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

R Roberts

I'm not ITB, but in tech its the minority that can make M&A make 1+1=3. For those involved, I hope that's the case.

And for a bit of brevity, here's a photo I took at Bridgeport, back when smoking indoors was allowed:

bp.jpeg

R Roberts

That's the WSJ headline. The video comes off as more off a cautionary tale however, rightfully so. Joel Peterson on Ravenswood and Once&Future around 3:50 in, if you feel like jumping ahead:

R Roberts

N.69: tasty with a decant. Lots of potential, though seems too early so will be sitting on the remaining.
N.135: delicious as a PnP. It will be hard (nor do I see the need) to keep my hands off these.

R Roberts

2017 Wilde Farm Wines Heritage Bedrock Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (3/22/2021) My first bottle of this, as I find Wilde Farm need time sideways. Decanted 1 hour, and it helped immensely. Of the Pax wines I've had as of late, this is the ripest- which is to say its of me...

R Roberts

La Ca' Nova Barbaresco is a great one too that can usually be found around $30, and the Montefico and Montestefano crus aren't much more. The fruit used to be sold to Gaja years ago. Recent vintages have been especially good. I have tried 2 recent bottlings and found them both to be punishingly tan...

R Roberts

That said, the answer is Vallana. ;-) +1 Just popped this one about 30 minutes ago, and it again proves that Sarah is correct. There are loads of good recommendations in this thread, but this can be had for like $18? Wha? Sarah knows of what she talks about. The only thing I don't like about Vallan...

R Roberts

Not to be confused by this Carema... with a black label.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3297618

R Roberts

2014 Sky Vineyards Zinfandel Mt. Veeder - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder (3/13/2021) Decanted 2 hours. Musky flower aromas I typically think of as stem inclusion. Bright fruit frontal attack- a combination of Andersen Valley-esque creaminess and crunchy acidity with some dusty tannin to k...

R Roberts

John Morris turned me onto this grape maybe 2 years ago with a thread here- search for that. +1 on Terre Nere. 2010 Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Sicilia Vigne Vecchie can be had for <$30. Be mindful many producers blend this grape. I don't mind a little Nerello Cappuccio in the mix, but I'm not conv...

R Roberts

Robert M yers wrote: ↑March 12th, 2021, 6:04 pm So can we conclude that a Jeb 95-98 does not move markets...

Nor does a fancy consultant winemaker, apparently.

Business is a harsh mistress. Without some luck, timing, and marketing, it really doesn't matter how good your product is.

R Roberts

French oak isn't cheap, but if you're sourcing grapes from Platt and paying a high caliber consultant winemaker, you're all-in already.

R Roberts

The new French oak % doesn’t match up for the Platt PN, but regardless, I love the wines coming from Platt so we’ll see how this goes. Different vintages, could be a different oak regiment. Given how quickly the chard and cab went, I'm a bit surprised the pinot is still available. You’re not wrong,...

R Roberts

Frank Z wrote: ↑March 12th, 2021, 1:20 pm The new French oak % doesn’t match up for the Platt PN, but regardless, I love the wines coming from Platt so we’ll see how this goes.

Different vintages, could be a different oak regiment.

Given how quickly the chard and cab went, I'm a bit surprised the pinot is still available.

R Roberts

Ok, the 2014 is even better than the 2013. I love that 2013, this 2014 is the same profile with just a little bit more ripeness to the fruit, a bit higher ABV for some heft, but still a broad range of tangy red fruits (even some blood orange tossed in) and venturing into the darks, with a gravelly ...

R Roberts

That's sort of it though isn't it? Bid your max. Snipers are irrelevant if you do that. I am arguing there is no sniping in online auctions because of that. You can set a max that is greater than the current bid. No one can snipe you other than people who are willing to pay MORE than your max. You ...

R Roberts

Timothy B a l l a r d wrote: ↑March 2nd, 2021, 5:43 pm R Roberts:

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
82% Calistoga, 18% St. Helena
50% new French oak
14.8% alc.
125 cases available
Bottled January 27th, 2021
Bottled

Thanks, I must have lost it in the flurry of % signs.

R Roberts

So N.138 is the reserve of the reserve??

Also what's the ABV?

R Roberts

Family Farm is basically a 'valley floor' vineyard. Many of the other Rhys vineyards are mountain tops or slopes: Alpine, Horseshoe and Skyline. I don't think the Family Farm has ever really show the sort of depth or structure where I would be tempted to give it much aging. I thought Home was on th...

R Roberts

Family Farm is basically a 'valley floor' vineyard. Many of the other Rhys vineyards are mountain tops or slopes: Alpine, Horseshoe and Skyline. I don't think the Family Farm has ever really show the sort of depth or structure where I would be tempted to give it much aging. I thought Home was on th...

R Roberts

Catching up on this thread, was wondering what this mention of 146 was about since I didn't see it. Searching the site, I see it was offered to "top De Négoce customers" and is now sold out. I don't have a problem with that, but am curious what the cut off is for "top De Négoce custom...

R Roberts

2018 de Négoce Zinfandel OG N.61 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (2/23/2021) I think I experienced bottle shock first hand- and I'm really excited about this wine now. In November, it was still a bit open showing its fruit, but not much. In January my notes show primarily muted s...

R Roberts

5 day cold fermented dough, mushroom and caramelized onions.

mush.jpg

R Roberts

R Roberts

It's not really "wet cardboard", per se. It's that cardboard left outside can get wet and develop TCA. Common enough to make the association to some wet cardboard people have smelled - a particularly impactful aroma. I've heard of TCA tainted cardboard wine shippers, but haven't experienc...

R Roberts

I believe natural corks are up there, if not at the top. Sadly Wes Hagen's website is now defunct, but there's an old thread on this: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104159

R Roberts

mostly because I was running around the house in a panic wondering how I lost a case and a half of Rhys (“honey did you THROW AWAY the Rhys?!”)...thankfully they didn’t ship it. Seems like a common theme. I thought I lost half a case of 2016 Horseshoe Syrah some time last year, turns out it hasn't ...

R Roberts

2012 Wind Gap Wines Syrah Nellessen Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (2/13/2021) Decanted 1 hour. Smells of wet iron, brined black olives, hard candy. The red fruit is there though not in the foreground- its more savory. Medium/high acid, medium/high tannin, medium bodied. Qu...

R Roberts

mostly because I was running around the house in a panic wondering how I lost a case and a half of Rhys (“honey did you THROW AWAY the Rhys?!”)...thankfully they didn’t ship it. Seems like a common theme. I thought I lost half a case of 2016 Horseshoe Syrah some time last year, turns out it hasn't ...

R Roberts

I cracked an N.125 to see if I wanted to go in on the N.126. Yes I realize this is a very young wine, but if it showed well, that would bode well for the "reserve" version. 2019 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.125 - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (2/10/2021) Vigorously decanted an...

R Roberts

Visa and Mastercard tend to charge merchants between 1.5% and 2.5% to accept their credit cards, whereas American Express charges between 2.5% to 3.5%. While this may not seem like a significant difference, the gap in fees can make accepting American Express an unattractive proposition - https://ww...

R Roberts

Also, what is Sandland's "house style?" I JUST got my first Sandland offer earlier this week, so I'm still a virgin. Great notes! I'd say red fruited, light in color, low to very low alcohol (for the applicable variety), no noticeable oak influence, crisp acids. And many of the wines are ...

R Roberts

Jeremy C wrote: ↑February 5th, 2021, 7:33 pm What do you find is a good value play at K&L?

I've found good value in domestic wines lately. Qupe, Copain, Wind Gap all with a few years of age. Signal Ridge and Sky were both really good (and unique to K&L) deals lately if those are your thing.

R Roberts

I do it to get the wine off any sediment and where leaving the wine in a decanter is impractical logistically.

R Roberts

Sounds like you're near K&L. Their local delivery has been done in very nice cardboard boxes since the pandemic.

R Roberts

With the Sandlands offer hitting tomorrow, it was time to dig one out of the cellar: 2014 Sandlands Carignane Contra Costa County - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (1/25/2021) Dusty country road on the nose. Red fruited, medium juicy acid, gentle tannin, luscious body. Not ov...

R Roberts

What goes into the table wines? Is it declassified fruit and/or barrels that didn't make the cut, or is it independently vinified?

R Roberts

I finished the bottle tonight (night 2), and got distinct Willy Wonky Runts. To me it tastes a lot like borderline ripe stemmy-ness. Zinfandel tends to ripen very unevenly, which is why I presume most producers wait for longer hang time which results in higher overall ripeness and ABV. Maybe skirtin...

R Roberts

2013 Sky Vineyards Zinfandel Mt. Veeder - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder (1/22/2021) Flowers and tree sap on the nose. Savory, crunchy red fruit. Medium/high acid, medium/high drying tannins, medium/full body despite a low (for zin) ABV. Despite the lovely nose, and acid/tannin structure ...

R Roberts

Max S. wrote: ↑January 21st, 2021, 7:58 pm When will the Riservas come out? Besides Morrell putting them on the market for $99.

Historically I've bought them in late April. No idea if that's consistent year to year.

R Roberts

Alan shared an Austrian riesling with a bit of age at an offline, and I immediately fell in love. My mistake was not backfilling and stocking up on current vintages at that time a few years ago. Luckily 2019 seems to be about as good as time as ever to start!

R Roberts

2013 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (1/18/2021) PnP, it was a bit closed aromatically. It took a few hours to open up, so decant or wait on these. Wet rock and white flowers on the nose. Stone fruit, orange peel, medium acid, full rich body. Swe...

R Roberts

2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (1/16/2021) Inky purple with no browning. Red jalapeno, fruit compote and a bit of heat on the nose. Brambly with medium acid makes this a mouth waterer. Long finish with a bit of drying dusty tannin remaining. At it...

R Roberts

Am I overthinking about sanitizing the tube? I boiled the bottles for 15 minutes so I guess they're fine. But I don't think I should boil the tube? Went to a local brewing supply store and was given a pack of Potassium Metabisulfite. From the page Wes shared it's a commonly used sanitizer. Just not...

R Roberts

Does anyone have a favorite source for Kunik with reasonable shipping costs? 2lbs shipped directly from Nettle Meadow Farms is $34 to California, and my local cheese mongers are not on their list of distributors.

R Roberts

Icon Estates is Constellation Brands fine wine division. Thoughts on this offer coming from a winery in that portfolio? Yes, if you pay note to the capitalization used in the offer: A sublime Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the Icon Estates of Napa Valley I can't find anything newer than ...

R Roberts

This should be an automated response to any new thread about palate shift.

R Roberts

Calera bottled their coastal pinot under that closure years ago, hopefully they still do. Natural corks suck.

R Roberts

The closest I've seen was this from the Historic Vineyard Society. I'm not driving to Sonoma to pick it up though- a shipping option would have been awesome. Kudos to Walter Scott. Screen Shot 2020-12-11 at 6.42.40 PM.png Dunno why that's blurry, but here's the test if you prefer: We've missed you! ...

R Roberts

My wife wandered into the room where I was listening to the Wednesday WK zoom call and said (paraphrasing for profanity) “I’d be a LOT more into you if you had his accent”. She was talking about William and not Todd or Charlie. This is going too far. I mean, William is knowledgeable, personable, al...

R Roberts

Thanks for doing this William, Todd, Fu- very educational. I had to drop for family dinner time, but caught the remainder via the recording. I swore off domestic Chenin Blanc, but will swear it back on for the Berserker Day offering. ;) For those who don't have a good ear for French (like me), I bel...

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