Wine Berserkers - international wine social media, online community, and discussion

How about the elusive Champale grape?

I guess more fundamental question is what makes Macdonald cabs so highly regarded? I never had one so I can't really say anything about their quality, even though from what I gather, it's extremely high, but is the allure more so because of their history and how they go about doing their business? ...

Victor Hong wrote: ↑February 3rd, 2021, 12:03 pm Useful for sales.

So, what you’re saying is, scores are not dead at retail?

Okay, I’m gonna ask a dumb, but sincere, question. Does cola have an aroma? I admit I’ve never sniffed my Coke (ha! Cocaine joke!). I always thought of cola flavors in Pinot, but aroma?

The Covid-effect? I know I’ve bought more than normal this year. I would think that it is a large part of it. Higher consumption and more money being diverted from my traveling budget have increased my purchasing. Traveling vicariously with regional wine, food recipes, and travel documentaries have...

You may be trying to not name names here, but how many “ tryna-be-exclusive” wineries really do this? I suppose it’s less than the “every single” posited (likely for emphasis rather than fact). I mean, I’ve seen it before, and yeah, it’s kinda dumb. But is it really that rampant outside of wineries ...

Man, I should avoid taking peyote before reading these threads. It’s like, I think it makes sense, but it doesn’t.

Now they’re just plain trolling.

I think it means there’s 6 more weeks of winter.

Best bump ever.

I work at a small winery and we have about 400 wine club members. I would bet I could find at least 10-20 who would love to act as an ambassador of the winery. We have people ask to volunteer to help bottle even. As to the comment above, I made a ton of money, more than you mention, when I was in b...

Video, please.

I posited on a thread earlier this year that terroir is mostly bullshit and subjective. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well. I was eventually convinced that it’s not all bullshit, but I still say that it’s subjective and not quantifiable.

Happy new year!

There are also wine brokers. They tend to take a lesser cut, but it means they're just a sales go-between and you pay for the storing of the wine and the shipping when it goes to retailer. For smaller brands it can be a better solution. But with restaurants being out of the picture for the time bei...

The recent 2016 offering was my first, so I’m new to Ultramarine. Do they need time or are they like this rose and generally good to go upon release?

Oh, man. I now know what I’m opening on NYE.

I know none of the people involved nor the actual reason, but I can guess. And I have an opinion about what they should do, too. [popcorn.gif] Long Meadow Ranch owns Farmstead. Given the huge drop in tourism in Napa in 2020 combined with trying to turn around Stony Hill, combined with a possible to...

David, you might just try emailing them and see if they’ll tell you. I imagine that they’ll be happy you’re interested, unless it’s confidential.

I hadn't thought about how somebody would prefer the title of 'estate manager' over 'general manager'. Perhaps if the owners threw in an embossed business card on very thick paper a person would feel even better. Personally I am a 'show me the money' kind of guy and with housing prices what they ar...

Mel Knox wrote: ↑December 25th, 2020, 5:05 pm Marc,
We used to use the term general manager. Much more clear. Estate manager sounds like somebody in charge of Downton Abbey.

Soon we will have 'regisseurs'...

And John said I shouldn’t take your comment seriously...

Don't take Mel so seriously. Is there a list of board members one shouldn’t take seriously? There’s plenty of bullshit in wine marketing to make fun of, for sure. But I’ve got friends who are Estate Managers/Directors, and they’re senior positions. To dismiss it as “mowing the lawn” is more than ju...

I love this term that keeps popping up, Estate Director. It is so wonderfully ambiguous. In charge of mowing the lawn?? I am sure the Estate Director will make sure the wines proffered for tasting will be properly curated. It’s a senior position that encompasses many roles, from overseeing hospital...

I gotta agree here with Otto’s general sentiment. How much do you think an importer or a retailer can boost a price of a $40-ish bottle of wine that isn’t Burgundy and get away with it (unless it’s a WS top ten, but that’s a rarity)? It ain’t gonna be $100. Argentina isn’t that hot in US markets. T...

I gotta agree here with Otto’s general sentiment. How much do you think an importer or a retailer can boost a price of a $40-ish bottle of wine that isn’t Burgundy and get away with it (unless it’s a WS top ten, but that’s a rarity)? It ain’t gonna be $100. Argentina isn’t that hot in US markets. Th...

“It tastes like cat pee.”

Massican.

Quite Pedantic Ranter

So, it sounds like the answer to the question is “either totally or not at all”.

Best thread ever.

Does the tainted wine placed in barrels effect the barrels downstream? I’m thinking of market for neutral barrels and other uses besides flower pots No one knows but I will not be reusing any barrels in the future if any wine that touches them turn out tainted. After bottling one small lot of highl...

This is their 3rd or 4th vintage. Matt is a solid winemaker, and the wines (particularly the Rhône wines) have been delicious with a lot of air. Should be a few good notes on CT. I’ll second that, though full disclosure - I’m friends with Matt and Audra (who does the tastings for Matthiasson). Thes...

Scherrer Zin and RRV Pinot, both on futures.

Candy Corn + buttery Chardonnay

Merrill Lindquist wrote: ↑October 4th, 2020, 5:31 pm I just got word that I may return to my property tomorrow!

Great news! And rain later this week!

Jeez, that’s a lot of fire retardant being dumped. That’ll probably end up in the water table and will be the gift that keeps on giving in future vintages. I had heard concerns about that for the fires in 2017, so possibly affecting the 2018 vintage. I’m not an expert in the potential dangers of th...

Craig G wrote: ↑October 3rd, 2020, 6:25 pm The purple air map for Napa and Sonoma looks really good right now. Is that real?

Yes. I’m in the city of Napa and this evening it was much clearer, with AQI in the 80s. Still not good, but much better.

Rob, it’s not quite the same, but why not set up a day of virtual tastings? I’m sure if you told them it’s for your birthday, your favorites would be thrilled to make it work, sending you wines ahead of time. Plus, if you do it from home, you can pack in a whole pile more tastings. And it’d be a way...

AQI in my part of Napa (SW side on edge of Carneros) is right now 381. It’s like standing next to a campfire outside. Even my dog is refusing to go out. They announced 5% containment this morning. What source are you using? My photo was from 29 heading for 121 S of Imola and they said 157. Cathy Co...

Crap! As for air quality, this is in Napa proper at AQI of 157... 5B0C7DDF-D616-4C4E-9AD5-51CAAB08D6BE.jpeg St Helena is checking in at an AQI of... 4D3B0A3D-6C1F-4361-B7E5-5F87AED8E26D.png [swoon.gif] Breathing in Napa made me feel ill and I had a mask on the entire time. Hoping people stay indoor...

Eerily quiet overnight and this morning. And now we have a little something going on - 2 to 3 acres at Oakville Grade and Dry Creek Road. Air support on its way, hope they knock that one down quickly. Crap! As for air quality, this is in Napa proper at AQI of 157... 5B0C7DDF-D616-4C4E-9AD5-51CAAB08...

Mich@el Ch@ng wrote: ↑September 30th, 2020, 7:35 am Pretty sure tourists visit Castillo Di amarosa.

Isn’t there a culinary institute right by there too?

I did say “mostly”, not all....

I have vacationed in or near Napa three times but I am having trouble figuring out the geography of where the fires are. There are a few roads that I remember well and I can locate - Route 29 and the Silverado Trail and Deer Park Road that goes up to Angwin all the way to Outpost and then past the ...

Glass Fire is now 2% contained, which is a big deal. Down here in the City of Napa, the air is clearing up. Granted, we’ve got a few days heat coming, as Roy noted, but maybe the tide has turned....

Merrill Lindquist wrote: ↑September 29th, 2020, 6:52 am Just now an update from an official source that my property is unburned . The glass fire has moved north eastward up in the palisades mountain range. May it stay there until it is out...this is mostly conservation land.

Good news!

Some good news!

Fairwinds Estate also seriously damaged. Just east of the Trail by Dunaweal.

This could be a ray of good news (Sarah is a Sonoma reporter who has been covering fires for years - she’s a highly reliable source), although a terrible loss of the wine in tank:

Al Osterheld wrote: ↑September 28th, 2020, 2:00 pm It sounded like some of the vineyard at the winery burned but firefighters saved the buildings.

-Al

That’s great news! I also read they did an amazing job protecting Rombauer.

Karen Troisi wrote: ↑September 28th, 2020, 1:07 pm
Glen Gold wrote: ↑September 28th, 2020, 12:47 pm A fire fighter on twitter says Meadowood Restaurant is gone.
Calistiga Ranch also had significant damage.

Unfortunately that appears to be right:

According to Mercury News, Boswell, Hunnicutt, Failla, Castillo di Amoroso all damaged.

DrinkwardPeschon is reporting also about Behrens:

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