounts further dropped the price to $18.75. I realize this is a ridiculous deal.

htown,

that is a great price on those wines. LWC can be very hit or miss for me, but those should be good.

Experts:


I want to try a Bordeaux red, between $20-$50. Something I could get at a nice Specs or wine store in Houston.

What should I get? I typically like Paso Robles Cab or Sonoma Pinot when picking Cali stuff.

TIA.

Another question for the board: anyone have any experience with Scott Harvey wines? There's a 5-pack on Wine.Woot today that sounded interesting.

For Bordeaux, as long as you stay above the $35 mark, you should be fine. You could throw a rock at any bottle in that range and hit a good bottle; however, throwing rocks at glass bottles is ill-advised.

I know nothing about the Harvey wines.

Why nothing below $35?

Honest Q, I know nothing.

At the lower price points, quality is suspect. You can find some gems, but it takes some work, and you're bound to hit a lot of duds. You'll find a lot of cheaper wines to taste lean and green, with harsh tannins. Avoid 2013 Bordeaux like the plague.