Search found 1986 matches
- January 22nd, 2021, 11:30 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: The seduction and disappointment in German Spätburgunders
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1156
Re: TN: The seduction and disappointment in German Spätburgunders
Thanks Otto, really interesting, detailed, and honest posting. I visited the Baden region a couple of years ago, curious about German Pinot Noir/Spatburgunder. Tasted at a bunch of producers, and my overall impressions were similar to yours. Highly varying quality, with some pretty good wines mixed ...
- January 20th, 2021, 9:09 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Rivers-Marie ‘19 Pinot Release
- Replies: 139
- Views: 13397
Re: Rivers-Marie ‘19 Pinot Release
I picked up lucky 7 (mostly my fave - Occidental) and WL a Platt. Beautiful wines. Rich, how would you describe the Occidental Ridge? I ordered some based on previously liking the other RM sonoma coast bottlings and because I've had general luck with pinots with "Occidental" in the name (...
- January 19th, 2021, 6:56 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Rivers-Marie ‘19 Pinot Release
- Replies: 139
- Views: 13397
Re: Rivers-Marie ‘19 Pinot Release
I picked up lucky 7 (mostly my fave - Occidental) and WL a Platt. Beautiful wines.
- January 18th, 2021, 7:25 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Taking wine on ski trip
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1299
Re: Taking wine on ski trip
I’m also in agreement with your plan (robust reds). I don’t think bottle shock (hmm, if it exists at all) is a major issue if you’re driving and will have the wine in a box in the back of your car. I live in San Francisco and have driven up to Tahoe with wine quite a few times and haven’t had any pr...
- January 18th, 2021, 3:49 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: WB 'Wine Rules' To Consider
- Replies: 25
- Views: 1513
Re: WB 'Wine Rules' To Consider
Manipulation of wine is to be abhorred as an overly modern way to make the wine something it is not, obliterating terroir, typicity, vintage interest. My favored producers’ wine making activities are not manipulation but entirely normal/required steps in the wine making process. Rich, I hear you - ...
- January 18th, 2021, 2:08 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: WB 'Wine Rules' To Consider
- Replies: 25
- Views: 1513
Re: WB 'Wine Rules' To Consider
Manipulation of wine is to be abhorred as an overly modern way to make the wine something it is not, obliterating terroir, typicity, vintage interest. My favored producers’ wine making activities are not manipulation but entirely normal/required steps in the wine making process.
- January 17th, 2021, 9:00 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1840
Re: TN: 2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard
Y'all are making it very hard for me to downsize my order for the next release. They are making it difficult for me to drop any mailing lists. Last week I dropped Carlisle into the trash folder, only to retrieve it two days later and order eight bottles. Jeff you are not the only one who’s done thi...
- January 16th, 2021, 12:59 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Domaine de Trévallon Rouge & Blanc
- Replies: 15
- Views: 706
Re: Domaine de Trévallon Rouge & Blanc
Great thread! I’ve only tasted Craig’s Trevallon and was duly impressed.
Nick - what was a tasting visit like?
Nick - what was a tasting visit like?
- January 15th, 2021, 5:14 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Pet annoyance with all the waiting list wineries.
- Replies: 32
- Views: 2814
Re: Pet annoyance with all the waiting list wineries.
They have to generate interest, mystery, excitement somehow. This is especially hard when the primary sales model - in person tasting and tipsy decision making - is nearly turned off completely. FWIW I agree that I want more info rather than less. And now the dirty little secret (ssshhhhhh) of these...
- January 14th, 2021, 1:57 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Rivers-Marie ‘19 Pinot Release
- Replies: 139
- Views: 13397
- January 12th, 2021, 10:28 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: It's only 9am and my credit card is working overtime
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2206
Re: It's only 9am and my credit card is working overtime
Rivers-Marie (Pinots) and Littorai as well next week.
- January 10th, 2021, 2:02 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: The Generosity of Berserkers
- Replies: 47
- Views: 2302
Re: The Generosity of Berserkers
What a wonderful post and story. Thank you both — giver and recipient. As many have said, I’ve been stunned and inspired by the generosity of the wine and WB community. The sharing is so wonderful - to show up in a random city and to be taken to dinner with amazing wines, or even welcomed into peopl...
- January 9th, 2021, 1:01 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2017 Bedrock Wine Co. Oakville Farmhouse (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)
- Replies: 32
- Views: 1590
Re: TN: 2017 Bedrock Wine Co. Oakville Farmhouse (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)
Honestly with all these varietals it’s still a mystery. Black Muscat? Mondeuse? Colombard? My imagination is failing me.
- January 7th, 2021, 5:22 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Aubert and Kistler Dropping on the Same Day
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1129
Re: Aubert and Kistler Dropping on the Same Day
Running Fence is a relatively new vineyard - on the ridge with the winery. Apparently they started planting it in 2012. More info here.
https://occidentalwines.com/vineyards/r ... -vineyard/
https://occidentalwines.com/vineyards/r ... -vineyard/
- January 7th, 2021, 12:34 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Aubert and Kistler Dropping on the Same Day
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1129
Re: Aubert and Kistler Dropping on the Same Day
Occidental is Jan. 12. That's Steve Kistler's new winery focused on Pinots.
- January 4th, 2021, 9:40 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: How would we rate 1982 Bordeaux if they were released today?
- Replies: 102
- Views: 4502
Re: How would we rate 1982 Bordeaux if they were released today?
Fascinating thread, thank you all for your perspectives. I got in the Bordeaux game decades (3 to be exact!) after 1982 and so haven’t had many. The few I’ve had have been lovely (LLC was amazing) but prices now are prohibitive, especially relative to, say, 1985, 1989, 1996. I’m happy to hear the co...
- January 3rd, 2021, 7:41 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: RIP Leonard Maran - Berserker
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2093
Re: RIP Leonard Maran - Berserker
Leonard was a regular at SF offlines. He will be missed.
My condolences to his family.
My condolences to his family.
- January 3rd, 2021, 7:39 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Consumption in 2020
- Replies: 46
- Views: 2091
Re: Consumption in 2020
My consumption was almost exactly at my 5 year average. However the mix has changed significantly, with German Riesling way up - about 1/3 of bottles consumed in 2020. That’s a big change - was 12% in 2019 and 5% in 2018. Reflects an overall trend to drink less red. Red was about 50% in 2020, trendi...
- January 2nd, 2021, 1:21 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: How long can you go till you buy wine in 2021?
- Replies: 204
- Views: 7611
Re: How long can you go till you buy wine in 2021?
Heck yea. 37 hours in and no buying. I might make it to Monday. 2019 Burgundy is going to break me though.
- January 1st, 2021, 4:23 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Your cellar's core strength?
- Replies: 104
- Views: 4644
Re: Your cellar's core strength?
My largest categories are Piedmont Nebbiolo and Red Burgundy (about a quarter each of my collection). At this stage I'd say Nebbiolo is my greatest strength - quite a few bottles are ready to drink and will be good for the next decade. 5 or 10 years out as my younger Burgundy collection climbs the r...
- December 29th, 2020, 7:39 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Is wine cellar diversity all it is cracked up to be
- Replies: 147
- Views: 5860
Re: Is wine cellar diversity all it is cracked up to be
... I don’t think of diversity as an end. It’s an end to a means. I eat quite diversely, so diverse wines are needed. I enjoy different tastes, which leads to diverse choices in the cellar. I like how David said this - it expresses a lot of how I feel about diversity. My cellar’s diversity reflects...
- December 26th, 2020, 3:47 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Bordeaux....and when to drink, early or late.
- Replies: 38
- Views: 2388
Re: Bordeaux....and when to drink, early or late.
Lots of good advice here. I'd add that you should start getting used to using Cellar Tracker. Bordeaux in particular, with its high volume, has lots and lots of tasting notes. If people are saying that a wine is closed, tight, or tannic, then waiting might be a good idea! There is no more valuable t...
- December 25th, 2020, 11:04 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Your Christmas wine?
- Replies: 95
- Views: 4102
Re: Your Christmas wine?
2004 Jacquesson Avize Champ Cain before dinner with my small group. A spectacular aperitif wine, a few drank it all through the meal. Champagne with prime rib? Yes! 1989 La Conseillante was sadly dead - failed cork is my guess, flat and thin. After six hours no improvement. 1996 Pape Clement - a ver...
- December 25th, 2020, 9:11 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Leroy Savignys
- Replies: 43
- Views: 2581
Re: Leroy Savignys
Can anyone clarify the Leroy Narbanton vineyard ownership? Does she make a Domain and a Negociant wine? Or just one? Or varies by year? Between her web site and Cellar Tracker things aren’t very clear.
- December 25th, 2020, 9:03 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Embrace your cellar diversity
- Replies: 114
- Views: 4788
Re: Embrace your cellar diversity
I was thinking of making a comment about how amazingly diverse France and Italy are. Does country diversity really mean something important? These historical boundaries have become a side issue to a global wine making culture that is open, integrated, and very deeply committed to sharing what to do ...
- December 24th, 2020, 3:18 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Embrace your cellar diversity
- Replies: 114
- Views: 4788
Re: Embrace your cellar diversity
France 50.3%
Italy 26.5%
USA 13.5%
Germany 9.7%
Got me curious about consumption vs cellar, so this is my 2020 consumption.
France 35.6%
Germany 33.9%
Italy 17.0%
USA 13.5%
Been buying lots of German wine and drinking it!
Italy 26.5%
USA 13.5%
Germany 9.7%
Got me curious about consumption vs cellar, so this is my 2020 consumption.
France 35.6%
Germany 33.9%
Italy 17.0%
USA 13.5%
Been buying lots of German wine and drinking it!
- December 24th, 2020, 10:49 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Dunn Howell Mountain vs Ridge Montebello
- Replies: 58
- Views: 3857
Re: Dunn Howell Mountain vs Ridge Montebello
My comments are based on Dunn (both Howell and Napa bottlings) from the 90s and early 2000s. I think the youngest one I've had is 2002 so I can't comment on more recent changes. I've had a wider range of MB from late '80s to a 2017 I opened last month. Oak isn't as much an issue for me as others. Ye...
- December 24th, 2020, 8:10 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Dunn Howell Mountain vs Ridge Montebello
- Replies: 58
- Views: 3857
Re: Dunn Howell Mountain vs Ridge Montebello
I’ve had more Dunn than MB but have indeed had both. Dunn is, to my palate, a more pure expression of Cabernet. It tends to be more structured and less rich. As a mountain (Howell) Napa Cabernet, it is expressive of California sunshine but to my mind represents a middle of the road between overblown...
- December 22nd, 2020, 6:36 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Best value elite Bordeaux?
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4529
Re: Best value elite Bordeaux?
I think super seconds or their equivalent in right bank wines are probably the right bet. First growths in weak vintages can be very good, but the starting price is usually more like $350-400 and I don’t think they’re worth it unless you really want a first growth. For example in the last few years...
- December 21st, 2020, 11:59 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Best value elite Bordeaux?
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4529
Re: Best value elite Bordeaux?
Plenty of good ideas here. My last hat to throw in the ring is to try an ‘85, a ‘96, and a ‘05. These are all ‘aged’ but will be very different. Figure out what you like before buying a ton.
- December 21st, 2020, 12:14 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Best value elite Bordeaux?
- Replies: 60
- Views: 4529
Re: Best value elite Bordeaux?
Already quite good advice here, but if you like Bordeaux with age I would recommend dabbling fairly far down the scale in really good years (e.g. 1985, 1989, 1990, 1996) that are drinking fabulously now. Take a look at Winebid - they have 1996 Talbot, Gruaud Larose, Grand Puy Lacoste, and Calon Segu...
- December 16th, 2020, 3:56 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Sandrone Cannubi Boschis mostly about the 1997.
- Replies: 5
- Views: 547
Re: Sandrone Cannubi Boschis mostly about the 1997.
Ah, of course, that makes sense.
- December 16th, 2020, 12:59 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Sandrone Cannubi Boschis mostly about the 1997.
- Replies: 5
- Views: 547
Re: Sandrone Cannubi Boschis mostly about the 1997.
Mark, that ‘96 is truly excellent. Sadly mine are all gone but still have a handful of other 90s Sandrone. There is some odd hating here on this producer but I’m a fan. But ... 60 cases??? That’s one a week for nearly 14 years. If you get tired of this wine let me know, I’ll take a case off your han...
- December 16th, 2020, 12:46 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Arranging a tasting of older Piemonte - when to open what?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 591
Re: Arranging a tasting of older Piemonte
I don’t mean to start a debate, but I wouldn’t bother with the slow-o (which means to pull the cork but otherwise do nothing). I don’t think this does much of anything for the wine. Otherwise, decant them all an hour or two before the tasting and you’ll be good to go. Longer is better - you can’t hu...
- December 16th, 2020, 9:56 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Never has a video encapsulated my wine loves more than this
- Replies: 34
- Views: 3312
Re: Never has a video encapsulated my wine loves more than this
Genius. Hilarious. I literally laughed until I cried.
- December 13th, 2020, 10:23 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Esther Mobley on Shipping Costs, Supporting Small Wineries
- Replies: 134
- Views: 7927
Re: Esther Mobley on Shipping Costs, Supporting Small Wineries
I decided that I'd just add a flat fee of $20 for all shippings below a case, and include shipping with full case buys, and just eat the difference myself. It's painful, but I think it results in less abandoned carts. A case to NY or CT is $55+, so I end up eating that for a case. A single bottle i...
- December 4th, 2020, 5:09 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: Produttori del Barbaresco vertical 2016-1970
- Replies: 33
- Views: 1693
Re: TN: Produttori del Barbaresco vertical 2016-1970
Fascinating report Otto thanks for sharing the results. Of the disappointments, I’m more saddened and surprised by the young failures. My experience with older Italian bottles from auction/retail is similar. For reasons discussed in many threads here, pre-mid-90s Italian wines were just not stored w...
- December 4th, 2020, 5:00 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: RieslingKenner - 2018 Keller Abtserde GG charity raffle
- Replies: 14
- Views: 910
Re: RieslingKenner - 2018 Keller Abtserde GG charity raffle
Happy to support this good cause.
- December 2nd, 2020, 10:14 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Why are auction prices on Wine Searcher listed without VIG?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 1050
Re: Why are auction prices on Wine Searcher listed without VIG?
Reasonable response by Winebid. I think it would be great if Vig were included in wine-searcher results. It’s a real cost for buyers that changes pretty rarely. Sure I can calculate it in my head, but in a sorting algorithm why not use all fixed available data? You could go one step further and inst...
- December 1st, 2020, 10:06 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2016 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1220
Re: TN: 2016 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
My experience is that the top Chiantis behave a lot like some of the top, but less structured, Brunellos. In other words, they can age beautifully. I have in fact tested this hypothesis with Isole e Olena. I find the Cepparello a bit tight and intense when young (I tried the 2013 and 2015) but give ...
- November 30th, 2020, 8:33 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2005 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
- Replies: 14
- Views: 826
Re: TN: 2005 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
I had one of these a few weeks back. The occasion wasn’t conducive to detailed note taking but I was really impressed by the bottle - it had a lovely combination of sweetness richness and lightness in balance. Definitely not the super-acidic side of Riesling but not at all overly heavy or sweet for ...
- November 29th, 2020, 12:11 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Immense Pleasure Or Profundity?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1052
Re: Immense Pleasure Or Profundity?
What’s the difference between the two? I find profundity very pleasing.
- November 25th, 2020, 1:37 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Most impractical wine in the cellar?
- Replies: 77
- Views: 3678
Re: Most impractical wine in the cellar?
Kelly, I bow before you as the True Epitome of Impracticality. I have nothing remotely worthy of the conversation.


- November 22nd, 2020, 11:29 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Current List of California Vineyard’s Not releasing 2020 Wines
- Replies: 33
- Views: 3903
Re: Current List of California Vineyard’s Not releasing 2020 Wines
I believe Kevin Harvey said here that there would be no Santa Cruz Mountains Pinots.
Also Beta.
Also Beta.
- November 20th, 2020, 9:15 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Wine Maker Tasting Notes or lack there of.....why
- Replies: 30
- Views: 1243
Re: Wine Maker Tasting Notes or lack there of.....why
As a subsequent add on question......Do you trust the wine makers notes that you buy from over a wine rater? All tasting notes have human subjective biases. Wine makers’ biases about the products they they have worked so hard to produce are perhaps a little more obvious than a reviewer’s. But their...
- November 20th, 2020, 9:03 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2008 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2443
Re: TN: 2008 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC
I would like to be offered the ‘07 for $98. Amazing price. In the context of other sparklers at this price point this would be an absolute steal. Hmmm, I wonder what the ‘09 CdC will sell for?
- November 15th, 2020, 3:53 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: TN: 2013 E. Fuligni (Cottimelli) Rosso di Montalcino Ginestreto
- Replies: 2
- Views: 201
Re: TN: 2013 E. Fuligni (Cottimelli) Rosso di Montalcino Ginestreto
Thanks Fred - this sounds excellent and also delightfully familiar. Fuligni was the highlight of several Montalcino visits in the summer of 2019. This included tasting their 2017 Ginestreto and I found it absolutely charming, though probably not as long an ager as this '13. Still, for the price thes...
- November 13th, 2020, 3:54 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Wine aging and group think
- Replies: 141
- Views: 6463
Re: Wine aging and group think
The core issue for this post is not about the ideal age to drink wine - I think we are all fairly in agreement about that. Instead it's how to deal with group think. I've been thinking a lot about this as I've been following this thread. Group think for wine consumption is an odd form of perceived p...
- November 11th, 2020, 8:56 am
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Wine aging and group think
- Replies: 141
- Views: 6463
Re: Wine aging and group think
Certainly I agree that the most important factor in wine age preference is your own palate. And that requires lots of testing tasting and note taking to figure out what you really like. Early in my wine journey I bought things I liked with a a wide variety of age (yay K&L and Winebid for the one...
- November 9th, 2020, 3:08 pm
- Forum: Wine Talk
- Topic: Criminal (EDIT: or silly, if you like) pricing on 2016 Produttori Crus
- Replies: 50
- Views: 4618
Re: Criminal pricing on 2016 Produttori Crus
I got the same offer - from Morrell. Will be curious to see if this holds up. I passed.