Have any of y'all heard of Verve Wine? Dustin Wilson's retail company. Unfortunately It has only 2 locations, NYC and SF. I have been to the one in San Francisco. It's a really cool space and fun to browse in and talk wine at. They have a good e-commerce focused site as well.

We are 50% clubs and allocation ($75-$250), 20% bottles we've bought when traveling, 20% daily ($25-$50), and 10% random stuff like Casemates or gifts. We're pretty basic and heavy into Napa/Sonoma Cabs and Blends, almost exclusively. Goals for future is to branch out into old world stuff.

This weekend we did our annual "wine draft" where we have a bunch of days in the year earmarked worth celebrating. We pull up our spreadsheet, pick what we want to drink on those specific days and get it from our off-site cellar and move them to our home fridge. We also took about a little over a case of stuff that we're not ready to open for several years. These all went to lay down and take a nap for a few years.

2015 Seven Stones Cabernet
(2) 2016 Seven Stones Cabernet
2012 Schweiger Cabernet Spring Mountain District
2016 Krupp Synchrony
2016 Cliff Lede Cabernet To Kalon
2016 Pine Ridge Cabernet Howell Mountain
2013 Corison Cabernet Kronos
2014 En Garde Touche
(3) 2016 Krupp M5 Cabernet
2016 Krupp Verasion
2015 O'Brien Cabernet Reserve

Mostly DTC, several wine clubs.
20% from Inwood (duh...)
I do buy from Total and HEB. HEB daily drinkers on their sales. Total for Bordeaux.

As to price, lets just say "way too much" and leave at that...

752bro4 said:

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We are 50% clubs and allocation ($75-$250), 20% bottles we've bought when traveling, 20% daily ($25-$50), and 10% random stuff like Casemates or gifts. We're pretty basic and heavy into Napa/Sonoma Cabs and Blends, almost exclusively. Goals for future is to branch out into old world stuff.

This weekend we did our annual "wine draft" where we have a bunch of days in the year earmarked worth celebrating. We pull up our spreadsheet, pick what we want to drink on those specific days and get it from our off-site cellar and move them to our home fridge. We also took about a little over a case of stuff that we're not ready to open for several years. These all went to lay down and take a nap for a few years.

2015 Seven Stones Cabernet
(2) 2016 Seven Stones Cabernet
2012 Schweiger Cabernet Spring Mountain District
2016 Krupp Synchrony
2016 Cliff Lede Cabernet To Kalon
2016 Pine Ridge Cabernet Howell Mountain
2013 Corison Cabernet Kronos
2014 En Garde Touche
(3) 2016 Krupp M5 Cabernet
2016 Krupp Verasion
2015 O'Brien Cabernet Reserve

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I have a lot of Krupp 2012-2016, and several bottles of mid-2000s Doctor, Veraison, M5 and Synchrony. I've always liked Krupp, but something is off in their 16s. Odd, because that is a good vintage in general.

We get 80% from allocations, about 10% from a wine broker, and the balance picking up things here and there at Total or H-E-B. There are 2 HEBs near me that have good high-end selections. Ran across a 3-pack of 2015 Vine Hill Ranch a couple of months ago at one of them and grabbed it. Our allocations/direct buys are from Vine Hill Ranch, Seven Stones, Fairchild, Piper, Pott (just ordered some 2017 Incubo), Arkenstone, Immortal, Spottswoode, M. Etain, Vineyardist, Memento Mori, Immortal, Corra, Perliss, Kelly Fleming, Norte Vin. Only wine club is Krupp.

You need to add William & Mary to your list!

Picked up a mag of 2009 Cristal today. My son will love that for his 21st birthday in 11 years. And by that I mean I'll love opening it on his 21st birthday and sharing it with him.

I really respect VHR for sharing their harvest yields right there on the label.

I'm unaware of any other winery that does that. Inwood freely shares it's yields, but just don't have the wherewithal to alter labels every year.

BSD said:

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You need to add William & Mary to your list!

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I bought a 6-pack year before last. Nice wine, still have some left.

cecil77 said:

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I really respect VHR for sharing their harvest yields right there on the label.

I'm unaware of any other winery that does that. Inwood freely shares it's yields, but just don't have the wherewithal to alter labels every year.

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It is fun to read the labels. Better yet, Bruce Phillips is a really nice guy, and I like supporting his efforts.

Anybody ever bought anything off winebid.com? I've been browsing there today and am definitely intrigued by the prospect of picking up some older bottles to try.

cecil77 said:

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Mostly DTC, several wine clubs.
20% from Inwood (duh...)
I do buy from Total and HEB. HEB daily drinkers on their sales. Total for Bordeaux.

As to price, lets just say "way too much" and leave at that...

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Don't laugh. I buy my Bordeaux at Costco. I had a couple of my wine snob (junky) friends out who are Bordeaux freaks. We went through the 2016's and were impressed. Not ready but there is definitely potential there. I hope it ends well.

Gents,

I am planning a day and a half wine excursion in the hill country. From reading this thread last couple years I KNOW the Fredericksburg Inwood Estates is going to be one of our visits. I want to taste that legendary Texas tempranillo. Will need to get reservations for that.

Looking for 2 more spots in and around the area and a rec on dinner and a brunch place.

Grape Creek had some red blends I enjoyed years ago. I've enjoyed Bending Branch from Comfort in the past, never visited. Some in the group prefer white and sparkling.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Or perhaps a link to past recommendations for the area? Thanks and Gig'em!

really liked Emma and Ollie for breakfast

I like labergerie for drinking and eating, too. not everyone's taste, I'll admit. Tubby's is good casual food

Austintm said:

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We get 80% from allocations, about 10% from a wine broker, and the balance picking up things here and there at Total or H-E-B. There are 2 HEBs near me that have good high-end selections. Ran across a 3-pack of 2015 Vine Hill Ranch a couple of months ago at one of them and grabbed it. Our allocations/direct buys are from Vine Hill Ranch, Seven Stones, Fairchild, Piper, Pott (just ordered some 2017 Incubo), Arkenstone, Immortal, Spottswoode, M. Etain, Vineyardist, Memento Mori, Immortal, Corra, Perliss, Kelly Fleming, Norte Vin. Only wine club is Krupp.

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those all Napa Bordeaux wines?

I'll second Emma and Ollie.

Inwood is a must, really good wines. We liked William Chris, and the Grape Creek facilities are nice. If you have people into sparkling wines, the tasting at the new Heath Sparkling at Grape Creek is fun.

bularry said:

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Austintm said:

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We get 80% from allocations, about 10% from a wine broker, and the balance picking up things here and there at Total or H-E-B. There are 2 HEBs near me that have good high-end selections. Ran across a 3-pack of 2015 Vine Hill Ranch a couple of months ago at one of them and grabbed it. Our allocations/direct buys are from Vine Hill Ranch, Seven Stones, Fairchild, Piper, Pott (just ordered some 2017 Incubo), Arkenstone, Immortal, Spottswoode, M. Etain, Vineyardist, Memento Mori, Immortal, Corra, Perliss, Kelly Fleming, Norte Vin. Only wine club is Krupp.

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those all Napa Bordeaux wines?

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Napa cabs, not really Bordeaux style for the most part.

Go to Calais. We also liked Lost Draw on our most recent visit.
Bryan's on 290 in Johnson City is one of the top restaurants in the area. All I've had are great meals, and it has a good wine list.

This is a collaboration between Rajat Parr and Pete Stolpman. I'm usually not a fan of natural wines, but this is good for what it is. Reminds me a lot of gamay. Not bad for $27.

I'm excited to try those Combe wines when I visit Stolpman later this spring.

Anybody familiar with the Kenwood (Sonoma) Artist Series cab, which is no longer made? Obviously not up to high end Napa cabs, but from what I can tell online it was their top end cab and had a consistent 4.1 to 4.2 Vivino rating based on vintage, and typically ran $60 and up. Costco has the 2013 in 1.5L bottles for $13. Bought the seven bottles I could find, even if only for serving as "filler" after finishing the good stuff. Curious to try it out.

mek94 said:

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Anybody familiar with the Kenwood (Sonoma) Artist Series cab, which is no longer made? Obviously not up to high end Napa cabs, but from what I can tell online it was their top end cab and had a consistent 4.1 to 4.2 Vivino rating based on vintage, and typically ran $60 and up. Costco has the 2013 in 1.5L bottles for $13. Bought the seven bottles I could find, even if only for serving as "filler" after finishing the good stuff. Curious to try it out.

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Not generally a fan of Sonoma cabs, but I'd buy some at that price just to try

By the way, I am stocked for the long term with wine for the Coronavirus apocalypse

Austintm said:

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By the way, I am stocked for the long term with wine for the Coronavirus apocalypse

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Rivers Marie Corona cab?

BSD said:

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Austintm said:

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By the way, I am stocked for the long term with wine for the Coronavirus apocalypse

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Rivers Marie Corona cab?

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Ha! Good call, but nit a fan of TRB wines

Last night, I polished off a 2016 Sinegal Cab Franc that I had been working on for a couple days and popped a 2014 Ridge Zin. I suspect this corona thing is gonna put a dent in my collection.

I can use the extra space, so it's not a bad thing. It's taken a while, but my cellar is now at a point where I can start pulling out what needs to be drunk and replace with new shipments.

That's a good point. I think I have 8 bottles of Saxum arriving today.

Hunkering down at Bardot Brasserie in Vegas



Edit: should be a thumbs up.

BSD said:

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Hunkering down at Bardot Brasserie in Vegas



Edit: should be a thumbs up.

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Nice. I have one bottle of the 10 vintage left, along with a couple of 08s and several more recent vintages. Love Seven Stones

Today's wines at the bar.

The Bruno Clair was my favorite. And then this showed up to try.

Starting to get emails about tasting room closings. Very surreal.

I've often wondered how much money does a winery make from the tasting room? My gut tells me it's a loss leader.