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

It is raining again this morning...I thought we were having a sunny day every day this week. Calistoga in the Valley floor where my vineyard is has more rain than other rain in Napa Valley - crazy.

The most popular package this week is mix and match your own case: purchase 9 bottles and receive 3 bottles free of charge! Offer open until Friday, January 31st - the final day of the "January Thaw." (Traditionally, the last week of January. We are over 60 degrees here the last couple of days! Not ...

For someone who has never tried Ceritas Pinot or Chard, what’s a representative bottling to try? Can I get away with a younger bottle, or should I try to find one with age? Try with age. Get the Peter Martin Ray Chard. Tasting notes liken this to the 2011, which was outstanding. Ceritas is the only...

JM Seleque Solessence 7 Villages. First time around with this. Nice - but cannot describe at the moment. Just opened.

Pretty steady rain overnight, but by 7:30 the sun had come out. Partly cloudy, now, but mostly sunny with a light breeze. Temperature around 60.

Vilmart and Taittinger.

65 degrees and cloudy with occasional drizzle here in Calistoga. So warm without sun.

In preparation for an enjoyable weekend, and to get a check point before "January Thaw" sale, we decided it's time to revisit some good EMH wines. Given the lively discussion here, it was pretty clear which vintage would be pulled for the discussion. Hence, 2012 EMH Cabernet Sauvignon Black Cat (1/...

Not a lot to report other than more crews are out - some still making first cuts and some actually doing the final cuts.

It rains or drizzles almost every day, including a light rain overnight. Going to check in on my vintages in barrel (2018 and 2019) this coming week, which is my norm for January.

"January Thaw" offers are LIVE on www.emhvineyards.com. Offer will be live throughout the week, ending Friday, or until inventory remains.

mattcitrang wrote: ↑
January 23rd, 2020, 8:16 am
Is that Calistoga time or Boston time?

Ha Ha, Matty. Calistoga time - Pacific time.

Prices as low as $75/bottle on some of your favorites. Starts 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 25th!

It is raining steadily and has been all morning here UpValley. I don't keep track of rainfall totals, but here in Calistoga I am betting we have better than average inches so far this season.

Nothing? Interesting . . . If you think Ridge is going to engage here regularly as you do, MY GUESS is that you are mistaken. I've been wrong before.... Merrill, You are correct - but there are so many smaller labels that take part, sell wines that one day, and are never heard from for a year. To m...

larry schaffer wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2020, 8:24 pm
Nothing? Interesting . . .

If you think Ridge is going to engage here regularly as you do, MY GUESS is that you are mistaken. I've been wrong before....

According to The Farmers' Almanac , the last week of January typically brings a temporary rise in temperatures, or a "thaw." EMH is thawing out pricing on some of your favorites the last week of January: January 25th through January 31st. Offer will be found on www.emhvineyards.com starting the 25th...

Cold mornings! And it rains at night very often, although the afternoons are quite pleasant. There are plenty of puddles and standing water in some of the low vineyards. The ground remains very wet (I saw a tractor stuck out in a vineyard in my travels the other day). Plenty of vineyards are accompl...

Art Finkelstein founded Whitehall Lane, but sold it before opening Judd's Hill. Judd's Hill was in full operation when I started to crush there in 2000. I thought it was appropriate to list him as winemaker in the early years. I know I changed over to the "grower/owner" by the 2009 vintage, and I am...

Thanks for the clarification Merrill. Since i have no idea, is that the typical process and level of involvement for a winemaker when they are hired by a Vineyard owner? Assuming it varies but curious what constitutes 'winemaker' for these types of scenarios. Might spark a larger convo but I have n...

Who's the winemaker? I have no experience with EMH but I feel like Merrill has regularly touted being a 1-person operation and doing everything herself. Possible uh-oh coming up. No uh-oh. I will explain very clearly how my operation is run. I own 100% of the vineyard. I own 100% of EMH Vineyards, ...

Opened the 2004 Black Cat for my Birthday dinner tonight, paired with short ribs, mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel's sprouts - absolutely heavenly! I loved this - great Cab fruit, balanced, medium-bodied, completely harmonious. Note forthcoming... So glad the 2004 worked out for you...that pair...

Have you had this Semillon before, Brian?

As a winery, I would not and do not take the risk. As a consumer, the only shipments I take this time of year are from California.

We are having a string of warm days and cool nights. There is still plenty of moisture in the ground from all that rain we had. The cover crops are responding to the pattern of rain and then warm sun. I'll get a photo tomorrow - everything is just bright green. I have not seen any pruning going on -...

I'm going to check my stash to see if I have any of these. My guess is that I do, and this sounds like a good time to open that bottle.

Just got in from my New Year's Eve celebration, was poking around the Board, and realized we needed a new thread for the new year. Happy New Year to all the farmers, and to all the people who read and comment here.

Champagne Sunday! Paul Bara Brut Grand Rose. Delicious...while waiting to watch a bit of football. Very deep rose color and plenty of flavor and texture.

Did I mistakenly enter the Politics forum? The tenor of the "conversation" makes me wonder....

That is magic when you let others learn and understand how great wines can be For sure. It was a magical night. They valued something I value. They are wearing "commitment rings" and he calls me "Momma." I could not be happier. Just curious, are their rings identical or very similar in design? Kore...

YLee wrote: ↑
December 25th, 2019, 12:12 pm
Tae sounds like a korean name

Yes!

My daughter and her young man and I had the 2008 Dom last night. Unfortunately it followed a 2006 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee. The Vilmart completely blew the Dom away. My daughter has some Champagne experience, but Tae had none. Closest to Champagne he has had is a $10-20 bottle of bubbles, which he ha...

My daughter and her young man and I had the 2008 Dom last night. Unfortunately it followed a 2006 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee. The Vilmart completely blew the Dom away. My daughter has some Champagne experience, but Tae had none. Closest to Champagne he has had is a $10-20 bottle of bubbles, which he had...

Champagne Andre Clouet Brut Rose No.3. A gorgeous rose with an equally gorgeous pink label.

Legal Seafoods in Boston. Make sure you order some clam chowdah to start with...they will air it out to you.

Joel Pulver wrote: ↑
December 11th, 2019, 8:08 am
Of the wines in my cellar that are rated .....

2013 EMH Black Cat (CT 88.8)

Expect comment from Merrill on this .....

Strange - when I pull down the vintage menu on CT and hit my 2013, I get an average of 91 points. This is inspite of Salil's lovely 65 point review

.

Joel Pulver wrote: ↑
December 11th, 2019, 8:08 am
Of the wines in my cellar that are rated .....

2013 EMH Black Cat (CT 88.8)

Expect comment from Merrill on this .....

Joel - are you asking me to comment (expecting) or guessing I will say something voluntarily....

Thanks, Alex.

I insist that all berserker owners/management owe me, or rather my bank account, an apology. I joined this site late this year (though I managed to pick up some Sandler-thanks Ed!) but this is my list from this thread alone. If anyone sees any glaring ommisions, please advise. Black Cat, Ridge, San...

I insist that all berserker owners/management owe me, or rather my bank account, an apology. I joined this site late this year (though I managed to pick up some Sandler-thanks Ed!) but this is my list from this thread alone. If anyone sees any glaring ommisions, please advise. Black Cat, Ridge, San...

Champagne Sunday delivered two beauties: Billecart Salmon 2006 Cuvee Louis and Cuvee William Deutz Brut 1999.

I won't be pruning until February or March. When your vineyard is so small that a couple of men can do it in a day or two, there is really no rush. Larger growers need to get the pruning folks out there and moving onto their other sites - can't all be done at once. The native grasses in my yard spac...

Alex N wrote: ↑
December 6th, 2019, 11:27 am
I think Drinkward Pechon falls a bit in between. Definitely not a fruit or oak bomb and I'd put it arguably in the top 5 list of my personal favorite cabs under $100.

I had the 2014 last night at an industry event, and it was delicious. Straightforward, integrated, beautiful wine.

The sun is out! The sun is out! Had nearly forgotten what it looked and felt like.

It is still raw and rainy. I mean big rain, lasting all day and all night. The forecast is for rain every day until perhaps only a 50% chance on Saturday. That's a week away! This ought to give the cover crop a big kick to get going, but we will need the sun for that.

The holiday created 2 "Champagne Sundays" this week. Lady Sapphire and I are lazy this morning: she is sleeping beside me as I sip a Delamotte. This is a basic Champagne, but it never disappoints.

William Segui wrote: ↑
November 30th, 2019, 6:38 pm
Power out here for the third time in two months. This is getting incredibly tiresome

Hope you have a fireplace or two! It's 43 degrees here and raining steadily all day. But I do have power.

Thanks, Andy. This morning around 7:00. We had plenty of rain the other day, and the sub-30 temps this morning made a great slip-and-slide! This is my yard with the Adirondack chairs frosted over, a giant tomato plant to the right that has had hundreds of edible cherry tomatoes, at least until this ...

It's Champagne Sunday, right? Oh no, just a holiday. Anyway, a lovely Dhondt-Grellet Extra Brut "Dans un Premier Temps." Champagne in the morning is the best, before your palate meets all those other flavors. I like this one a lot. Not in the elite class, but a high end daily drinker. Lovely. Some t...

Say Merrill, after my 1st grandson was born in 2014, I bought 3 - 2014 Black Cats. Now that my 2nd grandson was born, I expect to do the same with your 2019. [whistle.gif] Ha! Congratulations to you all. 2018 and 2019 are sleeping restfully in their barrels, but I'll take your money anytime as futu...

Cold here, with no rain. But more is forecast for the weekend - bring it on! Supposed to go down to the 20s tonight, so will do my annual irrigation valve shutoff and drain the irrigation system and pipes in hopes of avoiding a break. It is tied into my yard irrigation, so it has remained on quite l...

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