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Our lunch group held it`s annual December Bordeaux themed lunch at our usual venue, The Santa Barbara Club. This used to be the consummate annual lunch when the initial Friday lunch group was established in the late 1980s by Doug Margerum at his highly acclaimed restaurant, the Wine Cask. This is st...

During my latest trip to this amazing city, on a friend's advice I went to the Breda restaurant for lunch. You must go there on your next trip. Just great cooking and pretty nice wine list. Wonderful. Alain I've stopped in and checked out vegetarian options which are limited, but doable. Their wine...

Blake, it sounds like a great event. Your bottle of the '77 was definitely flawed. I did a horizontal tasting of 1977 ports last year and the Dow is still youthful and showing really well. As Mike asked, it would be good to know what the decant time was on those ports before the spigot thing was pu...

Just remembered our group also has another fav with lightweight Masseto likeness, its the Petrolo Galatrona which we call "baby Masseto". Just saying. I've got a young one of these from JJBuckley right now and am wondering how long to hold it before opening. what would you suggest? They show well i...

Nothing high end eh?

With 5 Krug and 4 Cristal on the table, I`d be happy to linger a bit before moving on.

Shame on the 83` Margaux which I have adored and enjoyed much more than the heralded 82` consistently. A friend just stated the 82` is coming around now.

great notes blake! My only "beef" is in calling redigaffi as "massetto jr" :). Personally I enjoy the hell out of it when I have it and I don't find it to be as slathered in oak the way the milkshake massetto can sometimes be [cheers.gif] Great note on the Lilbert as well. One of my favorite produc...

A 'humble" 1980 Dow is what Roy chose to pour me when I visited him many years ago. Changed my whole perspective on port. I think I have a bottle of the 2003, so your note is much appreciated Blake. Useful too to see the 94 still needs sleep. Decant time(s) for the ports? A bientot, Mike Mike, I`ll...

Unfortunately, the '77 Dow's is notoriously corky. A real shame as intact ones are stellar. Love the '94s. A truly special vintage with a plush mouthfeel. If a wine has to be corked, this one had to be the best case scenario in that the decent taste profile had none of it which made it so much easi...

Love it, Blake! You do not mess around. I have long felt Dow's was underrated among ports -- itself an underrated category. About a year ago I shared a mag of the 77 Dow's with a group of old friends, and we couldn't have asked for anything more. Wave upon wave of spicy fruit crashing down on the p...

I attended a recent celebration of the 25th anniversary of an extra special occasion called Port on the Porch put on by the one who initiated it. It`s basically good Vintage Port and cigars with some appropriate appetisers and good friends. On this night we had 8 and our passionate host set it up fo...

More Sin than Zin in my cellar, but I do have a gem in this one: 1992 WILLIAMS SELYEM RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY ZINFANDEL- 15.6% abv; once Burt Williams was informed he would only receive 2 more years of fruit from the Leno Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard, he took the vineyard reference off the label a...

More Sin than Zin in my cellar, but I do have a gem in this one: 1992 WILLIAMS SELYEM RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY ZINFANDEL- 15.6% abv; once Burt Williams was informed he would only receive 2 more years of fruit from the Leno Martinelli Jackass Hill Vineyard, he took the vineyard reference off the label an...

great notes blake! My only "beef" is in calling redigaffi as "massetto jr" :). Personally I enjoy the hell out of it when I have it and I don't find it to be as slathered in oak the way the milkshake massetto can sometimes be [cheers.gif] Great note on the Lilbert as well. One of my favorite produc...

BTW and as point of interest, my notes reflect some Brett found in the 97` Solaia. One of our members, a winemaker, stated that Brett is not perceptively expressed until the temperature reaches 62 degrees, a new piece of info to me. My part per million olfactory perception seems super sensitve to it...

BTW, Andrew, that is one helluva story. And the funny part, you of all 150 people I believe live the closest to the Laura's House corporate office. What is it, a 2 min drive? [rofl.gif] Yup, about 4-5 minutes, or about 1.5 miles. With four roundabouts and a stoplight, it's about 50/50 you can reach...

Great notes as always Blake! It was a wonderful night! 1959 Antonio Ferrari Solaria Jonica, Puglia : dark and spicy with an Old World charm, kind of like a Sicilian grandmother; a real treat And back at you Henry for the clearly descriptive notes that say it in so many fewer words than I do and wit...

Joshua Kates wrote: ↑
November 30th, 2018, 4:26 pm
I have the '04 of Tua Rita bordeaux blend, the Giustu di Notra. It has also never disappointed over the years.

As always, thanks for the fun and informative notes!

Appreciate the comments Joshua. Enjoy the GdN.

Our dinner group enjoyed another fabulous evening at one of our favourite restaurants, Ca Dario Ristoranti Italiano, which is a somewhat new location for them in Goleta. The owner/ chef, Dario Furlati, is regularly on the premises to get this one established and it`s obvious it has taken off and per...

Blake, that's pic alone is making me want to take a vacation. I have had the 2006 twice now and both times awkward, closed, and basically a face-palm on the waste of potential. In the context of a trip with some abuse along the way, I get how this could come out showing pretty well. I had a recent ...

Hooray for the sell out and benefit to Laura`s House. Nice touch Frank with the Chaka Khan tune. Looking forward to it and meeting so many fine folks at the Friday dinner and Saturday event.

Not knowing the starting dates, I kind of jumped the gun and sent my check in 11/16, but nonetheless, I`m excited to be doing this for the first time and looking forward to seeing some dear friends and putting some faces and names together all the while for a more worthy cause. Might even drink a go...

. Blake, you will alone with these notes force me to work another year past my planned retirement. [truce.gif] [thankyou.gif] I`m happy to oblige Frank. Its a real treat to force myself to open up a Pinot every night. Champagne must be next. I think I have generally had week three and since I am rai...

Frank Murray III wrote: ↑
November 24th, 2018, 8:45 am
Blake, you will alone with these notes force me to work another year past my planned retirement.

I`m happy to oblige Frank. Its a real treat to force myself to open up a Pinot every night. Champagne must be next.

2008 Domaine Patrick Hudelot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges- ruby red color; lavendar, smoke and cedar in the nose, wild cherry, blueberry and strawberry on the palate; it took a while for this to come together, but when it did, it pleased immensely; decanted an hour prior to serving in...

Mel Knox wrote: ↑
August 3rd, 2018, 10:36 pm
Two years ago Burt W and Raj P arranged a tasting of WS wines going back to 1985. The tasting was held at Becky and Russell's home in Burgundy...everyone was very impressed.

I just got a photo from that event from Burt:

All Magnums

Another one for the cause: 1997 Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir- this was absolutely fabulous in every way; it had an almost to the cork ullage, seemingly the original dark red burgundy color and fresh and ripe red, blue and black fruit in spades; on the nose came ripe bluebe...

2006 Whitcraft Winery Morning Dew Ranch Vineyard “ Morningwood” Anderson Valley Pinot Noir- 14.9% abv; unfiltered, unfined; decanted an hour prior to pouring into Riedel Vinum Burgundy stems; it had an unadulterated red burgundy color; aromas of wild cranberry and cardamon followed by first tart and...

Twist my arm again and again Frank: 2000 Brogan Cellars Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir- 13.9% abv; this was absolutely stellar hitting all of the right spots from the nose through the tail; it had a still youthful red burgundy color; the aromatics were redolent of cinnamon and spice mindful...

Looking good Viet.

It would behoove us, but as classy an act as he is, any recognition like this makes him very, very uncomfortable, I think. Here's what to do, Neal---get yer tushie on a flight in mid-February and come out and join us for FallTacular and thank him in person. *that* will mean the world. Mike +1 or ho...

OK Frank. I'm back in the country and willing to help out. Here's the first of a few choice Pinots over the next few days: 2016 Gypsy Dancer Estates Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- made from a single clone, Wadenswil, and fermented with 100% whole cluster, this single vineyard w...

Dined at Restaurant Gebr. Hartering last night to complete the triad of fine dining choices on this 3+ week visit. Cafe de Kelpel and Cafe Daalder were the other 2. All are upscale, offer quality cuisine and are wine centric. Here's my review: First about the name. Gebr. is an abbreviation for gebro...

Love the posts and man, do I miss Amsterdam. To think I got grief for not going there enough... Hey Andrew. I’m at Gebr Hartering as I read this. We’re having leftovers tonight. If there was a “go to hell” emoji, I’d use it right now :) Enjoy!!! I’m howling fight now and everyone is looking over. H...

Andrew Kotowski wrote: ↑
November 11th, 2018, 9:30 am
Love the posts and man, do I miss Amsterdam. To think I got grief for not going there enough...

Hey Andrew. I’m at Gebr Hartering as I read this.

Blake, thanks for all your input, it is always interesting. As I have mentioned here several times, Amsterdam is our favorite city in Europe and we try to get there every time we go to Europe. As it appears that you like some different and maybe "eccentric" sites to visit, have you ever been to The...

Fascinating read, Blake. Thank you. I've been to Amsterdam only once, in 1977, and have been promising myself that I'd go back since. You refer to "our apartment"; is this a AirBnB type rental or do you own a place? Neal, we have friends who have the apartment and allow us to stay pretty much whene...

Christmas in The Netherlands: "For most children in The Netherlands, the most important day during December is 5th December, when Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) brings them their presents! St. Nicholas' Day is on the 6th December, but in The Netherlands, the major celebrations are held on the 5th Decemb...

I keep thinking I've done enough here, but each day I discover some new treasures and I just have to share this one. It is a 2 building "houseboat" with amazing and creatively done nature floats that are attached to the main float source which is located on the Nieuwe Vaart canal. This person has pl...

Having attended a special tasting earlier this year featuring 8 Ports from 1945 and 4 from 1935 plus 2 from the 1880s, I can say that one can hold onto and enjoy any of these for as long as you desire. A 77` Taylor compared to a 45` Taylor is not even close. Yes, the 77` can be drunk now with pleasu...

Todd, I support you in not only being worthy, but being able to afford Burgundy. There is a lot more luck to be found.

Mich@el Ch@ng wrote: ↑
November 9th, 2018, 7:58 am
Have you tried the regular bdb?

I do not believe so. I`m looking to see what I have on CT. Back in a moment.

Yep. Got 2 of these: NV R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs. Will open 1 when I return from Amsterdam next week. Thanks for the push.

I`m a fan of this house as well. Have had 3 bottles of the 08` St. Vincent BdB, 2 of the 02` Presendence VV BdB and 2 of the NV Cuvee Hommage Bdb. TNs were posted on some of these. I've mentioned in some of those posts that I discovered this house when dining at La Tour d`Argent in Paris. I've had q...

FROM LA TRANSMISSION TO LES FA’BULLEUSES: FEMMES DE VIN ADVANCING CHAMPAGNE "This year's harvest in France's famous Champagne region promises to be exceptional. Also exceptional may be women's increased presence in this important wine region, and the femmes de vin who are advancing Champagne. Prompt...

The day I got here, the trees were still green with little evidence of change= fullsizeoutput_1fef.jpeg fullsizeoutput_1ff0.jpeg Yesterday, this is where the change has reached in little over 2 weeks with leaves falling everywhere and uprooted bricks hiding and waiting for the next trip= fullsizeout...

As I explore Amsterdam daily, I come across some interesting sights and scenes. Here's a few: * This tent is located smack in the middle of a large cement area that fronts an office building with numerous bikers and pedestrians passing by. fullsizeoutput_2078.jpeg * Men are fortunate to have immedia...

and art can be found anywhere:

In the one picture is worth a thousand words category:

Jim Stewart wrote: ↑
November 5th, 2018, 4:37 am
It would be neglectful to not give props to Dutch beer too . . . surprisingly very good. Instead of afternoon tea, we did an afternoon Dutch beer tasting. Cheers.
dutch beer.jpg

Agreed. My afternoon tea of choice is what you did.

* I love windmills.

This is one of the last remaining windmills in Amsterdam, located in the east part and is housed by a popular local micro brewery, Brouwerij 't IJ.

: De Gooyer windmill

Dined at Cafe de Klepel and had another stellar experience. Was solo and and sat at the counter. Coordinated the reservation to match when my friend, Job {pronounced Yob in Dutch}, is working. He's as into the world of wine as any of us and informed in areas I'm less experienced and/or exposed. I al...

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