Help me pick (2) wines for tonight...

WINE TALK
1

Another couple is coming over tonight to join my wife and I for some wine and light fare (cheese, crackers, some dried meats and pickin food).

My wife is pretty much a white wine drinker, but enjoys some reds (Chimney Rock, Shafer, Pride, etc).

The couple joining us drinks red…they enjoy the types of wine as me, which is mostly California Cabs and Merlots…some Syrah and Pinot Noir.

I serve my wine in very large bowl glasses. You could probably fill each glass 3/4 of the way up and finish a bottle. I like to get 5 glasses of wine from a bottle, but that probably won’t be the case tonight.

Sooooo…my dilemna…what to open tonight. Here are the choices…please select (2) bottles. Thanks!!

2006 Baldacci Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Four Sons (USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District)
2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford (USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford)
2005 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2007 Edge Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2006 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley)
2007 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2006 Rudd Cabernet Sauvignon Crossroads (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)
2005 Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon Salvestrin Estate Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2007 Sean Minor Cabernet Sauvignon Four Bears (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2007 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2006 Whitehall Lane Merlot (USA, California, Napa Valley) 1
2008 Bedrock Wine Co. Lorenzo’s Heirloom (USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley)
2007 Girard Artistry (USA, California, Napa Valley)
2006 Kunin Syrah (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County)
2006 Trentadue Winery Zinfandel La Storia (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley)

2

Based on the criteria, I would go with the cheapest wines you have. Having said that, and going on wines that I have personally had, here is what I would throw out there:

'07 Mondavi Cab & '07 Girard Artistry. Both are relatively inexpensive and are easily replaced at Costco.

3

I’ve read that twice, and I’m still not getting the connection between the enormous glasses and pours and then the selection of the wine.

4

He has a guzzler on his hands and needs some cheap stuff that will also deliver on the quality front so he can enjoy a glass as well.

5

He has a guzzler on his hands and needs some cheap stuff that will also deliver on the quality front so he can enjoy a glass as well.

BINGO!!!

[thumbs-up.gif]

6

My thoughts exactly. I was thiking Mondavi and Sequoia Grove. Whatever you do, for God sake, save the Bedrock!!

7

My advice, make your wife happy first. John will choose what to open based on who is coming over and not based on what I would like, short-sighted if I do say so! rolleyes So if you are going to open one of those reds for the guzzler at least have a nice white open for the wife. [drinkers.gif]

8

Just had the Mondavi Wednesday night and I’d agree with the Texter. Good wine, easy to replace at $20 per just about anywhere.

Haven’t had it but maybe the Whitehall Merlot just to mix things up a bit.

Oh and Kimberly being a wife and female and all that…I’d agree on opening a really nice white too! (For my SO it’d be an Oregon Pinot though.)

9

Always good to have a couple five dollar reds around just for nights like this. Start with the good stuff, finish with the cheap stuff.

Nothing worse than waking up the next morning and seeing a $75 Cab bottle empty on the kitchen counter. “Oh my gawd, did we drink that last night?”

10

NO KIDDING! And honestly, the more I drink, the more generous I get…I had a 2006 Pride Cabernet that I wanted to save, and opened it two weeks ago as the third bottle of the night…was not happy the next morning.

11

I was thinking about the Whitehall Lane Merlot, mostly because they are big fans of Whitehall Lane and would appreciate it.

12

The thing is, my wife won’t drink an entire bottle, so she would not want to open a “nice” bottle knowing 1/2 of it will go to waste…She will ask me to pick up some $10 Pinot Grigio on my way home…guaranteed…and she’ll just try whatever red we open.

What I should do, is open a really nice Red that she likes and that way it’s enjoyed by 4 people, not just 3.

13

Just remembered I took delivery of (3) 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Indian Wells yesterday…will definately have one of those ready as the “one more bottle” wine.

14

Pull a Nixon, serve the company swill and pour yourself the Margaux

15

[/quote]

What I should do, is open a really nice Red that she likes and that way it’s enjoyed by 4 people, not just 3.[/quote]

Open a nice red and split the whole bottle among your 4 glasses. Then open a decent but lesser red and leave it on the counter for refills.

Oh, by the way, I guess you know for certain that the friend in question doesn’t read this board, right?! blush [wow.gif]

16

Oh, by the way, I guess you know for certain that the friend in question doesn’t read this board, right?! > blush > > [wow.gif]

[swearing.gif]

17

If you do decide to open the Jordan 2006 in the next few months, our winemaker recommends decanting it for 60 minutes before serving. Cheers.