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Brian Gilp

I haven't had the 2014 vintage but prior vintages of the Trump weren't even the best sparkler out of Charlottsville. Granted its not the worst either. But that's the problem with these wine competitions. They can only judge based on who enters and there is little upside for really good wineries to e...

Brian Gilp

I have a Hamilton-Beach in the office that was probably the cheapest I coudl find at Target 5+ years ago. It heats water and that is about all I can say about it. The French Press that I make in the office is inferior to what I make at home using the stove top kettle solely because the water temp. I...

Brian Gilp

I think it's important to discuss here what a 'flaw' is in a wine? I know that sounds simple to explain, but is it? We all have different thresholds for picking up most things, including TCA, brett, VA, and a few other 'questionable' things. TCA is relatively straightforward, and a restaurant shoul...

Brian Gilp

Are you extremely sensitive to TCA? I am admitted relatively insensitive to TCA but rarely have a single bottle that’s corked at a restaurant much less 3 of the same wine. Like Steve noted, if I’m not sure I ask to let it sit a few minutes to get a better idea as to if it’s flawed or not. How that ...

Brian Gilp

Like Steve noted, if I’m not sure I ask to let it sit a few minutes to get a better idea as to if it’s flawed or not. How that works seems to depend on if there is a Somm or not. In places with a Somm, if they didn’t serve the wine, the request for time usually results in a very quick visit from the...

Brian Gilp

My introduction was via my girlfriend’s parents when I was about 18. My parents didn’t drink so wine wasnt something I had any experience with, just cheap beer. My girlfriend’s parents took us out to dinner a few times and always ordered a bottle of wine and I was smitten. It was all I could do to n...

Brian Gilp

I find it hard to make sweeping statements about price and quality. Quality is often as much about individual preferences as it is anything else, assuming sound farming and winemaking. So what I feel is quality you may not. I have found that if I taste through all of the wines that a winery produces...

Brian Gilp

Moderately priced at $150? What? :D In my books anything with a three-figure price is expensive (apart from some styles, most wines above $75 are already quite expensive) and above $250 are premium wines. When you get basically 99% of the world's wines at less than $75 per bottle, I think calling $...

Brian Gilp

At lower price points there is a connection between cost and price. What point this is will depend on a number of factors so the range is somewhat broad and the cost for a primitive from puglia or a Malbec from Chile is going to be lower cost to produce than a Cabernet from Oakville. But it’s a safe...

Brian Gilp

Quality is relative and based on individuals own experience. If all one has tasted is Andre then Korbel probably tastes great.

Brian Gilp

I’ve like Tour st. Bonnet in 2005 and 2010 but haven’t had any more recent vintages.

Brian Gilp

I’m still looking. Tired most of the same ones you have and feel the same way.

Brian Gilp

I have come to accept that while my California Cabs (not restricted to Napa alone) preference is "old school", I don't really love Bdx. I have had the occasional bottle that impresses me but more often than not I find myself underwhelmed. Producers mentioned in this thread that I had on mulitple occ...

Brian Gilp

Opened both the 2008 and 2009 Linden Hardscrabble Chardonnay last night and was really impressed. I don’t have much experience with Chardonnay with much age so not sure how these would stack up against other examples of similar age. The wines were more similar than different showing the same flavor ...

Brian Gilp

Wasn’t the last vintage of the VV 2010 or 2011? They have a select Ech now but I don’t think it’s the same as the VV.

Brian Gilp

I haven’t had this wine but have had many others from the vintage. If me, I’d decant and serve immediately. It may take a few minutes to come around but I haven’t had any that needed hours and most were fine as PnP. I don’t know how much sediment to expect from this wine so stand up prior if possibl...

Brian Gilp

I’m assuming bottle variation but the 1996 PC that I had within the last few months wasn’t as good as the prior bottles and was unfortunately my last.

Brian Gilp

Gary, Yes that’s a little uneven but in my experience lighter roasts on Ethiopian beans are going to be uneven. Dry processed seem to be more uneven that wet processed. But if you want to keep city roast you are going to have to accept a little unevenness. That’s said, I find most other beans to be ...

Brian Gilp

Ethopia Agaro Quota Co Op = preheat to 290F Similar to last roast, but at 5:00= 300F, at 6:00 = 320F, switched to P3, but at 7:15 just as First Crack was Starting, ERR2. it seemed to go thru most of 1C, but probably a Throwaway batch. Roast looks uneven, some medium, some light.. I don't understand...

Brian Gilp

Having grown grapes in my own small vineyard for over a decade, I can say that I am truly amazed at how much difference a few feet can make wrt how a vine grows. I have vines spaced 3' x 3' and there are times when one vine can be showing signficant water stress and the one next to it isn't showing ...

Brian Gilp

Mark Y wrote: ↑
December 19th, 2018, 2:52 pm

larry schaffer wrote: ↑
December 19th, 2018, 1:41 pm
Two words, my friend - screw caps
Can you use screw caps for Champagne? that'd be interesting to see.

In Larry's case, i'd say it's 100% retailer's issue..

Crown caps work

Brian Gilp

I think there is a legal definition and then a common usage. I think the legal definition just indicates that it is a wine of between 11% and 14% alcohol. The common usage implies a wine to be consumed with food. This often implies a simple wine that won't ever be considered great. I also assume tha...

Brian Gilp

What decline in the equity markets? Other than relatively modest corrections, the S&P 500 has risen pretty steadily since early 2009. Outside the US, 2011 was a fairly bad year with roughly 20% drops in many major indicies including the DAX, CAC, Kospi, Nikkei, Hang Seng, and Shanghai composite. Mo...

Brian Gilp

I've been a big fan of the 1999 vintage and felt it was more of a restrainted vintage. For my tastes I put the vintage just behind 1991 and 1994 and way ahead of 1997. Maybe its a function of the wines I like more than the vintage itself. Favorites of mine from 1999 have been Togni, Dutch Henry, and...

Brian Gilp

I used to commute between Columbus and Chicago through Indy and always stopped there (and Goose the Market for lunch). About two years ago I found an old cream-color label grand cuvée from the 80s. They charged me $150. Amazing wine Sounds familiar. Not sure if they are at the same location now or ...

Brian Gilp

Would B-21 be a better option? They have on-line inventory and had free delivery to Orlando when I used them in the past. Not sure about their champagne selection so maybe not their strength.

Brian Gilp

25 years ago it was a great store. There was a period of time when the store got some bad press for wines listed as available on-line which weren’t. Glad to hear that things may be fixed.

Brian Gilp

I haven't had a 2013 since a trip to Napa & Sonoma in the fall of 2011 but based on that and some earlier samples, I am planning to wait a long time for the better 2013s to hit their peak. I would expect 2014 to drink better before the 2013s. I'm trying to wrap my head around that math. Agree that ...

Brian Gilp

Never received free wine but have been given a discount at my LWS if I would buy out the remaining inventory of a given wine.

Brian Gilp

I haven't had a 2013 since a trip to Napa & Sonoma in the fall of 2011 but based on that and some earlier samples, I am planning to wait a long time for the better 2013s to hit their peak. I would expect 2014 to drink better before the 2013s.

Brian Gilp

Thanks much Kyle - Vallana Boca was my first thought for red along wtih Vajra Barbera, Oddero Langhe Nebb, and Giacosa Dolcetto. The Valtellina is too far out of range, as is the Cantalupo. Can only wiggle to the tune of a few bucks. I don't recall the vintage but the Giacosa Dolcetto which I had r...

Brian Gilp

OK, I will disagree, and say that 2012 is the most exciting vintage since 2001. 2015 is excellent, but the balance is not as good as ‘01 or ‘12. David, you’re not alone in thinking this way. My friend Doug also feels this way about 12. For me, the 15s were more immediately approachable and this may...

Brian Gilp

I drink a fair amount of Sandlands and generally prefer a few years of age on them but agree that they generally show well early. I stopped taking notes years ago but this is one cases where I wish I hadn’t as I don’t really know which specific wines benefit most from some extra time in bottle and w...

Brian Gilp

The article makes the point of a sameness in late picked riper wines and I agree with this but I also have experienced a sameness is a number of earlier picked lower alcohol wines as well. Not all of them by any means just like not every 15% wine tastes the same. But when I notice this it comes acr...

Brian Gilp

The article makes the point of a sameness in late picked riper wines and I agree with this but I also have experienced a sameness is a number of earlier picked lower alcohol wines as well. Not all of them by any means just like not every 15% wine tastes the same. But when I notice this it comes acro...

Brian Gilp

While not a great wine, one can do a lot worse than Justin Cab.

Brian Gilp

I was a big Etude fan and it was largely a gateway drug for me to other Napa Cabs at that time. I drank a lot of early 90s Etude but really not much post the 95 vintage and the 01 was the last I had. Regardless of the change I always felt one could call Etude a very “clean” wine. Not a really good w...

Brian Gilp

Five years ago I did a small verical of 91, 94, 95, 97, and 01. I liked the 01 but thought the 91 & 94 were much better, but then I really prefer the more restrained wines and the change between 91, 94, 95 and 97 & 01 was very obvious. Tony Soter had sold Etude by 2001 but I believe he was still mak...

Brian Gilp

Forman inhibits ML in his Chardonnay.

Brian Gilp

I know that at least two wineries in Indiana that have in the past shipped juice and/or must from California and Washington. I not aware of either of them having shipped grapes.

Brian Gilp

A recent molettieri taurasi reserve 2004 wasn’t very pleasing on day one but much improved and enjoyable on day two. Hopefully another 5 years will fix things.

Brian Gilp

Does it matter where the wines are to be sold? Back in the 1990s I worked at a winery in Indiana that contracted with multiple California vineyards for fruit. They would crush/press there and flash freeze the juice/must and tanker it back to be finished in Indy. The bottles sold out of the winery or...

Brian Gilp

The Kelleybronze was good but not worth the extra cost. Most people didn’t prefer it over the Koch which I ended up with due to a mistake at the market. After two experiments now, it’s obvious that my family prefers a deep fried free range turkey and that’s what I will stick with from here on out. B...

Brian Gilp

Mitch, is that the same company that has the Landes Market out in Clayton? I think it is but even the web pages didn’t make it clear. I always hit that market when back but never had their turkey.

Brian Gilp

Thanks. I’ve been thinking about opening one of these soon but will forget about that for a while longer.

Brian Gilp

I get my turkey’s from Mom’s Organic Market, a small chain in the mid-Atlantic. This year getting one Kelleybronze

https://www.kellybronze.co.uk/faqs

And one from Maple Lawn Farm

http://maplelawn.com

Will deep fry the Maple Lawn and Roast the Kelleybronze.

Brian Gilp

I have an earlier version of this in the cellar but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Its getting colder now so maybe I should open it this weekend.

Brian Gilp

I did a quick web search and it seems that the 3qt and 4qt may be the same diameter but that the 4qt has deeper sides. I don't know if this is for all lines or just the two I found. Note that is based on the dimensions as reported on Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. Both were around 10.5 inches in ...

Brian Gilp

All of my bottles are euro bottles without any importer strips on the bottles. Purchased from MacArthur’s so likely a direct import. All have been consistently good.

Brian Gilp

https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1152173 I don’t like Grenache so not sure that I would take my advice but the 2012 Hobo Grenache proved to me that there are some that are worth drinking. I haven’t had the wine in a few years as I am holding my last few to see what age does to it but have no reason to ...

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