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Although we have quite a few selections in various categories, the fav is probably NV Billecart-Salmon Rose although the 2012 Louis Roederer Brut and Brut Rose are getting a lot of love these days.

This comes from friend, Rusty Gaffney, who has been a longtime fan of WS and personal friend to Burt and Ed:

http://www.princeofpinot.com/article/2173/

I fell in love with the Billecart-Salmon Francois with the 1999 vintage. Fortunately it was available back then for sub-$70/bottle. Unfortunately, that was the last vintage available for anything like that price (now double that when released). Oh well, stocked up pretty well with the 99, which I w...

alan weinberg wrote: ↑
April 13th, 2019, 8:28 am
B-S brut rosé w 5 years of age is always a treat.

My thought as well Alan. The fresh and mild red fruit notes develop a bit more flavor with some time.

Hal Blumberg wrote: ↑
April 13th, 2019, 8:24 am
Hi Blake,

Great notes! The Prevost was a 2014. The number after the LC on the label is the vintage.

Cheers,

Hal

Thanks Hal. I appreciate the oversight call.

Our dinner group revisited a newly opened restaurant/ wine bar on consecutive bi-weekly occasions, a first ever in its 20+ years of existence. A friend of the group heads up Uncorked Wine Tasting & Kitchen and has done a fantastic job of putting together a quality wine experience with a creative and...

2011 is one of my favorite vintages post 2010, however, RRV has to be my least favorite appellation bottling. I drink those up first. Interesting. I liked the 12` much better especially in Sonoma County and Anderson Valley. Going in to this quite incidental comparison, I expected the 12` to be defi...

D@vid Bu3ker wrote: ↑
April 6th, 2019, 11:17 am
Chartogne-Taillet, Mousse Fils

My splurges are Bollinger, Krug and of course Vilmart.

Bollie is also one I could have included in my house rose list. Krug only on special occasions and only a few times a year. Need to try the first 2- thanks.

The advanced aging on this would certainly concern me as well, especially with wines that are known to age well. Yep, 2011 was certainly a 'challenging' year, but I wonder about a couple of things that could have caused accelerated aging: 1) Higher Dissolved Oxygen Levels in the 2011? This would ac...

D@vid Bu3ker wrote: ↑
April 6th, 2019, 7:46 am
It’s funny that none of the “other rosés” mentioned by Jay or Blake are ever on my buy list anymore. Just not a fan.

So, what would you add David?

Sounds about right, with 2012 being a very ripe vintage and 2011 being a historically cool vintage. From your note, it sounds like the 2011 has too much oak to be in balance with the lean, cool vintage fruit? Yes, I'm thinking too much oak for sure Chris. I believe both were made by Bob Cabral who ...

Our blind tasting group met recently to blind taste 16 Pinot Noir from California. My selection was the 2011 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. A few days later, the Pinot Noir gene kicked in again and I chose the 2012 version to compare vintages, locale and source. Both were decanted ...

Though for my palate there is a huge jump in quality from the NV to the vintage Rubis. Not to mention a HUGE jump in price. And scarcity. But I'm not a big fan of the NV. I often pick up a slight candied note that I find offputting so it's not on my radar for moderately priced Champagne but I love ...

Kirk.Grant wrote: ↑
April 5th, 2019, 10:20 am
This is just such an awesome Rosé Champagne. We just tasted the vintage Rubis side by side 06 & 09. It really showed how much time sideways these wines deserve.

Interesting. When I posted my notes, I was thinking of how it would be against the vintage roses. Must give some a test.

ky1em!ttskus wrote: ↑
April 5th, 2019, 8:10 am
Nice notes, Blake. I reloaded again after tearing through my first bottles way too quickly.

Sounds familiar

Last October, I had the good fortune to pour champagne as a volunteer for the Skurnik Wines West annual fall Champagne and International Wines Tasting extravaganza in LA. Many of the houses represented came from the Terry Theise portfolio of Champagnes. My good fortune was extended as I was selecte...

This photo shows Toby Rowland-Jones {center} wearing an entire wardrobe given to him by Archie. Toby is a consummate sommelier who assisted Archie in arranging and organizing teams of somms in serving wines over the 3 decades of the Wine Classic:

: Frank Ostini [Hitching Post], Toby and Chef Rick

The 1996 is fantastic and may some day surpass the 95 but imo the 95 is still better, at least as of last year. Agreed and for me as of last month. I will say that the gap has closed between the two, but for me, I'm don't think the '96 will ever surpass the '95. I`m a big +1 with both assessments.

Some photos from dinner guests are coming in after the post, so I`m adding a few plus the first one depicting the difference in the first 2 Chardonnays:

: 07` Kistler left/ 07` Aubert on the right

: My sweetie and Jim

: The MAG

: Isabelle with father Jim, The Ultimately Fine Chef Rick Manson and Bev Aho

Jonathan Favre wrote: ↑
April 3rd, 2019, 12:20 pm
Nice read Blake - thanks for sharing! What a great way in which a wine friend can be celebrated - his presence there through the wines had to have been clearly palpable. CHEERS

I appreciate your comments and respect your wine savviness Jonathan.

Fred C wrote: ↑
April 3rd, 2019, 11:13 am
Shame about the 07 Beze.

The #1 disappointment on a night that was full of wondrous moments.

Wow, Blake. Pretty impressive lineup of wines. Some very familiar faces ther, both at table and on the sideboard. Tom Hey Tom, Yes, you would know many, if not all of the participants in both instances. It was a fun night. On the side, our teams got shelled pretty early on, but we do have Texqs Tec...

Wow, Blake. Pretty impressive lineup of wines. Some very familiar faces ther, both at table and on the sideboard. Tom Hey Tom, Yes, you would know many, if not all of the participants in both instances. It was a fun night. On the side, our teams got shelled pretty early on, but we do have Texqs Tec...

A special dinner was held recently to honor some folks who significantly supported dear friend and now deceased, Archie McLaren, the founder and chairman of the Central Coast Wine Classic which enjoyed a fabulous ride and benefited many charities for 32 years. fullsizeoutput_22f7.jpeg Archie had set...

I opened a 2006 a few days ago and it was excellent. As my wife noted, it walks a nice balance between the lean and the opulent styles. Great acid, energy, mineral, but also some depth and good fruit. This has been a consistent winner and as you experienced Chris, it just keeps on giving immense jo...

Merrill Lindquist wrote: ↑
March 23rd, 2019, 9:46 am
Every time I read the title of this thread, I read "breakfasting with Krug." Nothing better on a Sunday morning! Champagne in bed!

That should be another Churchill quote Merrill.

After posting this, I checked my email and found a daily message that is so appropriate here: "A single glass of champagne imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is stirred; the wits become more nimble. -Winston Churchill" I love Krug. Great post, although Churchi...

After posting this, I checked my email and found a daily message that is so appropriate here:

"A single glass of champagne imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is stirred; the wits become more nimble. -Winston Churchill"

Twice n the last 3 years, I chose to abstain from alcohol/ wine for a brief period of time. The first time, it was for 2 months and most recently for 32 days. Each time, I broke the last with a bottle of Krug. After all, isn’t that the popular choice for all who choose to do a wine fast? To build in...

After having gone a few weeks without any notice of posts on the college basketball thread on Asylum, I checked in only to find many have occurred since last on. How does that happen? Yes, I've selected to be notified. I wonder how many other threads I've missed and what do I need to do to avoid th...

After having gone a few weeks without any notice of posts on the college basketball thread on Asylum, I checked in only to find many have occurred since last on. How does that happen? Yes, I've selected to be notified. I wonder how many other threads I've missed and what do I need to do to avoid thi...

Hands down: Fozen I'm surprised their's has not been mentioned herein [unless I missed it]. Its creamy, rich, as in cherimoya, tropical with kiwi, grapefruit, minerals and did I say, creamy and rich?

Nice notes Tom. My kind of lunch. Looking forward to a 160eme Edition coming up in a dinner later this month which as I recall goes back to 1990.

I do receive emails from Loring, but the prices at the local Total Wine are better, especially with their coupons. That's a really interesting comment. Where are you located and how many Loring SKUs do they have there? One would think that you'd get it cheaper directly from Brian, but perhaps the c...

I'm going to merge this with the other thread so they are in one spot, as Dr. Frankie wants it! Thanks for doing that Todd. I also posted a separate thread on the Friday night dinner which I can't` find now, but assume it should be integrated into this one as well. It was a joy to meet you and be a...

Blake, No worries my friend - and if you know me, I am NOT the most organized person myself! Bummer I didn't get to spend more time with you and your wife - perhaps we can do so closer to home one of these days . . . Cheers! We were just cookie away from more time Larry. Plus, it was a first time f...

Mods, Shouldn't this thread be meshed in with the main one? And great seeing you again, Blake! Cheers After seeing your post just now, I realized there was another thread I didn't see for the TNs to be included, so not only this one, but one I posted for the Friday night dinner should have been pla...

OK, notes from Friday smorgasbord---I did get to a bit more than this, but didn't have notes for everything: 2014 William Fevre Chablis Preuses From a mag, a quick smell and taste showed minerality and salinity and good presence---still unrefined, but getting there. Maybe 4-5 more years? 2010 Ramon...

Frank, I read right through the thread title obviously and posted notes from the Friday night dinner and wines tasted Saturday separately. If it is to be integrated into this thread, I assume that will be done as Larry just posted on the Sat. thread. Sorry for the miss here.

Brian Tuite wrote: ↑
February 25th, 2019, 6:41 pm
Great notes Blake! Was a pleasure to finally meet you.

When I saw you were attending the dinner, I knew I had to seek you out and it was at the next table a few feet away. Happy for the face to a name Brian.

Jorge Henriquez wrote: ↑
February 25th, 2019, 6:17 pm
Awesome post Blake. Glad to have met you that weekend.

Thanks. Likewise Jorge.

Sad, but new and good things ahead for a great guy:

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2019/02 ... ye-to-qupe

Now I know why you missed Falltacular. I was hoping to re-connect with you there Charlie. Unless I missed something in all of your marvellous posts, you only hit the pooper once on day 1 and based upon the quantity and types of food you consumed, I happy you made it back, albeit with a few extra pou...

I recently attended the 13th year of Falltacular, a worthy charity event benefitting Laura`s House in Orange County. It included a Friday night dinner at an Italian restaurant in Dana Point and an all afternoon wine tasting, silent action including day long pot luck food offerings brought by the att...

David Glasser wrote: ↑
February 23rd, 2019, 5:42 pm
Blake, your note on the Fox Creek had me laughing. Sounds like the record breaking heat in Barossa in 2001 plus the house style added up to quite a heavyweight wine, never mind the bottle.

Best of all David, I avoided injuring myself.

Blake, our good friend and Dr Jill partner, Paul won the '92 WS Pinot and Zin you donated. I went over to bid on it and saw he REALLY wanted it. LOL Great donation and rest assured those bottles are in the hands of a WS lover. Brig, I` delighted to know of the results of the auction on the wines. I...

Seconded, Blake. We didn't end up at Bouchon, preferring to stay at Jim and Perry's and do dinner there so we could relax and open as many wines as we pleased, but the menu looks amazing. On our dinner, I'll post notes soon. Lovely assortment, and I express surprise that the Latour CC carried the d...

Blake, you've become someone who I appreciate and value for your committed effort to taste, post and make the time to come down for events. Driving from Santa Barbara to the OC, well, it's a painful drive and on some days could take 4 hours. You made it a weekend, came down, did the Friday dinner, ...

We recently attended the Falltacular charity/ wine event in Orange County which featured a Friday night dinner and an afternoon Saturday tasting and silent auction extending into a food, wine and beer evening. The Friday night dinner was held at a classy Italian restaurant, Luciana’s Ristorante, loc...

Another pic of the litter:

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