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Ramon C

mark rudner wrote: ↑
July 19th, 2019, 7:35 am
neophyte question but how do you fly/get there?

Fly into Bilbao. 40 minute drive to San Sebastian.

Ramon C

While some may prefer the riper style of 2015, 2014 is a perfect archetype for Loire Cab Franc. A most classic vintage. I stocked up deeply among many key producers, similar to what I did in Bordeaux. +1. I've had '14 to '16 of Baudry's Le Grezeaux and Granges and my order of preference is 14 > 16 ...

Ramon C

Take a cab, 15 minutes, to Le Select Bistro. It's a bistro, but have looked at their wine list and it was robust, but prices are stratospheric. I almost always byo with bottles carried with me from US or have local friends who'd indulge me with byo'd wines from their cellar, so don't know the scope ...

Ramon C

I'm a big fan of Cheval Blanc, although I own exactly 1 bottle, but own a bit more of Rougeard's, and am glad to read notes and testimonials here on how Rougeard can stand toe-to-toe with one of the elite producers in Bordeaux.

Ramon C

Disgusting is a hot take. What about it earns your ire? The food. They are very focused around challenging the diner with all sorts of offal you may have never thought to eat before. Didn't seem to be the case when we dined there and tremendously enjoyed our meal. Perhaps a different menu and focus...

Ramon C

Alino in the house. Welcome and good to see your post here.

Ramon C

Thanks, Greg, for the 2004 Rougeard Poyeux note.

Had one 5 years ago, in 2014, and thought then that this was seriously very young to drink, but pretty much in the nothing-but-Loire pure Cab Franc space. I've a couple in the storage and appreciate the helpful data point.

Ramon C

I am not looking to join a fight. .... In fact I prefer Ogier to Rostaing but certainly that is not a popular view either as Ogier is on the more modern side. I find Jamet generally better than either of those for my palate. Agree with your assessment and with your caveat that nobody here's looking...

Ramon C

Greg K wrote: ↑
July 15th, 2019, 8:09 am

Gerhard P. wrote: ↑
July 15th, 2019, 1:56 am
Nothing wrong with being controversial - that´s the sign of a strong character ...
Or of an *sshole. YMMV

+++++1

Ramon C

The '98 TM I had last year during a RB 1998 vintage anniversary tasting with the local Bordeaux group was not nearly as good and leaned more on the modern side to my taste. I hope ours wasn't a representative as I've 2 more in the cellar.

Ramon C

René once told me that his uncle Marcel G-D was a fantastic wine-grower (a genius in the vineyards), but only a mean wine-maker (in the cellar) ... he more or less let everything go ... which sometimes turned out fine, and sometimes ... well, less good ... Sounds like the disparaging remarks of the...

Ramon C

... and WHAT did they preach? How many wines and vintages have you tasted by Albert Dervieux-Thaize and Marius Gentaz-Dervieux? Were they all fantastic? (imho not ...) Not many. Not going to provide the count just for your sake. Not all fantastic. It sounds to me that you think René Rostaing should...

Ramon C

I’ve opened several over the last week after a (nearly) dry June. 86 Haut Brion - wrote previously on it. Austere but seems to have the goods; perhaps too early. 93-94 with possible upside. 04 Dom Rose - holy wow! The nose is incredibly complex (strawberries?). 95 86 Pichon Lalande - Mature but ple...

Ramon C

Too bad, he didn’t follow what they preached. ... and WHAT did they preach? How many wines and vintages have you tasted by Albert Dervieux-Thaize and Marius Gentaz-Dervieux? Were they all fantastic? (imho not ...) Not many. Not going to provide the count just for your sake. Not all fantastic.

Ramon C

fullsizeoutput_24e9.jpeg 1973 R. LOPEZ de HEREDIA VINA TONDONIA GRAN RESERVA RIOJA- as I understand it, Gran Reserva was not shown specifically on the labels for a certain number of years and just assumed to be, but I do not recall the time period; that is the case here where it was not noted; Good...

Ramon C

I think it was his uncle, so I’ve just gone with that over the years. Rostaing being the SIL makes just as much sense too You're right. Gentaz was his uncle. It was Dervieux-Thaize that was his father in law. My people always say 'choose your parents carefully' Rostaing seems to have taken that adv...

Ramon C

For those interested, Stuart's description is accurate but incomplete. When buying lobsters, please note that: soft shells have less meat, sweeter meat, tenderer meat hard shells have more meat, brinier meat, tougher meat Now that you posted this, I did notice this, but wasn't aware of this "rule"(...

Ramon C

Jayson Cohen wrote: ↑
July 11th, 2019, 8:21 am

Ramon C wrote: ↑
July 11th, 2019, 8:00 am
Oldest to youngest.
Grrrr.

OK, I'll make a concession and start 2012 ahead of 2010 and 2011.
With the rest, still old to young.

Ramon C

JC J o u a s wrote: ↑
July 11th, 2019, 3:31 am

Fairway also had an active coupon for $10 off a $50
purchase so when you factor that savings in on top of their equivalent sales price, it becomes the destination of choice. And Mark, 18 lobsters 🦞 and champagne sounds like a fun time, nicely done!

JC: active coupon available online?

Ramon C

Oldest to youngest.

Ramon C

YLee wrote: ↑
July 10th, 2019, 11:59 am
Fairways has them fir same price if you have a store near you.

Fairway near me does not show the same price as 6.99/lb at Stews.
Advertised as On Sale at 9.99 per lb.

Ramon C

Yao C wrote: ↑
July 7th, 2019, 5:25 pm

Also I thought Bocuse was overrated when I went in 2017 and that was before he passed away.

Unimpressive since way before then.

Ramon C

#nobrainer

PARIS.

Ramon C

Lechon at adobo.

Ramon C

I’ll give more credit than Greg to the ‘97 Chave that we had last week.

It was up there with the ‘99 Allemand and ‘98 Levet as my top trio among 16 mostly Northern Rhones we had.

Ramon C

Some Northern Rhones (+ a few other bottles that I couldn't find iPhone photos) and Rieslings with 7 local geeks @ BOHK. Two weeks ago.

Ramon C

A couple of 1985s - a Medoc and a Graves:

1985 Rauzan Segla
1985 Haut Bailly

Ramon C

Have had limited experience with DdC, but 78, 79 and 89 were very good and loved them.

Ramon C

Jay Miller wrote: ↑
July 2nd, 2019, 6:46 am

Pat Martin wrote: ↑
July 1st, 2019, 11:37 am
Loved Jayson’s bottle of the 1970 Figeac at Dale’s a few years ago.
Ditto.

+3. An excellent bottle. That was only about 1 1/2 year ago.

Ramon C

Going back to the question of differentiating winemaking between the regions, it should also be pointed out that some big-name wines from RdD, while predominantly tempranillo, have cabernet sauvignon blended in.

Ramon C

Howard Cooper wrote: ↑
June 23rd, 2019, 4:21 am
Not a bad wine, but nothing special either.

Pretty much sums up most of Bordeaux 2004s that I had.

Maybe they all went the Genodics way in that year.

Ramon C

GregT wrote: ↑
June 19th, 2019, 7:29 pm
The thing about that oak on the LdH is that if you taste those wines young, you wouldn't like them. The 2006 wasn't a very good vintage but you're still drinking it at 12 years in or more and that oak, while it never fades entirely, is subdued.

This.

Ramon C

Bourg '13 showed well tonight, minty wild berries, tender and expressive; not a massive, powerful vintage but purer and more precise than '11 for example. Bourg already showing well? Usually needs more time for me. The 2000 drank recently was still a young thing. 2013 Clos was drinking beautifully ...

Ramon C

The '83 and '86 Chateau Margaux have not lived up to top billing status at off lines I was in where they were featured. They were good, but were not always the best, nor even the 2nd best, during the dinners. The last '83 Margaux I had in September last year tasted very youthful and fell in the midd...

Ramon C

Yes, nice buy with the '95 Magdelaine, Ian. Enough to test-taste over several years.

Ramon C

+ here on earlier suggestion of dry Sherry. Yum!

Ramon C

The price differential between Gonon's VV and his normale wines is more similar with differentials between Bordeaux First Growths and their respective 2nd wines, with the Bordeaux differential being more warranted given the wide disparity in wine performances. In the case of Gonon and based on the 0...

Ramon C

Good read, notes and photos. Always wondered about Sorrel's wine styles and appreciate the information share. Thanks.

Ramon C

I've had quite a few of these but none more recent than the 2004 vintage, and the oldest one being a very good 1970 about 4-5 years ago. Each I had, I would put squarely into the classic camp. I'm not David, but if I may just chime in, I found oak to be visible with young versions I had, but played ...

Ramon C

Good to know that some '04 Rougeards may be starting to drink well. My last '04 was a Le Bourg ordered/drank off of a restaurant list less than 2 years ago. While it showed all the silky texture and grand cru make-up of a fine Cab Franc, it was obviously very young and took all of our 3-hour dinner ...

Ramon C

I choose to pay in local currency as I understand my credit card bank exchange rate (e.g. Euros to Dollars) is more favorable than the exchange rate used by the merchants and its bank (called Dynamic Currency Conversion). The same holds true for ATM withdrawals. The Dynamic Currency Conversion (con...

Ramon C

Ross W wrote: ↑
June 3rd, 2019, 6:16 am
Hey Ramon...I have extra 06 and 09 and would trade

Nice, a local. Let’s do, Ross. Which ones (vintages), how many and when do you need?

Or, instead and better, let's just gather and drink some.

Ramon C

Nice and ...thanks for data point.

Ramon C

Bump: With the current resurrection of good Rougeard TNs in the Wine Talk forum.

Ramon C

I'm sorry folks but on our trip to Lucalis we were told we could open one 750 ml bottle of wine with dinner and I chose to open the Soldera with the marguerita pizza. So nothing to report on the Rougeaurd. Will probably pull a cork on one in the next few months and will post TN then. FWIW, the Sold...

Ramon C

No wine is above my price tolerance.

Ramon C

Had some delicious pizza at Tramonti in the East Village over the weekend. They use some of the most authentic/imported/tasty tomatoes and sauces from their hometown and the Fior di Latte mozzarella, another Tramonti specialty, is a step up from the regular mozzarella in most pizza. The pasta dishe...

Ramon C

Where you at in Prague? Wine O'clock? There's a good wine bar scene in Prague. Canceled at last-minute Wine O’Clock reservation whose website showed mostly southern Italian foods and wines for a winebar which a local wine-importer friend recommended - Vinograf. Very happy with foods and offered win...

Ramon C

Drank two glasses of 2013 Szent Tamás Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet Nyulászó 1-es hordó Tokaji Édes Szamorodni with foie gras last night. I know that it is botrytised Tokaji and the sommelier said that it was an auction wine. What else should I know? It was delicious, with excellent acidity to balance t...

Ramon C

Drank two glasses of 2013 Szent Tamás Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet Nyulászó 1-es hordó Tokaji Édes Szamorodni with foie gras last night. I know that it is botrytised Tokaji and the sommelier said that it was an auction wine. What else should I know? It was delicious, with excellent acidity to balance t...

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