ChillyWino
Barrel Racker
Posts:1689
 | | 03/27/2008 10:08 PM |
| Have you ever had one of those bottles that you picked on a whim with no thought that turned out to be great, but have no idea what it was? Last week while in Costa Rica we went to a small bar in Manual Antonio with a great view of the sunset. It was pouring rain when we got there, but there was promise of a sunset. As the afternoon/evening wore on a pillar of light shot through the clouds and lit up the ocean in one small spot. As the sun got closer to the horizon the sun dropped below the clouds and shot through the tropical downpour. It was one of the best sunsets I've ever seen. While there we ordered the most expensive Rijo on the list, a $50 bottle. It was absolutely incredible, but I have no idea what it was. I have a feeling it was probably an average to good bottle in any other context, but that night it seemed like one of the best bottles I've had in a long time due to the experience. Have anyone else had one of these experiences recently?
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Drew
Sammamish, WA
Wine Bottler
Posts:3109
| | 03/28/2008 12:35 PM |
| | No, but I think CMSyrah is going to give you a virtual hug after reading your story :-D | | | |
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Randy Sloan
St. Helena
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2059
| | 03/28/2008 11:04 PM |
| | I know exactly what you're talking about, Chilly. Sometimes a pedestrian wine can run when in a non-pedestrian situation. The tropics can especially cause this. | |
Randy Sloan
Match Vineyards | |
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Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5455
| | 03/29/2008 9:28 AM |
| Unfortunately I am all too familiar with this... Personally, I call it the "Revana effect". Had a bottle that was singing.. I mean, Pavarotti singing level. Paired perfectly with the dinner, evening was magic Every bottle after that fell far short.
Enjoy the memory, don't try to recapture. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10619
| | 03/29/2008 10:16 AM |
| The tropics can especially cause this.
Italy and France too. Sitting outside on a lovely evening there an $8 bottle tastes like gold. I've learned not to try to haul those bottles back. | | | |
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Drew
Sammamish, WA
Wine Bottler
Posts:3109
| | 03/29/2008 11:27 AM |
| Posted By Drew on 03/28/2008 12:35 PM
No, but I think CMSyrah is going to give you a virtual hug after reading your story :-D
LOL I was kidding. I posted a similar experience, hence the response. I still stand by my favorite bottle of all-time being a 97 Mondavi Oakville, which was probably a 93 or 94 point wine, but the last 6 or 7 points were purely experience related...
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Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5455
| | 03/29/2008 7:19 PM |
| Posted By Winetex on 03/29/2008 10:16 AM
Italy and France too. Sitting outside on a lovely evening there an $8 bottle tastes like gold. I've learned not to try to haul those bottles back.
Winetex -- I'm with you on that. One of my memorable wines from France was in Bergerac, outside a restaurant on the street... The wine was not even bottled, it was just the house vin, but the setting was magical.
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ChillyWino
Barrel Racker
Posts:1689
| | 03/29/2008 8:25 PM |
| | Maybe I need to spend less on wine and more on travel!! | | | |
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cmsyrah
Grape Stomper
Posts:107
| | 03/31/2008 1:30 PM |
| Posted By Drew on 03/28/2008 12:35 PM
No, but I think CMSyrah is going to give you a virtual hug after reading your story :-D Every experience like yours Chilly, is a true  I'll share my exquisite stories a little later.  Drew-did I live up to your expectation?   | | | |
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Drew
Sammamish, WA
Wine Bottler
Posts:3109
| | 03/31/2008 1:47 PM |
| | You've never let me down ;-) | | | |
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Randy Sloan
St. Helena
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2059
| | 03/31/2008 8:48 PM |
| What?!? No unicorn graemlin?!?  | |
Randy Sloan
Match Vineyards | |
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cmsyrah
Grape Stomper
Posts:107
| | 04/01/2008 11:11 PM |
| Yo, Brad! Can you pull that unicorn out of storage for me? I have a great wine experience that revolves around that mystical creature. Plus, I need to ride the magical mystery tour. And Randy just wants to see one. TIA- CMS Elevation Sensation. Sadly, I opened this a bit past it's prime. DavidN., thank you anyway for being so kind to send it. | | | |
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cmsyrah
Grape Stomper
Posts:107
| | 04/28/2008 12:05 AM |
| For those of you with exquisite palates this may be over the edge but it is a true story. Please don't gag. In Colorado at a friends wonderful, very high mountain home; we are sitting on the deck with the Rockies and sun setting behind them as our view when he says it is now the cocktail hour and he wants me to try a new wine. He brings out a decanted wine with lovely R.cab glasses and pours one for me. I swirl, and sniff and can't get a real take on it. I am wondering if this is some sort of trick because he is a true wine meister. Well, I sip and was very impressed with the smoothness and different fruits that were under the nose and on the palate. Oh, Bacchus! It must have been the setting. The hour. The day. Or maybe just a damn nice wine that is 9 dollars a mag: Concho Y Toro Frontera. Cab and Merlot. I'm just sure he made a switch because nothing that cheap could be that refreshingly good. I reiterate. Maybe it was the day/hour/moment. Anyway: Drew! Group Hug! | | | |
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cmsyrah
Grape Stomper
Posts:107
| | 04/28/2008 12:11 AM |
| Randy: Horse with one horn=unicorn. There you have it! <<< open carefully. | | | |
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lifeisacabernet
Grape Picker
Posts:20
| | 04/28/2008 6:47 PM |
| | I had this resently too. Pretty good drink for the $. | | | |
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