HEB "Cabs for dads" sale starts today.

Most cabs 10% off plus additional 10% for 6+. Mix and match.

Notable (for me at least) as everyday wine:
2012 STWC Artemis $34
2011 Antica $32

The HEB near me had 2009 Staglin cab marked down to $137/btl.

My problem right now is I've got wine stored in every conceivable spot to store it, with another shipment expected any day now.

I don't mind it you store it...

IN MY BELLY!!

you are getting wine delivered to Houston this time of year? you doing the refrigerated storage delivery or next day air? I'm always too cheap, just do ground in the winter.

Refrigerated delivery. It was supposed to ship in May, but TABC still hasn't renewed their license (another f u to TABC), so they have upgraded everyone in TX to cold shipping and will ship once their license is renewed.
I now live in Austin, not Houston, but not like that matters really.

quote:

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HEB "Cabs for dads" sale starts today.

Most cabs 10% off plus additional 10% for 6+. Mix and match.

Notable (for me at least) as everyday wine:
2012 STWC Artemis $34
2011 Antica $32

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Thanks Cecil, picked up 1 of each today at HEB!

2010 mirror cab from HEB tonight.

Haven't opened a 2010 yet. 2008 last week was near peak. Report back!

It was great.

All (but emphasis on Cecil and BSD):

I'm looking for some Sonoma recommendations. We will have some time on Monday, July 20th, before we head over to Napa. This will be our fourth trip out there, but that doesn't mean we know everything--most likely on the opposite end in all actuality.

(We arrive on the 18th, but have an easy dinner with Adobe Road/Kevin Bucker that evening before my wife runs the Sonoma to Napa half-marathon on the 19th.)

We plan to take it easy on the 19th and will probably hit up either Russian River Brewery or Lagunitas after the race and that will probably be it for the day.

I'm looking for any recs for Sonoma on Monday. We will end up in Napa on Monday night to check in to our hotel and then head to dinner at Ad Hoc.

The rest of our trip includes the following visits, not in order:

Realm
Mending Wall
Venge
Envy
Constant
Barrett & Barrett
Spottswoode
(hoping to do Favia)

Any thoughts on Sonoma recommendation or two would be appreciated. Thanks all!

Where is Realm at in Napa?

They do appointments at the Tannery (downtown). I've been told this by a few others and have an email into them to confirm. I'll report back.

Chateau St. Jean and Ledson would be my two recommendations.

I've got a few bottles of Realm but didn't know they did tastings. Nothing seems to come up when I Google search for Tannery Napa. Can you let me know more information about the place? I'd love to set up an appointment next time we go.

Will do. There's one small line about it on Realm's site though I encountered the same thing when I googled it.

I'm interested in hearing what they say because while I've been purchasing from them for a few years, I've never actually visited with them.

For Sonoma, I'd go north to Healdsburg, stop at Davis Family and then head out to the Russian River Valley for some Pinot Noir. Arista and Thomas George are two of my favorites out that way. When we do both Napa and Sonoma in one trip I find that the Pinot day is a nice change of pace from Cab-heavy Napa.

Check your drive times in Sonoma. Going from the town proper to RRV or Alexander Valley is a long drive. It is way bigger than Napa.

Sonoma to Arista is about an hour's drive.

Taking it easy at RRBC??? Does not compute!

For Sonoma, I like Dry Creek Valley for stop in tastings: Ridge, Mauritson, Zichichi, Bella. Copain, suduri, arista...all are great stops too.

Enjoy your trip!

quote:

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Where is Realm at in Napa?

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Realm has a small tasting room in downtown St Helena. They also taste at Chateau Boswell where the wine is made. I always preferred tasting among the barrels so I could thief a taste of the future vintages.

quote:

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Sonoma to Arista is about an hour's drive.

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It's a nice drive IMO, and the Arista property is beautiful. If you're serious about your beer, I'd recommend staying on the north side of Santa Rosa so you're not looking at a long drive after RRBC. You're that much closer to Arista et al, and it's an easy drive through the mountains to get to Calistoga.

The Del Dotto caves in St. Helena are pretty cool. And Hotel Wydown is a nice place and in a great location. I also really like to eat at Market in downtown St. Helena.

We also enjoyed Market and also Tre Vigne.

Thanks for the help everyone---it's greatly appreciated!

Been holding onto this Cab from William Chris, and one of The Hunter from them, for a while now.

Popped this one open tonight to go with a NY strip dinner. This wine is spectacular.

picked up a couple of wines on my trip to Williamette. Sadly, Bergstrom was out of the 2012 Sigrid chardonnay, but I picked up a couple of 2013. It ain't cheap, but really good stuff. I also obtained another 2010 Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard La Source chards, just an outstanding wine. Traded a friend up there one of my Grand Ciel 2012 Syrah's that I picked up the day before up in Woodinville. He also traded me a 2009 Leonetti Cab, so excited about that as that is something that should be drinking well in another year or two.

If you are a chard fan, check out some of the higher end Oregon stuff. I think you will like it.

Bularry,
Just had the blue label Evening Land 2012. Great wine for the $. Too bad they are discontinuing it after 13. Ditto on the Oregon chard. Stylistically shades towards Burgandy rather than CA.

Inadvertently opened a 2012 Inwood Estates Cornelius Reserve last night. 100% Tempranillo.

It was a VERY good wine. Really shows what Texas wine can be. Is it worth sixty bucks? That's a different debate, but I think it compares very well to wines at that price point or above.

If you've not tasted any of Dan Gatlin's wines, they're worth a taste. Expensive for Texas wine, but IMO worth it.

I was given a half dozen bottles of 2007 Spottswoode Cabernet. I am very excited! Got them all nestled in last night.

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Seriously? Not even gonna ask what you did to score that kinda value!

Screw it, I'll ask. What did you do to score half a case of Spottswoode?

He's my father in law and frankly quite awesome. My in-laws are between houses currently and winebid.com shipped him several orders they were holding for him (I think he forgot about them, drunk bidding if I had to bet). He only had so much room in his current cellar setup and called me up and told me to come get everything he couldn't store (my wife and I are his wine buddies).

Anywho gave me that, some table wine I hadn't heard of, a franks family Pinot noir, and a 2001 caymus special select. In return I took a bottle of bond melburry to him last night that we drank with dinner.

Just back from Napa. A few notes:

Del Dotto - visited the St Helena cave and it was a blast barrel sampling.

Realm - tasting in Chateau Boswell cave. Everything they pour is great.

Spottswoode - beatiful grounds and great cabs.

Bure - tiny estate owned by former NHL player Val Bure, brother of Pavel.

Vinatieri - 2 acre estate owned by cousin of Adam Vinatieri. For a different experience, I recommend visiting. He hosts you in his home and pours giant glasses of several vintages. We had 2001, 2003, 2004, 2013 just bottled. Really enjoyed his cabs and he's a really nice guy.

We had the opportunity to eat at the French Laundry which was spectacular. The somalier Eric Johnson suggested we visit these but we didn't get the chance:
- Vineyard 7&8
- Ovid

reload,

chard is pretty new to Oregon in much quantity. the initial production in Oregon was very california-like with lots of oak, etc. but some of the better Pinot producers have been excelling in limited production chard in recent years, the guys at Evening Land (who now are at Chapter 24 Vineyards/Fire&Flood), Adelsheim, Bergstrom, etc.

In addition to the Sigrid, Bergstrom makes a higher production chard called stones or something, can't remember (easy to google). It is around $32 and also very good.

Also, the 2013 vintage for pinot was pretty tough in Oregon (Williamette). the ones we tasted were fairly disjointed. I'm sure some of the top guys will produce some good ones, but there are going to be lots of $60 stinkers, too, especially the warmer vineyards like Shea. so, go buy more of the '12 and then get ready for '14's which should be very strong.