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

Fred Bower

Peter, If they decided not to bottle it as a designate, the Alesia 2017 Santa Cruz Mountains bottling got all of the Family Farm fruit (and likely is a higher percentage Family Farm than the other sources). Kevin and team could clarify, but maybe you can bargain shop on the Alesia front and get you...

Fred Bower

Peter, If they decided not to bottle it as a designate, the Alesia 2017 Santa Cruz Mountains bottling got all of the Family Farm fruit (and likely is a higher percentage Family Farm than the other sources). Kevin and team could clarify, but maybe you can bargain shop on the Alesia front and get your...

Fred Bower

I agree with you on the 2011 Rhys lineup. I've been plowing through the Pinots this year. The Chardonnay was consumed over the past two years. The Bearwallow is hanging in there better than the Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards. I did pair the Horseshoe with a mushroom and barley soup on Sunday and tha...

Fred Bower

How would you compare it to "In the Abstract"? In the recent five vintages, that one has been my favorite. When they are more fruity than waxy, I like them more.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

If you know the folks at the shop, you should ask about all of the older wines. There are some oddballs there that are going to be hard to get a good read on without trying them. I would suggest you start with https://www.winewatch.com/wine-shop-d2/red-burgundy-c17/2009-domaine-lignier-michelot-cham...

Fred Bower

I dipped a 2017 Mt. Pajaro Chardonnay from 500mL a few weeks back and enjoyed it very much. I subsequently ran through the Alpine and Horseshoe to do a comparison. I found the Mt. Pajaro to be between the Alpine and Horseshoe in the lush v. racy spectrum. I accitentionally bought quite a few of the ...

Fred Bower

A very Strange note indeed.

Chapeau!
fred

Fred Bower

The Marsannays from Charles Audoin are all great values and I prefer them over the base Bourgogne bottlings from a lot of producers. I do also agree with the recommendation to dabble in a few high-quality producers' village offerings at a slightly higher entry price to get a view into the upper leag...

Fred Bower

I can't keep Madeira in my cellar. I know it will keep once opened, but it is much safer in my stomach. I am a Terrantez fan, but like all of the styles at different times. I've had some great ancient wines from Madeira and wince at current pricing, but these are special wines.

fred

Fred Bower

Hard to go wrong with those wines to choose from. Thanks for the notes on the herd of unicorns.

fred

Fred Bower

Inventory isn't very current, but my best guess is that it is Domaine Leflaive, Niellon, and either Ramonet or PYCM depending upon how much of my older Ramonet stash I've burned through. I only bought PYCM this year from those four. When C&E changed distribution, I lost Niellon and Ramonet in my mar...

Fred Bower

The descriptions you guys have of the sparkling remind me of the 1995 Mount Eden sparkling project that they offered to list members as a fun one-off. That came off like the Chardonnay with bubbles added, not with the yeasty/autolytic characteristics you get with longer tirage. I'm letting mine sit ...

Fred Bower

I love the hostility. Goat roping AFWE (that's me). My ante: 2013 SQN Syrah "Male" Jekyll comes out. Dark purple...not quite inky, but heading there. Decanted and consumed over 3 hours with a vegetarian (!) meal. This is an interesting wine. Expecting gigantic punch-you-in-the-face fruit, instead I ...

Fred Bower

I dipped into a 2013 Chambolle-Musigny Village P&F over the holidays. It was delicious. Where there are domaine and negoce bottlings from the same appellation, I buy both when offered, but the premium is not huge in my market - maybe 15%. Meadows reviews seem to suggest that there are years where on...

Fred Bower

Greco is my first preference of the three Rory mentions. Falanghina next, then Fiano, which I always find to be fruitier and simpler to my palate. All three are regular summer sips at my table.

fred

Fred Bower

I will sound a voice of enthusiasm for the wines. The crus are often the best available option on a grocery store shelf and are a good entree into why Beaujolais isn't Nouveau.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

I will do my best to participate. Expect notes on Cabernet-based wines to show up

fred

Fred Bower

Fantastic story. Thanks for posting the reference. I only own two Burt wines. There will be some grilling with one of them this holiday season.

I'm so looking forward to it.

fred

Fred Bower

Thanks for the notes and impressions. I didn't go long on '08, mostly due to market availability intersected with budget. I guess that's a fortunate circumstance. I did get the Roumier Cras...will let those sit.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

A couple from the weekend...one I think qualifies for a kicker. 2017 Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec I really like the demi-sec from Huet for spicy food. This was shy on the first night. Medium gold color. Aromas of honey, lanolin, some floral elements, and a bit of mango. Palate has slight bitter not...

Fred Bower

A complete miss on the bonus opportunities with the first pull... 2009 Pepiere Clos des Briords Cuvee Vielles Vignes Muscadet I think this was a "lost bottle" that got buried in a box and resurfaced in the rack over the summer. The color hasn't changed an iota since release. Still a medium-pale yell...

Fred Bower

Is the stick actually a giant straw?

To Mark's question, no. I wouldn't avoid the custom bottlings of Dom if I needed the particular wine at a moment and the price was in line with my expectations, but I have no attraction to collecting them or owning them over the base green label.

fred

Fred Bower

While a bit involved, I love the bonus qualifiers here. I'll play and it will be out of my normal rotation.

Semper Fi,
fred

Fred Bower

Last from me for the thread... 2016 Arterberry-Maresh Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Old Vines When it arrived in market last year, this wine had sap. Now, we are entering the shutdown phase. Structurally, this follows the Burgundy playbook. Low alcohol (12.8), acid-structured, red fruited. Color is medium...

Fred Bower

The price quoted in that link makes the cost of the glasses and extra packaging well within reason for the gift giver (over the price of the standard gift box in my market). I'd be a buyer...maybe even for myself given some attrition in the glass population at my place.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

A few more from the weekend... 2016 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Chardonnay "Arthur" This is a staple at our place because my wife loves it. Risotto Friday night meant we needed some to cook with too, so this was sampled. Bright yellow color. Typical aromas of yellow apple, a bit of vanilla, and honeysuck...

Fred Bower

How can Riesling not be for everybody?!?! Your note inspires me to fire up some schnitzel and mushroom gravy and go pull a bottle. I love Alzinger's wines young and have a hard time letting them age out this long. Other 2000s from the Wachau and Kremstal have all been pretty delicious in recent samp...

Fred Bower

Postscript on the 96 Clos Electrique. The color lightened up and the fruit did seem to come more to the surface. Maybe it was the smoky salsa I had eaten, but I felt like I got more pinot and less funk on day two. Will dig something else out for Friday and post another note. Might get another pictur...

Fred Bower

For my first entry, I pulled one I've been letting sit to see what would happen. John Paul is a hoot of a character and I have always enjoyed his wines on release. Clos Electrique was pretty tricky to find in the market back in the '90s. I expect it is still a bit of a hunt, but haven't shopped it i...

Fred Bower

I typically crop my pics a bit to get them to orient in the posting here. It's a simple edit.
I'll pitch some dogs on the pile later tonight.

fred

Fred Bower

I didn't feel like doing anything with a computer over the holiday weekend and the browser just crashed halfway through entering all of these notes, so I'm doing a digest version. My qualifiers: Day before Thanksgiving 2002 Rouget Vosne Romanee Cros Parantoux and Evesham Wood Cuvee J Did these as a ...

Fred Bower

I had a couple of those Mayacamas LH Zins from '72. The first in the mid-2000s was a pretty nice wine in the tawny port sort of flavor range. The second from the past year was much as you report. I don't know here the knee in the curve was for this one, but it has moved to the wrong side of it now. ...

Fred Bower

I built all of my own racking and did one unit of diamond-like bins. It is for impulse grab/daily drinkers and gets bins with multiple bottle shapes haphazardly installed. Bottles fall into the middle all of the time (it is two sided with necks intentionally facing in because of the tip problem). I ...

Fred Bower

Pinot Noir pairs well with a Thanksgiving table. Great timing!

fred

Fred Bower

I have gone through several rounds of reorganization, each inspired by a condition that would be labeled as "out of space". The result of the reorganization each time has been the creation of more capacity in the existing space. I voted other since I think I've been out of space a few times.

fred

Fred Bower

Personally, I would not cancel a purchase decision based upon what you show here. Other factors you haven't disclosed about the provenance could bias me. I would expect pricing to be at the lower-middle end of the current range given the condition.

fred

Fred Bower

Why no love for Gigondas? I'm a St. Damien fan. <$40 for the designated bottlings. Maybe on the fruitier side but so delicious. The rose is fantastic too.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

I advise against sending them to an address for which you have no idea if a person will be present to receive. It's the fastest way to ruin the wine. If your buyer isn't reading what you are sending now, there is little chance they will get your message that you have sent to some address you sleuthe...

Fred Bower

I subscribe to the break-it-and-swear school on '06 Rhys corks. The regular Alpine is nice now too...think I dipped one last fall.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

Fantastic notes and sounds like a fun event. I particularly loved the Beaux Freres Upper Terraces note. My wife grabbed a bottle of the 2007 off the list in Vegas at a steak place. Best value present and every lady loved it. Win. Bob Wood might have still been alive at the time, but would applaud th...

Fred Bower

This is typical in my experience with SQN. Elaine called me when I made the SQN list a few years back and again earlier this year to let me know that I had a Next of Kyn offer in my inbox. I expect that the number of calls that she has to make each offering cycle is relatively small and that they do...

Fred Bower

The physical condition of the cork has nothing to do with whether or not the wine will be corked. Storage conditions aren't really a factor either. Getting two in a row is unusual, but does happen. Some wines have batch-wide cork issues and then it becomes a more common occurrence. As others have po...

Fred Bower

It's homage, David B. I also agree with David G. - excessible that Jim found is a homonym with different meaning than Alan coined.

Cheers to Alan Eden, who I never really found that abrasive in tone,
fred

Fred Bower

William,

Noah's photo isn't Dr. Noah; it's Dr. No. He's a James Bond villain. The shirt collar is causing the effect you note. Check out the film. It's great.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

If you use a typical corkscrew that you aren't really attached to, you can use the foil cutter in place of the screwdriver recommended. There's a small risk of poking/cutting yourself in the process, but these clips aren't that hard to remove with a bit of practice. Henri Giraud Champagne uses these...

Fred Bower

I'm drinking 2013 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot from 500mL for no reason other than it was in reach and not a full 750mL. No homage here. I came to eBob through Squires eZine (was not on Prodigy). I loved the community and was never a Parker subscriber/acolyte so largely sat in the bleachers for the pro/con...

Fred Bower

Never read a more terrifying tasting note? Where has your memory gone, Jay? Stuart Yaniger on the 1993 Overnoy Poulsard (not my words, and not words I would ever write or think are okay to write, but words that were written and recorded for public consumption nonetheless): http://www.the-stupids.co...

Fred Bower

Sparkling wine is the one place where I can muster the locals to polish off a magnum without much difficulty. I can see myself stocking a few mags as a result.

Cheers,
fred

Fred Bower

For the record, I prefer some sort of allocation for existing Rhys customers if it is a Rhys-branded effort. It sounds like it is. I will be interested to hear more about it and taste the wine when it shows up. Mount Eden did a sparkling Chardonnay in 1995 that was fun for the people on the list. Ch...

Fred Bower

I ran through a 2011 Vaillons last week and it was fine but would like more development. I pulled the trigger on a few 2017s as a result. Summer risotto on the menu for tonight. White Burgundy will be opened. Rhys/Alesia will be the backup

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fred

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