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August 2010 - What were your Wines of the Month?

Winetex — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:27:25 GMT

It was a pretty slow month with the exception of a little pizza/wine party at our house.

1998 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia - a WOW wine for sure. As the main cook during the party my husband says you need to go try the Sass before it is gone. Outstanding wine and youngish for 12 years old. An only bottle so what the heck.

1990 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Degorgement Tardif - from a Mag. This was a no-dosage wine and really a crapshoot as to its aging capacity. Luckily it was still very lively with beautiful flavors. Another only bottle, very rare and now departed. Not quite a WOW but unique.

September 2010 - What are you drinking?

wineismylife — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:16:58 GMT

At the immediate moment 2003 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Bergerie. Sweeeeetttt...

Over the past 48 hours I've tasted my way through 81 wines and drank 8 wines. Tomorrow I'll crack a hundred tastings easily. That should warm me up nicely for the party Monday night.

Current Champagne Deals

Winetex — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:17:11 GMT

I've seen a couple of things lately that I think are interesting at reasonable price points. I generally like Champagnes on the dry side with balanced acidity and enjoy a wide array of NV, vintage and aged vintage flavors. Good aged nv/vintage Blanc de Blancs really get me going these days. Selosse! Salon! ...

Everyone should know by now that 1996 was a great vintage in Champagne. 2002 is a very good vintage in Champagne and worthy to stock bottles for future aging. These bottles are being released now in waves. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason other than the various importers as to the timing of the releases. Terry Theise's portfolio is deep on the smaller producers and the wines are hitting the states in bulk in October so expect more deals then.

If I have to purchase without tasting as happens frequently I read Peter Liem @ Champagneguide.net (stars not points his max is 3 stars) and Tanzer/Raynolds at the International Wine Cellar. Occasionally Galloni and Allen Meadows (Burghound).

Happy hunting!

Currently in-stock at Premier Cru:

2002 Pierre Gimonnet Cuvee Oenophile - $55 - http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=40396

Peter Liem: "Rating: ** The 2002 Fleuron was terrific, and it's no surprise that the 2002 Oenophile, which is a late-released, non-dosé version of the Fleuron blend, is also outstanding. The ripeness of the vintage is superbly harnessed, giving this an uncommon complexity and depth, and the bold flavors of stone fruit, apple and Asian pear are just beginning to acquire a creaminess of texture as they mature. On the finish, this is dominated by an incisive chalkiness, feeling long, elegant and pure. Last tasted: 11/09"

Note this is non-dose (no added sugar) so it may not be to everyone's tastes but Gimonnet is a smaller producer making very good bubbly. I have some of these in my cellar to not try before 2012.

2004 Hebrart Special Clu - $45 - http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=40399

Peter Liem: "Rating: ** - As is typical for Hébrart, this is made of 60 percent pinot noir from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 40 percent chardonnay from Oiry and Chouilly. Many 2004s are open and charming right now, yet this one seems darker and more stubborn than it did a year ago, feeling as if it?s retreating into its shell. There?s a concentrated core of ripe apple and red-fruit flavors, underlined by spicy, brothy undertones, and the finish is energetic and persistent, hinting at further complexity to come with time. This is a confident, expressive wine, and furthermore, it?s a true vin de garde, which is not necessarily common for the vintage. Last tasted: 3/10"

This is a producer for those who like Pinot-based Champagnes. 2004 seems to an average+ vintage but $45 for good vintage Champagne is a good deal.

wine weekend WGA in Bordeaux

sssteve — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:39:23 GMT

Hello everybody! This is my first post on this forum. Here's my question.

In the beginning of June, (this year) the Grand Cru weekend took place in the city of Bordeaux. It is officially called "The Weekend des Grands Amateurs". Here is the web site.
http://www.wga-ugcb.com/
Next year (2011) it is scheduled for the weekend of May 7-8.

We are are planning a trip to Bordeaux and Dordogne next May or June. I would like to find out if this event is worth attending.

What I would like to know is if anybody on the forum has attended this particular wine event and if so, could you please give us your impressions and tell us whether you think it was worth the effort.

Thanks in advance.

08 R-C Mailer:

love_cab_chard — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:14:43 GMT

2008 Dierke Russian River Valley Pinot Noi $50

2008 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah: $50

2008 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah: $50

2008 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir: $50

Pinot Noir Vineyard Designate 6 Pack: $300

Two bottles each of the following wines:
2007 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir*
2008 Alberigi Russian River Valley Pinot Noir*
2008 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir*

...I do like the wines, but some had to go & this 1 is part of the 'had to go list'. Plus, shipping to NJ is $15/bottle. And, I still have mailers from earlier in the year that I like that I have not purchased.

18th Century Veuve Cliquot

kpak — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:11:54 GMT

18th Century Champagne fofund in a shipwreck 180 feet under the Baltic sea.

goshennews.com/breakingnews/x226604...stes-sweet

http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...-vbfBuHrSQ

www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/6829

SQN Mailer

rickym13 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:21:44 GMT

just got the 2008 vintage of sqn syrah and grenache...price and allocation are the same as last year.

fyi....the syrah is called "B-20" and the grenache is called "THE Line"

also with this box of 2008 vin de paille roussanne "jinete bajo" @ $300 (3pack)

Rhys mailer, Fall 2010

R8der — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:47:39 GMT

I received the Rhys offering today. Looks like they raised their prices? My allocations in parentheses. May be time to drop this one.

2008 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard Pinot Noir $49 (4)
2008 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir $59 (6)
2008 Rhys Home Vineyard Pinot Noir $59 (Wishlist only)
2008 Alesia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $35 (20% discount on solid cases
of Sonoma Coast) (No limit)
2008 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Chardonnay $59 (2)
2007 Rhys Horseshoe Vineyard Syrah $49 (2)

Harlan Estate Offering - 2008 Estate and 2007 Maiden

Chicago Wine Geek — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:04:54 GMT

Wow, you can really tell that the cult status thing has really evaporated.....

I stopped buying at the 2003 vintage and have gotten every offer since. Remember "If you skip a vintage, you are off the list"? $150 for the Maiden, $500 for the Estate. What really surprised me was the availability of Magnums. I remember talking to them during the 2003 offering and asking about mags. They laughed at me for even thinking I had a chance at purchasing one. Now you can get a one or two pack of Estate mags. $1,100 and $2,200 respectively.

Pass.

Restaurants in Harbour Island, Bahamas

Doc — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:50:11 GMT

We just got back last week after spending 4 great days in Harbour Island, Bahamas. (You can easily do a google search on the island, so I won't bore you with details. However, I will say it is not commericalized at all, it retains all of its historical Bahamian culture, it has been a hotspot for many celebrity types, and it is a small island.)

We had some excellent cuisine at the 1) Landing Hotel (voted one of the top 25 new hotels in the world by Conde Nast in 2001)--one of the best lobster dinners I have ever had, 2) Pink Sands Hotel--wonderful Saturday morning brunch, and 3) Sip Sip Restaurant (excellent for lunch with awesome ginger margaritas!). If you ever go, I would recommend all of them for sure.

Cheers,

Dhaval