This is what I have listed via Cellar Tracker. That is one cool app!

White
USA
Washington, Riesling
2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Harvest Select (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) 1
2009 Milbrandt Vineyards Riesling Traditions (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) 1

Red
Argentina
Mendoza, Malbec
2008 Bodega Norton Malbec Reserva (Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo) 5

Italy
Umbria
2006 Tenuta Vitalonga Terra di Confine Umbria IGT (Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT) 2

USA
California, Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) 1
2009 Coastline Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles) 3
2008 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley) 2
2008 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley) 1
2008 Frei Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) 5
2008 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon California (USA, California) 1
2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon California (USA, California) 3
2002 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley) 5
2005 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley) 3
2006 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley) 1
2007 Tolosa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles) 1
2008 Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros) 1
2008 Wheelhouse Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wheelhouse (USA, California, Napa Valley) 1

California, Merlot
2007 Bourassa Vineyards Merlot Reserve (USA, California, Napa Valley) 2

California, Pinot Noir
2009 Cambria Pinot Noir Clone No. 4 Julia's Julia's Vineyard (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) 5
2009 Trecini Cellars Pinot Noir Vicini's Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley) 2

California, Red Blend
2008 Bogle Vineyards Phantom (USA, California) 1
2009 Chain Gang Vineyards First Timer (USA, California) 1
2008 Conn Creek Herrick Red (USA, California, Napa Valley) 2

California, Red Bordeaux Blend
2007 Rodney Strong Symmetry (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) 5

California, Syrah
2005 Shafer Relentless (USA, California, Napa Valley) 3

California, Zinfandel
2010 Francis Ford Coppola Rosso (USA, California) 3
2009 Orin Swift The Prisoner (USA, California, Napa Valley) 4

Washington, Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Estates (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) 1

Washington, Red Blend
N.V. J. Bookwalter Bookmark WA/1NV (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) 2

Sweet/Dessert Wines
White
USA
Washington, Riesling
2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Late Harvest White Riesling (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) 1

I just ordered the 2009 Scarecrow cab. With the price increases, this may be my last purchase from these guys.

Just added 6 bottles of Heidi Barrett's 2009 Vin Perdu from Amuse Bouche winery.

Had it at Christopher's last Saturday, great stuff.

Just had and subsequently bought elk cove Pinot. Very very good at $27. The 09 could use another year or so but good spice and finsih.

We picked up a few things on our trip to Napa. Being a full-time student again has really limited my ability to keep a lot of wine on hand.

2008 Andretti Napa Valley Sangiovese
2008 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Castello di Amorosa Sangiovese
2008 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Robert Sinskey POV Cabernet, Carneros

I think I've almost got my wife talked into joining Freemark Abbey. If we had the means and a proper storage facility, I would've brought a case of their '99 Sycamore Vineyard Napa Cab home with us. It was by far the best wine we tasted on our trip, and was quite possibly the best wine we've had period.

ETA: I also brought back a few bottles of assorted varieties of Charles Shaw to cook with. I can't wait until Trader Joe's on West Alabama finally opens.

[This message has been edited by jh0400 (edited 3/15/2012 7:46a).]

Bought two of these last summer in Napa. You can check a case of wine on the plane and they roll on wheels.




[This message has been edited by cecil77 (edited 3/15/2012 9:01a).]

We bought one of the cardboard shipping containers to bring our wine back. Hopefully on our next trip I'll be able to afford to buy mixed cases and have it shipped.

We bought wine in Napa that was "vacation money" - you know the kind that you WTF yourself when you get back. Since getting it from the winery assured it had been properly handled, I wanted as much control as possible over it. Now I know that it didn't sit in a hundred degree UPS warehouse, or get repeatedly shaken in a bad truck or anything. In the next 10 years or so as I begin to open it, I'll know it's been treated properly the entire time!

I know what you mean. At home we mostly drink in the $10-$25 range. I think our average price paid per bottle there, not counting the Charles Shaw, was ~$40. I just hate that my favorite wines (and wineries for that matter) don't have big distribution networks, and the "big" wineries that we visited were less than impressive. Our experience at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was forgettable at best, and I doubt I'll buy any more of their wine because of it.

Interesting. We did a "Bottle Shock" tour and found Stag's Leap Wine Cellars just fine. I was particularly please with Chateau Montelena who were very clearly NOT full of themselves.

We did them first, and our tasting host acted like we should be honored to be able to pay for the privilege of tasting their wines. We ask a lot of questions and take our time when tasting. They seemed to much prefer we taste quickly, shut up, buy something, and gtfo.

[This message has been edited by Jh0400 (edited 3/15/2012 12:28p).]

[This message has been edited by Jh0400 (edited 3/15/2012 12:29p).]

Just bought 6 bottles of Cuvaison Cabernet (2008)Mount Veeder and 6 bottles of Cuvaison Pinot Noir (2009) Carneros.

We first visited this winery in 2008 and really enjoy their wines. Good people too. They stay in touch and offer decent deals even if you're not in the wine club. Their chardonnay is excellent and I'm not really into white wines.

Cecil,

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Our favorites are Sing Water and Bending Branch, both in Comfort. Bending Branch is throwing a ton of money at making good wine. Up to now they've used California grapes (Paso Robles) but pressed their first grapes of their own August. They are specializing in Tannat, which should do well in the Hill Country. Other reds as well.

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Good to see someone else has discovered these guys. We tour the Hill Country wineries twice a year and have been to almost all of them at this point. BB is now our favorite in that area. William Chris's "Hunter" is pretty good too. They are on 290 in Hye, TX about 10 miles east of FBurg.

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Chisholm Trail was so so. Probably on the bottom half of Hill Country wineries. Becker is OK, but can be spotty they try to make too many wines. Fall Creek is consistently good and is price more in line with how Texas wines should be priced.

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We like the Becker Cab-Syrah blend but we are not fans of Fall Creek.

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Avoid Solero Estates (Dripping Springs) at all costs. Snooty and poor wine. We always buy a couple of pity bottles and most places credit your tasting fee if you buy some wine. They don't and said "well, we don't have to we sell the most expensive wine in Texas" -just a real jerk.

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Interesting. We just discoverd Solaro last fall based on a recommendation I saw on TexAgs somewhere. My wife loves their wines; I hate them. They have a Mourvedre that has the most overpowering nose of any wine you've ever experienced. It literally smells like marijuana. They actually describe the nose as "festival" as a polite way to describe it.

Great thread! Had no idea we even had a Food & Spirits board.

rononeil,
Where in the hell did you find that White Rose? We toured Williamette in 2008 and White Rose was the last winery we hit and was my favorite. That wine is fantastic.

We are huge Oregon Pinot fans. We joined Panther Creek as a result of that trip but unfortunately the last 4-5 bottles we've opened were not up to their usual standard. Not sure if they were hurt in transit or if it was just a bad year.

Yeah, I noticed undertones of hay and rot in all of their wines. The owner also bragged about their $100 bottles of wine. Note to self: There are no $100 wines produced in Texas. They can put whatever price on them they want, I guess.

I'm guessing you talked to the husband. The wife (who is the real owner) is really nice. We talked with her a while but the husband is definitely a dbag. Very high energy and cocky. I thought he was coked up when we talked to him.

That would be him.

The place is a dump as well. I normally don't hold that against a winery, but they advertise as a wedding venue. Heck, the even have their handicap access dropoff (which was needed on our visit) wrong. I ought to sick ADA on them...

The wife needs to keep him out of the place. A group about ten very happy (in a limo visiting wineries for the day) left buying nothing and complaining of the place the day we were there.

quote:

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Since getting it from the winery assured it had been properly handled, I wanted as much control as possible over it. Now I know that it didn't sit in a hundred degree UPS warehouse, or get repeatedly shaken in a bad truck or anything. In the next 10 years or so as I begin to open it, I'll know it's been treated properly the entire time!

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This is why I only buy direct from the winery and have them hold until November or so to ship. My cellartracker "pending inventory" at the end of October looks rather ridiculous...and my poor mail room guy at the office feels the same way about it!

I've got 1 less '06 La Fortuna Brunello. And it is spectacular. Lighter tannins than most, makes it more enjoyable after dinner's done. Go UCONN!

Someone in Texas is trying to push $100 bottles?

Even if you're procuring single estate napa cab grapes you're not talking that price point.

3 mags of 2009 Ridge Monte Bello just arrived. Now all I have to do is lay them down and wait...about 25 years.

Or get three really long straws right now!

Ended up with two cases of the five 2009 Atalon Cab from the wedding. Ticked though, one of them should have been served to my guest, the bartender "forgot" it was under the table. Then Sunday morning if found it in the "trash" pile.

Bring them to the reunion, good buddy.

I was planning on bringing some!

You better not stand us up!

Does the wife like champagne? I got a ton of that (Mumm's) left as well.

got a 29 bottle shipment yesterday. cant remember all of them, but had one of the '09 Capbern Gasqueton (St-Estephe) and, wow, thats a quality adult beverage. if we fall for these bordeauxs, my oregon pinots are gonna seem like koolaid in comparison.

That's been my problem trying to appreciate Pinot. I need to learn, though...

Pinot is like training wheels for new wine drinkers.

i would say Pinot is the most complex of wines, and really the last thing a new wine drinker should be spending money on. takes a good palate to appreciate good pinot, IMO.

i agree with you bu - there's a world of subtleties to pinots that require a solid frame of reference. but im finding bordeauxs have such a different profile that its like night and day. maybe im just burned out on our recent pinot binging and im welcoming the variety.

Wife and I went out to dinner the other night to an Italian restaurant. I reviewed the wine list, which was good, but they didn't have any vintage dates. That's a huge peeve of mine. I asked the waiter what he recommended, and we got a bottle of Bressan N^3, not knowing the vintage. He brought it out, and it was a 2001, and my first thought was "Oh f---." I was shocked that this wine was really, really good going on 11 years. It was definitely Old World in style, but it had smoothed out and was quite good with food. It's not one you want to drink without food.

I think that reprinting the wine lists to keep the vintages accurate can be a real pain for restaurants. Particularly is they aren't really big or really expensive. Also, I think that the restaurant has less control than one may think in the vintages received from the distributors. At least one restaurant I know of does...

I guess no vintages is preferable to the wrong ones on the menu, right?

Well I don't have much. Some 10-15 dollar run of the mill cabs. A sangiovese. Just got in my SLH juice from Roar. 6 or 7 weeks and then some 06 Brunello. Of course I'd like to be drinking some big dogs now but times are tight. Sure do love hearing about everyones tastes and learning about vino. Fascinating.