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

I was fortunate enought to enjoy a magnum of both the 06 and 07 Black Cat this year. I have a bottle of the 15 Special Selection that I am holding onto for a couple more years, but I definitely need to aquire some more! Wow! I have only once had my own wine from magnum, and that was a 2009 about 5 ...

A handful of very purple berries yielded excellent flavor. Measured 20 Brix even. Surprised to see such deep color emerging in the juice in the collection bag.

Merrill Lindquist wrote: ↑
August 20th, 2019, 1:23 pm
I have that wine in the 1987 vintage. I don't drink Zin. If anyone wants to trade something for it, email me. It came to me from a fantastic cellar, moved there straight from the winery.

Deal completed.

I have that wine in the 1987 vintage. I don't drink Zin. If anyone wants to trade something for it, email me. It came to me from a fantastic cellar, moved there straight from the winery.

Thanks, Bill. You hit a sweet spot - 9 years is typically a nice place for the Black Cats. It won't fall off the edge soon! Good to know as my current stash is 2011 current. Does the same advice go for the 2009 10th Anniversary Special Selection? Or does this wine have it's own set of rules? It dra...

Thanks, Bill. You hit a sweet spot - 9 years is typically a nice place for the Black Cats. It won't fall off the edge soon!

Robert.A.Jr. wrote: ↑
June 21st, 2019, 2:43 pm
The thought of Counselor drinking SQN makes me chuckle.

I wish I could find my email response when he first made the list. It was such an emotional day.

OK, so it is not just I who is laughing at the thought of this. Whew.

Is buying a 3 pack the only way to grab the 2017? Collecting 2017 cabs as that is my anniversary year but only looking at a single or 2 I make all offerings these days with a minimum 3 bottle purchase. Since I have included shipping with the bottle price, shipping 1 or 2 bottles does not make econo...

When I had the 2013 at Merril's I felt the same way. But it took a little longer to completely open up - maybe 6 hours. Delicious Now you are giving up all our secrets...6 hours with me? [wow.gif] Yeah, thanks for noticing. It just seemed like 6 hours. [cheers.gif] We started tasting at about noon ...

Mike Kuller wrote: ↑
August 18th, 2019, 10:27 am
When I had the 2013 at Merril's I felt the same way.

But it took a little longer to completely open up - maybe 6 hours.

Delicious

Now you are giving up all our secrets...6 hours with me?

Thanks everyone. At midnight the prices returned to normal pricing.

Albert R wrote: ↑
August 17th, 2019, 3:18 pm
I got mine but I ordered early and on East Coast time! The Black Cat broke PayPal!

We have a member of the Board here who ordered at 12:15 a.m. Pacific time. He is not in this time zone (and apparently not of this world!).

Thank you! I love your new little one - picture perfect.

No worries Merrill. Can't you just sneak in a steal a couple of bottles for yourself? [whistle.gif] Next one I pull will be a 2013SS, as someone here has a magnum and asked me what I thought of opening it this fall. Then will be a rare 2003, as I heard it was singing. But these days I am more focus...

No spam and nothing from EMH or PayPal. Like Philip says the transaction does show up in my PayPal account. Well, I will get you whatever you need, of course. Sounds like the new page went up just fine, and takes your money (thank you) but the receipts are caught up in the software somewhere. It wi...

Check your spam. I have been suspecting there might be a problem, but it appears to be an intermittent one.

Are you receiving a confirmation from EMH of your purchase?

Thank you. I will tell my remaining Black Cat, Lady Sapphire, that you like her wines.

Dan Hammer wrote: ↑
August 17th, 2019, 9:44 am
The morning e mail should have had a link to the website. Just sayin.

Perhaps I should have made it more obvious. But the email has all the info at the end, below the photos, and if you click on the email address, BINGO! Right to the website.

Philip G wrote: ↑
August 17th, 2019, 8:22 am
Have enjoyed the BD bottle of '13 Black Cat I've opened so ordered a few of the '14 Special Selection to try.

Thank you. That 2014SS will be the first to sell out today, if this morning's trend continues. That and the Lady Sapphire, which is the best looking bottle I have ever produced (3 colors).

Thank you, gentlemen. I just woke up to a slew of orders - a great "good morning."

Ordering with Black Cat Appreciation Day pricing opens at midnight tonight, Friday, the 16th of August. It will run for 24 hours only. Limited quantities - first come, first served. Merrill, is that Pacific Time? Yes, sir. I was just thinking about that. Seems I miss something each time I run a pro...

Ordering with Black Cat Appreciation Day pricing opens at midnight tonight, Friday, the 16th of August. It will run for 24 hours only. Limited quantities - first come, first served.

I've used the Pelican 1440 for years. You can get a foam insert but that only holds 8 bottles. I've taken 12 and even more. Just buy bubble wrap with the big bubbles and wrap each bottle well. I put a piece of styro on the bottom and usually jam a couple pairs of jeans or something in there if the ...

Temperatures were slightly higher today - I saw 106 and 108 briefly.

Oh boy...just opened a Philipponnat Mareuil-sur-Ay 2008. Outstanding! My Champagne partner smiled from cheek to cheek upon his firsts sips. Yep, a winner. Have not had this before.

Hank Victor wrote: ↑
August 15th, 2019, 12:55 pm
jacquesson 741

I had this I think it was over the past weekend. I really enjoyed it, and particularly for the price. What did you think of it?

We were at 100 degrees plus this afternoon - with a miserable high of 104. That is when the electricity went out for around 3 hours. Staying inside and cool was the primary motivation. Water conservation was also in the mix, as the booster pump only takes water to the house when the electricity is w...

Alfie, I would recommend Switchback Ridge (in Calistoga) and Riverain/Mending Wall (in Oakville)--both are off Silverado Trail. Riverain is owned by Steve Nordhoff, who is frequently a poster on the board here. Steve can get her set up for a tasting, and I would have you reach out to Kelly directly...

We are firmly into a heat wave. 100 degrees in the afternoon, and staying warm into the evenings. Lots of irrigating going on - I always like to do it ahead of the actual heat, so mine was done by Monday.

The color is at perhaps 80-90% at this point.

I was just thinking this morning, as I worked in the vineyard, that Joe had the planting date just a bit off. Most of the vineyard was planted in 1995 on 110R, clone 4. Some where between 1988 and 1995 the small block of St. George was planted (my favorite vines of all my babies). Then some 20 vines...

An early morning survey of the vineyard showed that things are moving ahead nicely. I'd say about 75% color...my job is to continue to edit out the stuff that I do not want in the bottle. The easiest call is the cluster that remains green or mostly green. Gone to the ground. I pulled a few berries a...

Thanks everyone. The 2006 obviously won't be part of National Black Cat Appreciation Day specials, but a limited number of the 2014SS will be. See commerce corner for details.

Nathan Smyth wrote: ↑
August 8th, 2019, 6:20 pm
Have you tried the 2002 recently, to see how those tannins are faring?

No, I only have 2. When I drink one it will be for satisfaction, not n the name of "science."

So you're not looking to imbue the wines with any sort of a persistent midpalate grip which might require several decades to soften? Also, in general, do you feel that the grip comes more from the oak or from the skins? No, I make a wine that people can enjoy, generally, in a year or 2. I made one ...

What's the tannic grip [intended to be] like on a young Black Cat? Meaning what are you trying for in terms of mouthfeel when the wine is bottled & released? And how does the grip lessen over the years? I do not do anything to extract extra tannins nor color. Typically, the wines are approachable i...

In talking to Santa Cruz (MJA) and Capitola (Armida) CA tasting room personnel, a number of locals have joined the wine clubs to get free tastings and they come in regularly for free wine before dinner. MJA has had to limit the free wine for club members to once a week. Despicable misuse of the int...

In talking to Santa Cruz (MJA) and Capitola (Armida) CA tasting room personnel, a number of locals have joined the wine clubs to get free tastings and they come in regularly for free wine before dinner. MJA has had to limit the free wine for club members to once a week. Despicable misuse of the int...

2006 is also my favorite and was when we tasted back in March of 18' Glad I have 2 left. I have not watched any of my wines go over the hill as yet - the first vintage being the 2000 (of which I have exactly one bottle left). All the others cruise graciously into old age, and for my taste, I think ...

Wow, what a great note. I like the EMH house style. It is impossible to get away from the "house style." The vineyard demands it. Some vintages are bigger than others, but it would be difficult to miss the component of EMH fruit. I opened the 2006 for Joe with much forethought. Knowing his older wi...

In many of our fields we do a 'green drop'. When the overall crop is at 50-60% color we seek out clusters that are only 5-10% colored. Those will generally never catch up. The problem is at harvest they will all be colored, but the laggers aren't at the same sugar levels, even though they look like...

We are having warm evenings, cool mornings, and hot afternoons. Pretty much perfect for growing Cab. My own is perhaps at 50% - the point at which you wonder if the greens will ever color up. I was advised several years ago to drop anything that was not keeping up at the 50% veraison mark. I dropped...

You have some of the nicest bottles too Merrill. Thank you! I work hard at it...my favorite that does not have a waxed cap - just comes in 750ml - is the 2015 Lady Sapphire. I am talking bottle design. I tried a bottle recently and we all agreed it was not ready for consumption. This was the single...

I use Etched Images in Napa for my magnums. I have been very happy with them. You have some of the nicest bottles too Merrill. Thank you! I work hard at it...my favorite that does not have a waxed cap - just comes in 750ml - is the 2015 Lady Sapphire. I am talking bottle design. I tried a bottle re...

I use Etched Images in Napa for my magnums. I have been very happy with them.

My goal has been to downsize my EMH library - that will happen when I celebrate National Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17th. The other part of my plan is to builnd up my stash of Champagne - and I am doing a decent job of that. I was late into the game of collecting (or amassing), and am far...

Strong yet always a lady.

Reminder in the updated thread title.

My goal has been to downsize my EMH library - that will happen when I celebrate National Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17th. The other part of my plan is to build up my stash of Champagne - and I am doing a decent job of that. I was late into the game of collecting (or amassing), and am far t...

Check out bassins.com. Ridge shows there every year and I believe wine is available on the website. I definitely will for some current releases. from what I can tell, the benefit of futures is that the futures price of the 2014s was less than 120 (I believe?) and bassins lists it for 199. The 2014 ...

Check out bassins.com. Ridge shows there every year and I believe wine is available on the website.

Search found 6019 matches