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

Thanks for posting the link. I read this and meant to post about it. I think Edible Monterey has been hitting it out of the park these days. Great article and worthy praise for some of our pioneers. Mike and Wes - agree with you regarding Matteson Pinot. I am still haunted by an early 90s' version d...

No, when I tried to sign up for April.

Did everyone else only get the ability to get 1 free ticket?

Just got the email. I really look forward to this event every year but not surprised. Maybe final assemblage will still take place.

Greg, I would normally agree with you but I think since he was asked to bring nice wine, and they are into food, it would not be out of place in this situation. If the request was just to "bring some wine" then I would agree it would be inappropriate to bring your own stems.

I am still hoping to get bumped off the wait list. I have some older SC Mt. Pinot I can bring (If I am bumped up) but was thinking that maybe someone would want to go in with me on another mag of nice Champagne to cap the celebration. Just a thought.

I think the '11 is one of the best for "early" drinking - they were pouring it last year at the assemblage which inspired me to open a 375 a few months ago. Really enjoyable and did not get the "too young" feeling.

Please add me as a maybe depending on the final date. The last one was an eye opener. I think I still have few older SC Mt. Pinots with some age on them. I will have to crawl around and check.

Sad update. Looks like they are closing the Davenport tasting room. Another sale though does not look as good as the last one. https://shop.bonnydoonvineyard.com/?method=pages.showPage&PageID=008343F4-FC60-0523-832F-8A5A8CF855E0&originalMarketingURL=Shop&utm_source=Master&utm_campaign=c823c229c6-EMA...

I find it challenging to write tasting notes. Last year, Frank Murray encouraged those of us not writing tasting notes to try and this bottle was the inspiration I needed. It was fun to get my friends around the table to chime in. 14.3% Expressive nose of violets and herbs. Dark purple with little b...

Kid's 12th birthday so had some of our friends over to celebrate :) I set up the order and did most of the pouring which worked out quite well. 2007 Le Cigare Volant (from the recent sale). Screw cap. Wonderful balance and fairly complex. Mostly Grenache. Very enjoyable and an incredible deal. Wish ...

Robert - I agree on that one. Picked it off the list in a restaurant and really impressed the group I was with. One of the least expensive wines on the list and it rocked!

What a great follow-up! Interesting to have folks thoughts confirmed and also see in real life the changing bottle dance through time. Fun.

I saw these at our Grocery Outlet a few weeks ago but passed since I am really trying to cut back on purchases. This post inspired me to go back and I bought 2000 Cab Franc and Meritage and the 03 Cab estate. Opened them up blind for a party and what a treat. The Meritage has some brett that was dis...

I was feeling so proud of myself keeping it to less than a case. Then last night we had a dinner party and the 2014 Wirz was one of the highlights. E-mailed them this morning and they were willing to add three more.

Memory lane Asher. On one of our visits Barbara said she needed to get some work done after we had finished tasting. We said our goodbyes and she got out her quad with a gun on her hip to go down to the vineyard below her house. I asked her what the gun was for and she said "rattlesnakes"! At least ...

Interesting. I was a buyer years ago with fond memories of tasting at the home with Barbara. A 99 I had a few years ago was stunning.

"That sound bottles of the '17 should be very similar to the '16, not "stylistically different" Wes - per post #38 it appears that '16 was carbonic and '17 was not. Perhaps I missed something but wouldn't this be stylistically different if this is the case?

2013 Santa Lucia Highlands Sierra Mar Syrah- very enjoyable, no heat opened up over an hour.

2005 Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah - Still black with no bricking, great nose, wonderful balance and flavor. Seems like it will age forever. Some complexity but will it increase with more time????

2009 Rivers Marie - Panek Vineyard. We rarely open cabs these days and this was a treat. Good friends over and want to get a little "higher" with what was in the glass. Opened for 30 minutes and then disappeared quickly. Exquisite fruit, balance and depth. Silky tannin, no heat. Would be great to sl...

Agree with above that Windy Oaks is a nice drive and sweet spot. Another local one would be Big Basin Vineyard. Seems like you are driving to a State Park and you actually are!

Thanks for the advice Wes.

I brought the 16 to that dinner and agree with others that the 17 was not very enjoyable. I thought the 16 was nice but not as exceptional as earlier bottles had been. Also agree with I think Wes who said the 16 tasted better a year ago (though I might be misquoting him on that). Opened my first two...

Agree with Wes that Ian makes some great wine from that site (I. Brand). Have any of you had the Ghostwriter Bates Cab? I tried it last year and really liked it.

Wes - that was a fun bottle. Never heard of Sandar and Hem. Where are they located? Thanks everyone for a great evening! I think my favorites were the 86 Gruaud Larose and the 97 Bien Nacido.

Looking forward to seeing everyone. Tomatoes are packed. If anyone has any styrofoam full case shippers they want re-used I could use a few more. Thanks.

Great notes. Thanks for sharing. I wish I could focus as well as you seem to at a large tasting!

Andrew, your comment made me want to see what Mike had to say about the subject. I really like his data base of when to drink but must admit I seldom reference it. 09 Montafi: 2014 -2018 06/07/2019 So he agrees with us on that one. But I must say, it is not like you need to rush on this. I would thi...

I am not sure I will have the time to get down and pick, but if I do, do folks want enough to process?

2009 Montafi Zin - drinking great, wonderful balance and combo black/red fruit. No heat, opened up over 30 minutes, smoothe tannins. For me, drinking at peak and I would not want to wait much longer. 2012 Three Birds, opened up beautifully over an hour. Big, explosive mouthfeel with red fruits and g...

I have the 2016 PAX that got the high scores or an older Lagier Meredith Syrah? Requests? Could also bring a Bonny Doon BN Syrah 12 or 13 to go with Robert's 10. Let me know if anyone has a preference.

Slight thread drift - I thought there was word that there would be some checks coming from the bankruptcy to those that lost money. Was I mistaken or?

Free for all or theme? I know many of you are in to big fruit bombs (which I have many of) but if we are going for the subtle side I need to dig around.

Tom Hill will be happy to hear that he can now order this on line.

Highly Anticipated Release - Adelaida White Rhône.

50% Grenache Blanc, 25% Picpoul, 25% Roussanne
First Vintage, Only 20 Barrels Produced

Looking forward to trying this.

My wife opened a 375 of the Le Cigare Blanc and liked it. "Honey, you did not buy to much wine this time!. This was a first. :) We had a pizza party last night with some old friends (grilled pizza though we cheated and bought pre-made crust). I figure this was a good chance to try out some of the bo...

Ok, I am guessing $50 a bottle - just a guess. How many think over, how many under? (just for fun)

If anyone cancels please let me know. I might be able to make it. Thanks.

I second the Geyserville suggestion. Try to find an 09 - this will be ready to drink. Unless you find an older Monte Bello, a more recent vintage does not make sense for her unless she has a wine cellar. If you go for the Geyserville, you can still get her some nice bubbles.

Douglas Breen - when I was there last week I only saw the 2009. I will have to go back. Thanks! (If you are local, lets do a Santa Cruz offline sometime - I am tired of driving over the hill!)

For those thinking this will improve over many years, do you have any experience with other wines, made using this method, that have aged well?

Had to go back for a few more Sunday. They had popped a few corks (actually screwed a few screws?) and I was able to try a Le Cigar Volant 1995 and 2000. The 95 was good though, for my palate, on the downward slope. The 2000 was really nice, bright and alive. When I got home I read though some of th...

Here is a great website for those interested. Lets me see who is in my neighborhood!

http://www.santacruzpumas.org/

Quite the head spinning selection on site. Was lucky to get there when they first opened. You had to buy by the case but could mix it up so it took them awhile to pick and then price. Scored a 3L of the 2013 Le Cigare Volant Réserve. Used the excuse of "I will buy it for friends" to purchase way too...

I am lucky to live in the area and will head down tomorrow morning to see what is left! Agree that the X Block is worthy juice - had it at the tasting room last month for a local school fundraising event. I think I paid $50 for a bottle and thought it was worth it. For the sale price I am planning t...

Michael, we had the 2000 Lanson Champagne Noble Cuvée de Lanson Blanc de Blancs Brut last week. It was drinking very nicely and did open up as the meal progressed. Quite the QPR. Enjoy!

That was a tasty bottle Sean!

Tom - so where do you live these days? I have a few older bottles and it would be great to do a KK offline!

I have been purchasing Monte Bello futures for more that 15 years but have only opened a handful or so. I am lucky to live close enough so I get up there several time a year and drink theirs while mine age. Special occasion yesterday so wanted to try one. I read over the cellar tracker reviews and t...

Bryan - I would definitely hold on to a few and try them at the 10 year mark. The 09 is one of my favorite Zins right now - wish I had saved more. Adam- I just did a quick tasting at Ridge yesterday. The 17 Geezer is great. If they still have the 2014 Lytton Estate Syrah I would strongly recommend i...

You need to use a filter when reading the reviews. Many don't like the style and if you do, then their input is meaningless.

Ian S. - I had not tried saying it out loud until you pointed that out! Thanks, that did give me a laugh! Great read. While I appreciate the technical debate that followed, I was surprised no one mentioned the wonderful story told, with the book, the journey, the old man and his kids, and the bottle...

Search found 280 matches