Great Recent Wine Choices?
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Godfather
Active member
@pglubczynski -
Sorry to hear about the coronary event, but love hearing the snap back and broadening the palette.
Malbec is a great choice. It’s often thought of as a blending grape, used a lot because it brings rich fruit highs to the blend, yet low tannins. In France it’s in most of the best Bordeaux’s in some measure, as is Merlot. Merlot has also found a footing on a stand alone basis, but IMHO has less character on average. The Argentinian Malbec has found an even stronger footing in the market as a stand alone wine.
Another varietal to consider if you are game, and based upon what I think I discern as your taste, is Mouvedre. It’s also a blending grape, usually in Rhône wines and not Bordeaux, paired with Grenache and Syrah to formulate the ideal GSM. Justin makes an excellent GSM in their “Trilateral”, and then Ojai Mountain Mouvedre will give you a view of what the grape can do individually. Try both to explore another edge of the wine field. No stake in either, no advertisement, just a suggestion. Stand alone Mouvedre is harder to find, but again IMHO worth it - just screams cold outside, fire and warm inside, and a good pairing with a rich stew containing a recent field harvest.
To your continued good health, I’m pouring a glass of Trilateral now.
QUOTE="pglubczynski, post: 2333, member: 281"]
Since I decided to have a heart attack a few years back decided to add red wine to the normal diet of scotch and bourbon. The bolder the better. Malbec foots the bill perfectly.
[/QUOTE]
Sorry to hear about the coronary event, but love hearing the snap back and broadening the palette.
Malbec is a great choice. It’s often thought of as a blending grape, used a lot because it brings rich fruit highs to the blend, yet low tannins. In France it’s in most of the best Bordeaux’s in some measure, as is Merlot. Merlot has also found a footing on a stand alone basis, but IMHO has less character on average. The Argentinian Malbec has found an even stronger footing in the market as a stand alone wine.
Another varietal to consider if you are game, and based upon what I think I discern as your taste, is Mouvedre. It’s also a blending grape, usually in Rhône wines and not Bordeaux, paired with Grenache and Syrah to formulate the ideal GSM. Justin makes an excellent GSM in their “Trilateral”, and then Ojai Mountain Mouvedre will give you a view of what the grape can do individually. Try both to explore another edge of the wine field. No stake in either, no advertisement, just a suggestion. Stand alone Mouvedre is harder to find, but again IMHO worth it - just screams cold outside, fire and warm inside, and a good pairing with a rich stew containing a recent field harvest.
To your continued good health, I’m pouring a glass of Trilateral now.
QUOTE="pglubczynski, post: 2333, member: 281"]
Since I decided to have a heart attack a few years back decided to add red wine to the normal diet of scotch and bourbon. The bolder the better. Malbec foots the bill perfectly.
[/QUOTE]
bgrolmus
New member
As I’ve ventured deeper into good bourbons, I’ve found that good red wine is also something I’m learning to enjoy. A former boss of mine has become a certified sommelier in retirement, so I always reach out to him for recommendations. This year’s Christmas dinner options were the “Goldschmidt Girls” as he calls them - Hilary and Katherine. Two very good Cabernet Sauvignon choices with different taste profiles. I was more partial to the Katherine blend personally, but both were excellent for the money.
logangrantgray
New member
I echo this sentiment. As I’ve gotten older, my tastes have expanded well beyond a bottle of Jameson…though I did, admittedly, check off the youthful bucket-list item of finishing a handle in one sitting.
Like @pglubczynski a life-altering health event reset my perspective. A brain tumor diagnosis in 2018 has a way of clarifying priorities. I can neither confirm nor deny any connection to Jameson, but it did reinforce one thing: life is too short not to explore variety, and the experiences that come with it. That same mindset is what led me to start hunting in my late 30s and exploring wine more aggressively as I approach 40 and, naturally, let to this group of particular well traveled vagabonds.
Since Ojai was mentioned, I’ll add this for anyone passing through the Central Coast: stop in Solvang and visit the tasting room at Sanger Family of Wines. Ask for Brett; he’s family. If he’s there, you’ll be well looked after; if not it will make sure to put the staff on notice to give you a little extra attention. Well worth the stop among the many other wineries in the region.
Like @pglubczynski a life-altering health event reset my perspective. A brain tumor diagnosis in 2018 has a way of clarifying priorities. I can neither confirm nor deny any connection to Jameson, but it did reinforce one thing: life is too short not to explore variety, and the experiences that come with it. That same mindset is what led me to start hunting in my late 30s and exploring wine more aggressively as I approach 40 and, naturally, let to this group of particular well traveled vagabonds.
Since Ojai was mentioned, I’ll add this for anyone passing through the Central Coast: stop in Solvang and visit the tasting room at Sanger Family of Wines. Ask for Brett; he’s family. If he’s there, you’ll be well looked after; if not it will make sure to put the staff on notice to give you a little extra attention. Well worth the stop among the many other wineries in the region.
logangrantgray
New member
pglubczynski
New member
Those look kinda interesting. Pretty good? I see they sell them on wine.com. May have to give em a try.
logangrantgray
New member
I’m a big fan of the Priest Ranch a Sterling. Can’t speak to the others so much as they are Wife’s choices but if we open this week I’ll report back.
Godfather
Active member
Godfather
Active member
Holidays are over, wine gifts have been consumed with joy and smiles or cellared with anticipation of more of the same in the years ahead. So, as wifey curated a simple fare for dinner, venison over a baked potato with some spinach and broccoli as sides, I was compelled to hit the darker corners of the cellar, and it reminded me of the great things that happen with time. This 2003 was born in an un-naturally warm year in France, the pundits said it would be awful by 2022, and they were wrong. Damned thing was fucking awesome! All the tannin had fallen away, excellent ruby fruit, and some lingering earth tones on the back finish - an excellent example of St. Julien Bordeaux from a great chateau.
Bring on Wednesday - I’m ready now.
Bring on Wednesday - I’m ready now.
spencer
New member
You guys are pouring some fancy ass shit!
For relatively cheap, every day drinkers, I am definitely a fan Duckhorn/Decoy Pinots and La Crema Pinot. Slightly pricier, a big fan of the Prisoner Cab. I like Cabs, but sometimes they can be a bit heavy but the Prisoner goes down a lot smoother.
For relatively cheap, every day drinkers, I am definitely a fan Duckhorn/Decoy Pinots and La Crema Pinot. Slightly pricier, a big fan of the Prisoner Cab. I like Cabs, but sometimes they can be a bit heavy but the Prisoner goes down a lot smoother.
eatman4
New member
This and Boone’s Farm got me thru high school
Godfather
Active member
@spencer
I’ll drink darn near anything.
Pour me a sub $20 Meiomi Pinot and I’m good. Find a Goldeneye Pinot for under $40 and I’m skipping to happyville.
Oh, and don’t let the label fool you. I was trading Bordeaux futures back in those days, as a side hobby, so this bottle was a lot less money than you think. I paid sub $25 for it as a future, first traunch, kept buying as the market went up, watched all the ‘03’s skyrocket. I played the game from 2000 to 2005, the quintessential era for Bordeaux futures. Sold 75% of my lot, to friends I’d discount it 10-20% to market because friends always come before money, and paid for my entire cellar and then a lot more, including one of my early vintage Porsche’s, the “Bahammer” as it was eventually called, the ‘68 912 in the short I posted and now owned by Jake at Sangin. Yes, time value of money and all that wiz bang shit, plus energy to run my cellar, but to me as a simple guy, this was a bottle I could afford. Puts my posts of old bottles in context.
I’ll meet you some day and we should drink old, new, cheap and expensive, and in the end we will laugh at the difference.
I’ll drink darn near anything.
Pour me a sub $20 Meiomi Pinot and I’m good. Find a Goldeneye Pinot for under $40 and I’m skipping to happyville.
Oh, and don’t let the label fool you. I was trading Bordeaux futures back in those days, as a side hobby, so this bottle was a lot less money than you think. I paid sub $25 for it as a future, first traunch, kept buying as the market went up, watched all the ‘03’s skyrocket. I played the game from 2000 to 2005, the quintessential era for Bordeaux futures. Sold 75% of my lot, to friends I’d discount it 10-20% to market because friends always come before money, and paid for my entire cellar and then a lot more, including one of my early vintage Porsche’s, the “Bahammer” as it was eventually called, the ‘68 912 in the short I posted and now owned by Jake at Sangin. Yes, time value of money and all that wiz bang shit, plus energy to run my cellar, but to me as a simple guy, this was a bottle I could afford. Puts my posts of old bottles in context.
I’ll meet you some day and we should drink old, new, cheap and expensive, and in the end we will laugh at the difference.
spencer
New member
Sttawberry Hill! Ahhh the memories......
spencer
New member
@Godfather Wow, that's crazy man. I've got a few solid bottles that I've hoarded over the years, but no 20+ year old Bordeaux's regrettably. Love me a Goldeneye Piniot. My old boss played college golf with a member of the Duckhorn family. We'd take golf/wine tasting trips up there, one of the best weekends of the year!
Have you ever been to Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa? Aside from being one of the coolest most unique fucking restruants you'll ever go to, I believe they have the single largest private wine collection in the country and one of the largest in the world. They'll give you a tour if you ask, unbeliveablly cool and good resturant.
Godfather
Active member
I have not @spencer - sounds awesome.
Should I go?
Are you Tampa based?
I was lucky - there were four of us and we called ourselves the Consortium - we gathered all myriad of data on weather etc and made some educated bets, sometimes the same, sometimes we struck out alone, bought scale and took the market over with limited capital and better insight, but back then 2000 and 2005 were stunning vintages, like throw a dart and hit gold great, ‘01 and ‘02 were excellent, ‘04 was ok but still solid, and ‘03 was a hit year and amazing but very different fo Bordeaux - so it was luck, lucky, and easier - today I would not have been as lucky no doubt, but there are still 300 or so bottles in the cellar from the era.
Should I go?
Are you Tampa based?
I was lucky - there were four of us and we called ourselves the Consortium - we gathered all myriad of data on weather etc and made some educated bets, sometimes the same, sometimes we struck out alone, bought scale and took the market over with limited capital and better insight, but back then 2000 and 2005 were stunning vintages, like throw a dart and hit gold great, ‘01 and ‘02 were excellent, ‘04 was ok but still solid, and ‘03 was a hit year and amazing but very different fo Bordeaux - so it was luck, lucky, and easier - today I would not have been as lucky no doubt, but there are still 300 or so bottles in the cellar from the era.
spencer
New member
100% go to Bern's. It's seriously unlike any Steakhouse you have ever been to. Seeing is how you are really into wine, walking through the largest private wine cellar in the country is pretty darn cool too. Not in Tampa, frequent it for work. Currently in CA, you?
Godfather
Active member
I am also in Russiafornia.
Orange County is home, work is Denver, KC, D.C., and India. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, moved and lived lots of places away, and came back here and placed wifey closer to her folks.
Where are you?
Orange County is home, work is Denver, KC, D.C., and India. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, moved and lived lots of places away, and came back here and placed wifey closer to her folks.
Where are you?
warsawchili
New member
I agree with you on these! and Prisoner Cab is very nice!
spencer
New member
Nice. Ventura Co. here.
