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Brandon R

As un-cool and un-trendy as it might be, I really still enjoy Nell's Restaurant on Greenlake. They have a well-thought-out wine list (lots of Burgundy, and a great selection of half-bottles, which I really appreciate) with decent prices and the food is always very good. We went a few months back and...

Brandon R

HOLY SHITE. That's crazy stuff!

Brandon R

Thank you for the replies (well, at least for those replies that didn't include telling me you never use stemless glasses neener ). By the way, I just don't buy the heat transfer thing. I don't sit and hold my glass between sips, so it's be minimal at best. That said, I looked up the recommendations...

Brandon R

Thanks for taking one for the team, Tom. The constant pressure to buy "winery direct" or "distillery direct" products is a real turn-off for me at Total Wine. Even if I tell an employee what my preferences are, it's almost a certainty that they're going to recommend one of these products amidst a fe...

Brandon R

Nice to have you chime in, Peter! Cheers!

Brandon R

Hi, Folks. I did a search and, while there are lots of conversations about wine glasses, I didn't see anything other than on-off posts about stemless wine glasses. I'd like to buy a set of something for casual drinking. Opting for one shape only, I'm inclined to go with a shape that's better for red...

Brandon R

I can't agree more with regard to all the praise that Bryan and fine team at FFF get. It's a top-notch place with oustanding meat (beef, yes, but other stuff is great as well).

Brandon R

Did a quick search for the 2017 North Coast Syrah in either Washington or Oregon. Found it at a retailer in Portland. They're offering it at $59! The Hermit for $45!

Brandon R

Sounds tasty. Your descriptors make think it's a blend of Rhone varieties, but your reference to Italian table wines makes me think I'm wrong. What's in the blend?

Brandon R

Great list of wineries and restaurants to choose from above. We'll be making the annual pilgrimage and hitting Cayuse on Friday. Outside of the great options already listed I'm excited to check out Elephant Seven and Ardor Cellars. Matt Austin- in case I'm not back east this season will you have an...

Brandon R

I didn't take any formal notes, but I opened one of these on Saturday with my wife. No decanting. I wasn't expecting the wine to be as accessible and open as it was. It was delicious, that's for sure. Frankly, though, I expected a little more structure and/or tannin for a 2016. I'm glad I have more,...

Brandon R

Nice TN, John. Sounds tasty indeed.

Brandon R

Yikes. Terrible, terrible customer service at best, outright fraud at worst. I hope you all get made whole.

Brandon R

Dang. I figured as much. I, perhaps naively, hoped that this particular store, which is one of the better stores around, would have been above this deception.

Brandon R

I do most of my grocery shopping at the local Safeway. However, when it comes to nicer, non-everyday ingredients I often go to a more upscale supermarket that tends to have far higher quality meat. In their butcher case, they invariably have some nice looking steaks including your typical ribeyes, N...

Brandon R

That's just crazy. I usually assume that type of packaging is needed to sell bad wine, but that doesn't seem to be the case here (I've never had a SQN, admittedly). Hasn't Krankl always used odd-shaped bottles? Seems consistent, I guess. Way, way over the top though, if you ask me.

Brandon R

"At the end of the day, I know how to bring value to customers. And I know great f*cking wine."

Brandon R

I've seen several threads just today started by new posters, so who say they've been long-time lurkers. I wonder if it's just pure coincidence? Regardless, I love it. Keep 'em coming! If anyone is a lurker, we're a more valuable group with your input. Come out of the shadows and join the madness! ch...

Brandon R

I clicked onto this thread from the link in the discussion about the 2000 CSM Cuvee Jean Gautreau. FWIW, Neal Martin recently did a vertical tasting of Sociando-Mallet and rated the 2000 an 85, posted on Vinous. He chalks it up to underripe grapes at harvest, just as Mike Evans alludes to above. Mar...

Brandon R

Ian S wrote: ↑
February 26th, 2019, 5:12 am
Are Mexican wines refermented?

I see what you did there!

Brandon R

The family and I spent a short week down in Cabo San Lucas. On the evening of our arrival, we took our very tired kids to the first restaurant at our resort. It was Italian (hey, don't judge me, we had travel-weary kids and it was late...we figured things out the next morning!). A quick appraisal of...

Brandon R

"....with searing acidity and flavours of lemons, lime, honey, bruised apple and disappointment..." I had a good chuckle at the last word.

Brandon R

Very interesting, thank you for the informative reply...I'll have to give it a try. I'm inclined to try in on a filet first because I find I need more fat for a good sear. I often do really fatty NY strips or ribeyes with very little or no extra fat/oil.

Brandon R

Kevin: seared with mayo? Never heard of that but I'm curious. Why that versus oil or dry? TIA

Brandon R

we create more stress than we need to with wine consumers about having to worry about 'what to pair this wine with' rather than 'let's enjoy this while we enjoy some good food'. I've been somewhat outspoken on this issue in any number of threads on this forum on just this subject. Wine and food pai...

Brandon R

The episode with Charlize Theron is better. Just watched most of it. Wow, is she ever gorgeous or what? I have to say, though, I thought the Ramsey one was more entertaining. Then, Youtube "made" me watch a hilarious video of Conan, Ice Cube, and Kevin Hart taking a Lyft. I had to close my office d...

Brandon R

I love Pride wines (with really only exposure to the Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, and Cab Francs). The 1999 Cab was one of my, "Ah ha" wines. I lugged a bottle of that on my honeymoon in Kona, HI years ago. I can find them retail as well. I bought six of the Reserves from over on CC for a decent pr...

Brandon R

Tom-

I'm hoping the poor showing was due to the seepage and, consequently, premature ageing.

Brandon R

Late to This thread but since it’s “going viral” i thought I’d start reading it a bit. Don't believe this, because it doesn't always work out that way. If you 'only' have a college degree, your income will be as stagnant as a factory worker. Heaven help you if you have even less education. That’s t...

Brandon R

So, so true, Matt. So true.

Brandon R

Well, Eric, that post certainly won't be around for long!

Brandon R

2015 Morgen Long Chardonnay Yamhill Vineyards - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (2/5/2019) I'm still yet to have a disappointing wine from Morgen Long. Bright, light clear pale yellow. This started too cold. As it warmed, flavors and scents of lemon peel, mineral, underripe apricot ...

Brandon R

That was pretty funny. Takeaway: wear gloves after eating crazy hot wings before using the loo.

Brandon R

Good on you, Alan. I love apple pie, but it's not without risk! Check out this thread: https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=147496&p=2420649&hilit=crunchy+apple+pie#p2420649 Many often mistake "undercooking" the pie as the cause of still-crunchy apples. I did at one point, too. B...

Brandon R

Sounds like the perfect bottle for frigid temps. Nice note.

Brandon R

You'll need to add Grassl to your repertoire!

Brandon R

I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Erin Brooks, our reviewer for Oregon, will be taking on more territory in the USA’s Pacific Northwest. From February 1st, Erin will be sharing the reporting of Sonoma County with me, focusing on the Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Zinfandels,...

Brandon R

Uh...$20? The last vintage I bought was the 2013 and it wasn't $20 even then...at least I don't think it was. Mid-$30s maybe. Did they re-price this bottling?

Regardless, that's quite an about-face over a couple of days! Good thing you didn't dump it or cook with it!

Brandon R

Interesting news about Anthony Mueller. I'm curious to see what a Napa Valley-based wine professional will think of Washington wines. New palates into the world of profession wine reviewing can't be a bad thing, I suppose. Update/edit: I googled him, and he would almost surely be a guy who I know I'...

Brandon R

Wow, Bill, that pre-trimmed color is so dark! I've contemplated trying dry-aging. I haven't admit, though, seeing that color might have made me worry a bit! Post-trimming they look great. Not your first time, I take it.

Brandon R

How about some heirloom pork and some scallops. DD948BA0-64F7-48CE-B403-61A52CFE4454.jpeg 216B9AF6-F18F-4DDF-BC86-2DE09239DA7A.jpeg Excellent-looking stuff, Kenny. Is that polenta/grits under those scallops? At first glance, I thought burratta, but I don't think that would be too nice of a combinat...

Brandon R

First-timer here. In...thank you for your generous offer, Merrill. I'm excited to try your wines.

Brandon R

I agree with Anton. Stick with what you got...most likely, you'll be happy. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Brandon R

Tom is a GREAT guy. When he was up in the PacNW, we offlined with him a few times. I think the wines are great. Not AFWE, but not the other end of the spectrum either.

Brandon R

2008 Bunnell Family Cellars Syrah Boushey-McPherson Vineyards - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (1/25/2019) Not decanted. Winebid purchase. This was, once again, jut great. This bottle showed a little more advanced than the last. This is toward the end of the peak drinking window. Z...

Brandon R

2010 Louis Jadot Pommard - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard (1/23/2019) This was a nice wine...I would wager it might have been better had I waited a few more years. Its shortcoming is only in that it was very straight-forward with minimal complexity: pie cherry and garrigue on the nose wi...

Brandon R

I do know that they made specific decisions about which cuts to age. For example, I bought some American Wagyu strips and, when I asked for some that were around 30 days, was told that they did some experiments and the kobe really wasn't as good beyond 20 days, so they didn't even offer it. Doesn't ...

Brandon R

Last year or so, Ridge sent out a holiday offer that was a 3-pack of Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel vintages 2008, 2009, and 2010. I bought one and haven't opened any. I'm encouraged by these replies. I think it would a whole lot of fun to open them at the same time. When to do that? Well...now I'm ...

Brandon R

Nice reco's, Sh@n (not sure if you're going for an "a" or an "o" there...). I'll keep an eye out for Marie Sharps...sounds like my type.

Brandon R

What other bourbons would you liken the style of 1920 to? (never tried Old Forester) 100 proof Rye from OF is inbound, also seeing OFC 1993 25 year old, Double Eagle Special Rare 20 year old and got a peak at the next Parker's Heritage release, collectors will be thrilled! Awesome. More unicorns to...

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