I am officially bored -or- The Metamorphosis of Mike

[Neal.Mollen]

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Nearing 40 years here, so it must take a very long time in some instances.

[Jay_Carroll]

I have found that road to be a bit to bumpy for an old guy like me…

[GregT]

@Neal.Mollen

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Nearing 40 years here, so it must take a very long time in some instances.

Ditto. And it’s not for lack of tasting many many dozens over the years.

But Paul - be careful! The guy (or guys) who used to say that kind of disappeared after it turned out that they’d been drinking a lot of Rudy wine, didn’t he?

[Ron_Erickson]

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Expect a detour to the land of Barolo. For many it become a one way street.

[Nathan_Smyth]

What they’re neglecting to tell you is that about ten years ago [some would argue twenty], the old asphalt-paved road to Burgundy was ripped out and repaved entirely in gold. Not gold plate, but solid gold.

And they erected a great big toll gate in front of the road in order to pay for it all.

[And at about the same time, the road to Barolo was gold-plated for good measure.]

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@mike pobega

@mike pobega

I just tallied that I have 122 bottles of pre-2008 Cabs and a grand total of 28 bottles of Pinot either in the cellar or on order. I am actively working to correct this as my goal is to make the first count about 20 and the second about 100. Some future CLONYCs will look more like PLONYCs.

Update.
Since this posting I have had a few great trades completed. I have one in motion right now and one left to complete. I have expanded my knowledge of Pinot and am learning of what a big world is yet ahead of me. I have zeroed down to a few stylistic preferences. Thank you to all that reached out and sent some great stuff. I am now a big fan of Littorai (Anderson) and Sandler (Bien Nacido, Boer). I am working on some various Sta. Rits Hills at the moment. Early results are promising.
I now own 59 bottles of Pinot, where above I had 28, and I have 107 pre-2008 Cabs in place of the 122 mentioned above. Not a great reduction, but still working at it.
I own 4 different sets Burgundy/Pinot Noir glassware and I am pouring August West for Ed and Pinot Days NYC next month. Hows that for diving in?
Awesome stuff, it all.

Traitor!

[mike_pobega]

Yes I am.

[Mike_Schieffer]

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Sometimes, they (i.e. mine) emanate from Burgundy.

[Nancy_Dolce]

Different wines for different occasions. All good.

[cjsavino]

@mike pobega

Yes I am.

Insider discount for Pinot Days??

[rfelthoven]

Mike – you mentioned earlier that you have around 122 pre-2008 cabs in your cellar. How does a guy with that little scratch in the game pull off a name like “King Cab”? No offense intended. Is your “title” pure sarcasm?

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

Ron… “Don’t stop him, he’s on a roll.”

RT

[cjsavino]

@rfelthoven

Mike – you mentioned earlier that you have around 122 pre-2008 cabs in your cellar. How does a guy with that little scratch in the game pull off a name like “King Cab”? No offense intended. Is your “title” pure sarcasm?

Pretty sure Mike likes them younger the better, fresh off the truck ok. Don’t confuse current inventory with consumption.

[Blair_Ridley]

@Neal.Mollen

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Nearing 40 years here, so it must take a very long time in some instances.

I can see how that would happen when one gets distracted by champagne…

I’m getting distracted from burgundy by champagne, though I went deep into burg-land first.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@rfelthoven

Mike – you mentioned earlier that you have around 122 pre-2008 cabs in your cellar. How does a guy with that little scratch in the game pull off a name like “King Cab”? No offense intended. Is your “title” pure sarcasm?

An excellent point. I have 85 bottles of pre-2008 Cali Cab, plus another 24 bottles of pre-2008 Cali blends that are mostly Cab, and I’m not even trying. No wonder he has gone over to the dark side.

[M.Kaplan]

@Paul Jaouen

All roads lead to Burgundy. It takes some a little longer to get there.

Except for the one made of yellow brick that leads to Piemonte.

[Phil_S_t_a_f_f_o_r_d]

@J a y H a c k

@mike pobega

@mike pobega

I just tallied that I have 122 bottles of pre-2008 Cabs and a grand total of 28 bottles of Pinot either in the cellar or on order. I am actively working to correct this as my goal is to make the first count about 20 and the second about 100. Some future CLONYCs will look more like PLONYCs.

Update.
Since this posting I have had a few great trades completed. I have one in motion right now and one left to complete. I have expanded my knowledge of Pinot and am learning of what a big world is yet ahead of me. I have zeroed down to a few stylistic preferences. Thank you to all that reached out and sent some great stuff. I am now a big fan of Littorai (Anderson) and Sandler (Bien Nacido, Boer). I am working on some various Sta. Rits Hills at the moment. Early results are promising.
I now own 59 bottles of Pinot, where above I had 28, and I have 107 pre-2008 Cabs in place of the 122 mentioned above. Not a great reduction, but still working at it.
I own 4 different sets Burgundy/Pinot Noir glassware and I am pouring August West for Ed and Pinot Days NYC next month. Hows that for diving in?
Awesome stuff, it all.

Traitor!

+1. Time for a cabernet intervention group.

[mike_pobega]

Resurrect this for the shout out to Dr Levine.
I am working through the case we traded and in that case was 4 village level wines,. 4 cru and 4 grand cru equivalent according to Glenn. I made note on which was which and slowly started to get to them. So far the lower group has been somewhat mixed in the results but where this trade shines was the grand cru jobbies.
Last night we had the 2009 J.Rochioli Little Hill and holy cray, it was stunning. Pure and fragrant and just velvet across the palate. My son just texted me telling me he can still taste it in his mind.
In January I had the first of that group, a 2007 Joseph Swan Trenton with Ed Kurtzman and it was equally as beautiful.

What’s my point? My point my good friends is Dr Levine knows his pinots and has opened my eyes and for that I thank him.

Thanks Glenn!!!

I am no longer bored!

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

You are welcome Mike!

You got to come W and we will grill salmon and pull corks. I’ll clean the Zalto Burgs.

I was wondering if that Little Hill was from the cases we traded. I have not uncorked a Two Hands yet!

[Robert_Grenley]

Many years ago I too found that it was Pinot that hit my pleasure center while other varietals, particular Cab and Bordeaux blends, left me cold and continue to do so. After a few ethereal burgundy experiences, I delved deeply in. So deeply, in fact, that I have found it perversely satisfying to find other wines and wine regions to completely write off just so I can simplify my life and remain financially solvent. Although I have bought Chave Hermitage and Jamet Cote Rotie and Giacosa Barbaresco and Barolo over the years, I mostly remain true to my main squeeze.
Like every wine region, it may be the top 10% of producers that are worthwhile and the bottom 90% are disappointing whether it be CA or OR or Burgundy. I currently drink a few select producers’ lower octane CA and OR pinots as my everyday wines, and I drink my Burgundies and a few special CA and OR pinots with like-minded friends as I let most of my Burgundies safely slumber. I would hate to be amassing a Burgundy cellar at this point in time in light of so much absurd pricing, but perhaps that is just because the producers I love are now out of reach…but that is close-minded of me, ignoring the fun of the chase in finding new great producers at reasonable prices that make excellent wine. In any event, when you get turned on by some friend to some mature and ethereal Burgundy, and perhaps you have already, watch out!