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

It was assigned seating, and I was fortunate to be seated next to the US representative of Bollinger. She was lovely, articulate, and knew just how much to say about each wine so that the social aspect of the dinner was not interrupted. Merrill, sounds like a fun dinner. I've never had the VVF, but...

K John Joseph wrote: ↑
October 22nd, 2019, 7:36 am
I have struggled with recent vintages of GA showing very oxidative notes on release. Sounds like the VVF was there, but the 2008 GA was not. Did you notice a heavier, oxidative profile on any of the wines other than the VVF?

No, not at all.

I was fortunate to be invited to an exquisite event at Le Papillon Restaurant in San Jose. There were about 24 invitees, and as far as I could tell, I was the only one jotting notes! It was assigned seating, and I was fortunate to be seated next to the US representative of Bollinger. She was lovely,...

Good timing, Piper. These cool days and cold nights would not do much for the ripening process, and the 90s that are forecast soon I think might just raisin the fruit that is still hanging. Look around the valley - the vines do not want to continue to support the fruit hanging out there.

It is a cool, misty morning here in Calistoga. I was in St. Helena earlier and it appeared more sunny. Calistoga can be funny that way. A little pocket in Napa Valley that can vary from the rest of the Valley, both culturally

and in its weather. It's a different kind of place.

Sounds serendipitous, Fred. Thanks for touting a 2017 Napa Cabernet - so many are afraid, and to my experience, they should fear not! "Full of flavor with depth and richness" sounds about right.

Nate Simon wrote: ↑
October 18th, 2019, 5:32 pm
Berserkers: “I hate styro! I wish wineries would use something else! I would happily pay more for one-day shipping!”

Also Berserkers: “I’m deeply concerned about temperature fluctuations during shipping! Wineries charge too much for shipping! Why can’t it be free?”

yes, yes, and yes.

Just about every day is champagne day in our house and since my wife is from the Netherlands, it gets internationally acclaimed as well. We did establish champagne Friday many years ago, so it is fitting this year to add another reason to pop some good bubbly. Tomorrow, Friday October 18, it'll be ...

Just about every day is champagne day in our house and since my wife is from the Netherlands, it gets internationally acclaimed as well. We did establish champagne Friday many years ago, so it is fitting this year to add another reason to pop some good bubbly. Tomorrow, Friday October 18, it'll be ...

I'd pay for the insurance and accept any heat damage risk, but I've never once been given the option. And +1 Bedrock shippers seem to be extra fragile. And also total bullshit to use styro. C'mon Morgan, enough. Accepting responsibility for damage and heat damage denies you and the winery one thing...

Just pick 'em.

I voted in the winemaker spot. If there were 2 options, I would definitely have included the consumer option, and I do not speculate, flip, or buy any wine for investment. I just drink the stuff, like most others here.

The local wind machines are blowing out thee again this early morning - the days in a row. Get those babies in, folks!

I woke up to frost protection wind machines somewhere in my area this morning. That's a first for fall rather than spring.

Power was just restored here after 3 days of no water and no electricity.

I don't think fire is imminent. PGE got nailed on the one 2 years ago and are being cautious.

Merrill, does this make sense? No it does not, Victor, not as you would apply it to Napa County's Ag Preserve. He is talking 100 acres; I am talking 40 acres. Right now I have barely enough water for myself, that is until the rains come. So, what should wine-country hotel and restaurant operators d...

I am ready. Have a propane stove, propane grill, wood burning fireplace, hose hooked up to the water holding tank that is fed from the well. I'll be ok. I put my wine in barrel yesterday, so no problem with fruit processing or temp fluctuation during fermentation. My guess is most wineries have been...

It seems odd that you have thousands of acres of AG land and there is a shortage of housing for AG workers and service industry folks. One of the reasons is AG zoning laws limit the number of worker houses and prohibit any other housing. In Santa Barbara County you can have one worker house for eac...

Those of you who don’t live in the area don’t get some of the basic problems. One of the largest is the fact the the last 2 years of major fires in the wine country and surrounding areas have destroyed much of the “affordable” housing, most of which has yet to be replaced. Those yelling “build more...

How does building a three-family home on a small plot damage Nirvana? Enlighten this city ghetto rat. Not enough water, not enough septic space, 3 stories cannot be supported, not to mention the viewshed. This is what "tourists" expect: Nirvana. They rent a room and have expectations of a lifestyle...

I’m unsure why victor’s answer is creating such heated replies. He’s accurate. Zoning laws need to adjust to allow For height and density I don’t think he’s remotely suggesting someone living on a 25/40/160 acre expanse should put up an apartment complex. I think he’s simply stating that densities ...

Building more densely enables that open land to remain for agriculture, rather than new highways and single-family house yards. If denser housing allows us low-paid noodle slingers to live near work, less money is spent on commuting and highways. You just do not get it, Victor, and I am done (in th...

My job does not end (prior to the sales cycle!) until all wine is in barrel (going today) and the vineyard is prepared for winter, which has just been accomplished. Compost spread, and cover crop planted. Some years it starts to rain a lot before we have time to get the tractors through to plant the...

Please quit regurgitating the same ol’ same ol’ generic pablum that you usually do. Instead, kindly and specifically advise us how an agricultural community that has metamorphosed into a luxury destination can solve issues around housing, infrastructure and transportation without resorting to emine...

Please quit regurgitating the same ol’ same ol’ generic pablum that you usually do. Instead, kindly and specifically advise us how an agricultural community that has metamorphosed into a luxury destination can solve issues around housing, infrastructure and transportation without resorting to emine...

Robert M yers wrote: ↑
October 4th, 2019, 8:50 pm

brodie thomson wrote: ↑
October 4th, 2019, 6:18 pm
Picked some for US$137 from a local retailer having a 20% sale
This is the type of deal I’m holding out for, afraid it may not come my way though at this point.

I grabbed some at $160 and will open it at home with a nice meal - will not add restaurant costs to it!

Hure Freres Champagne Rose. Crisp, direct, without any sweetish notes that sometimes come with rose. Nice, and also affordable.

Picked Moulds today. Glad to be underway. 3-tons. Fruit was in great shape. I notice a very slight herbaceous streak in everything coming through the winery. Might add a slight Bordeaux note to Cabs this year. Also, I've not seen a single lot of Cab anywhere yet that has reached 27 brix. That is un...

Nice, Karen. I never tire of seeing the fruit, either on the vine or just picked.

I am going to barrel on Sunday!

I am generally a fan, but we opened a bottle of the 07 the other night, and an overwhelming skunky smell met my nose. It sort of blew off, but I have to say we finished the bottle out of duty rather than enjoyment.

Don't know that label of Arcadian - had not heard of the vineyard. Doesn't sound like Joe's classic Arcadian.

I am coming off in 5-6 days in Moulds. The next 10 days are 69-79F. Simply won’t gain any ripeness in this period so why wait? We will be 42-44F at night starting Sunday so that will shut the vines down. I am 25.5-26.5 and 4.5-5 TA, 3.65-3.75. The canopy won’t last 10 days so off I come next week. ...

Merrill, With all due respect, the man's in Florida. Why would or should it be California style? I go to my farmer's market in Maine every Saturday morning, no salsa verde, no avocado, not even any oranges! But Dragonfly Cove Farm's goat chorizo is incredible, even though it's more Portugal than Ca...

Thanks - check CT - someone just opened a very nice 2003 Black Cat.

I have been looking at glucose/fructose numbers, now, for a number of years. My must officially measured 24.7B, while the glu/fru measured 280.5. ETS Labs defines glu/fru as the 2 main sugars present in juice that can be fermented by yeast. I have never seen such a wide difference in my wine as this...

They called off the alert for tonight, and PGE has said no one is getting turned off today, the 23rd.

I picked up a bottle of the 2004 EMH Black Cat on WineBid yesterday ($50 before premium). Was surprised that it went that low, with no other bids. I'm really excited to try EMH after reading so much about it here on WB! I hope it's a sound bottle... The 2004, when properly stored, should be awesome...

Does anyone know when their tasting room will be up and running? Sadly the answer here is no. We hit some delays late last year that were then compounded by the winter storms pushing the completion date back a few months. We were all hopeful that we were going to make the 8/1 date that was original...

The building appears to be totally under construction. Can't imagine a tasting room at the new location.

Now we are about to get a heat spike. What does the year look like to our producers? My fruit is in. It was an easy growing season. I brought mine in after the rain and when the vines had time to dry out. With a canopy like mine, the rain never truly hits the fruit, unless it is windy. No rain in t...

Roy Piper wrote: ↑
September 21st, 2019, 6:13 pm
I hear Tues/Wed might not only hit 100-103F but might have very low humidity and.... drumroll... high winds. Does anyone have any update on this rumor?

I see 100 degrees Tues and Wed, then Thurs-Sun 60s and 70s, with increasing chances of rain from Thurs through Sunday from 20% to 60%.

"Champagne Sunday" is a tradition at my place on Sunday mornings. Maybe I need to start to include Saturday mornings? What is a "camp breakfast?" Cook bunch of bacon. Set it aside. Then cook Maple sausage chopped up. Push it to the side and cook hash browns in grease. Mix hash browns and sausage th...

Craig G wrote: ↑
September 21st, 2019, 1:51 pm

David Glasser wrote: ↑
September 21st, 2019, 10:51 am
Did she like it when she tasted it at the winery with the pool boy?
Edited for clarity.

First good laugh of the day! Alfert thinks she spends all those hours playing tennis !

It is HOT again. In the shade at the house it is 88 degrees at 2:00. The forecast for the rest of the week is hot and hotter.

Just to be clear, it accompanied breakfast? (Now that's berserker!) Knowing Charlie, he prolly had crab cake Benedict sprinkled with caviar, to pair with that Champagne! And was in his speedo and Gucci high-tops. Lounging in the Corbusier Chaise, attended by butlers. Accompanied by his beautiful an...

"Champagne Sunday" is a tradition at my place on Sunday mornings. Maybe I need to start to include Saturday mornings? What is a "camp breakfast?"

New California vintages exist to amortize real estate loans. Drinkability is a byproduct, if any. Producing a new California vintage is someone's job...their employment. Most people use the pay from their work to pay their mortgage, buy food, care for the family, etc. Wine producing is no different...

So I did go ahead and pick this morning - probably the first Cabernet in Napa Valley, but I see plenty of bins stacked down at Kenefick in anticipation of a pick (I think Nickel and Nickel). Cluster weights are moderately heavy, berries on the small side, flavors fantastic. It came in at 25.1, so it...

Yes, it looks like a heavy crop again this year. Typically, at least for my place, the heavy loads are in alternate years. Last year was my biggest...let's see what it's going to be this year.

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