Neal Mollen is the next Robert Parker.
I’m getting gout?
Isn’t he a porn star?
Didn’t mean to single you out but a number of posts are veering into the “I don’t like this region-producer/this region-producer is overrated” territory." These takes have all the heat of yesterday’s unsalted mashed potatoes.
Drinking wine in the correct temperature window is essential for a wine to show its best. Probably more important than letting a wine breathe or the marginal difference in good vs great stemware.
Napa is enjoyable to visit.
I would take it one step further: I’d rather have a very good wine at the proper temperature than a great wine at room temp.
Biodynamically grown grapes can produce more thrilling wines than conventionally produced fruit.
Most reds are served too warm.
Most whites are served too cold.
+1, no question.
For one that I didn’t see posted, I have very unpopular opinions on Premox, and that it isn’t as bad as most seem to report, and more.
Actually, Neal, I think that is the most popular wine opinion here. 
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This isn’t an Unpopular Opinion, this is basic fact. Come on people you can do better.
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A friend of mine definitely has a shopping problem and it extends to wine as well. Lauren and I are both “collector” people from way back, it was vinyl when we met and that has shifted to wine, the type of skills and tics you have from record collecting carry over surprisingly well to a wine hobby (obsessive trivia retention, rationalization of your hobby taking up all the storage in your house/money in your pocket, paranoia about handling and provenance, etc.)
As soon as Jef Levy came onscreen in Sour Grapes Lauren and I turned to each other and were like “wow that guy has a serious drinking problem”, I’m sure he likes wine but dang dude is clearly a massive alcoholic.
My humbug:
The young turks are just as stuck up as the old guard, just about different things. This applies to almost everything, not just wine.
The best wine is the wine you like to drink, unless you drink crap, then you’re just wrong, sorry. What is crap? I’ll know it when I see it. Unless it’s served blind, then all bets are off!
Another:
Sometimes wine that costs more really is better.
Given the key words “can” and “more”, the converse is also true, right? Almost anything is better than the worse 1% of either camp.
My unpopular opinion?
Writing off huge segments of the world’s wine production based on truisms (alcohol above (or below?) % is bad, good wines only come from region , etc.) greatly reduces ones opportunities to enjoy good wines.
Thread of the past 2-3 years?
Huh? Maybe I’m out of the loop here, but I’ve been about 6-7 times and have always enjoyed it (on average). You learn to stay away from the large/commercial producers and everything will be fine.
Bingo!
-It is a personal matter, if you find them better.
My only true exception so far is Champagne with dosage. I really enjoy what age does to Champagne, except I still have a questionmark for non-dosage Champagne’s capability of improving with age.
My Rhys Pinots are all overextracted and extremely out of balance. I don’t believe they will ever come around.
Regards,
A Kei!!or