Official WTSO thread

Well, I’m always caution with 2022 Napa. And CT average price is $58 with a lot of bottles coming from Wineslash, so I’m guessing they cleared it out for cheaper. Buy some Spring Mountain instead. :slight_smile:

We’ve had a number of the wines I ordered in the recent Willamette Valley sale and they ranged from middling to poor. Even at the steep discounts, I don’t feel like they were worthwhile purchases. Ya get what ya pay for, I guess.

Interesting, which ones?

Anderson, Boedecker, Red Electric, Sun Break. Very surprising and disappointing. Perhaps just my palate at the moment, as all are good producers.

A great friend texted the following photo last Saturday…

So I said that I’ll swing by and add to the Anderson bottles…

I can’t recall if I tasted the 2017 and 2018, but the other bottles were fantastic. Full disclosure that I’m a club member and my friend and I tasted together at Anderson in 2014. For $20 or less per bottle, hard to argue with the quality from my perspective. The recent wines need more time or days open for full enjoyment.

A couple nights ago I opened a 2021 Sun Break Wines Pinot Noir Ariane. From pop-and-pour, this wine was tight and tart. I can’t remember the last time I decanted a pinot, but this one needed it. It opened up after an hour or so but it really needs cellar time. I didn’t buy these to age but I guess I have to.

I quite liked the Sun Breaks. Enough to buy a case for a very large family Thanksgiving. Definitely a bigger Pinot though.

We bought a case of the Anderson family for thanksgiving, have 25-30 attendees, so an easy choice

Russell Bevan’s Adversity ( Catastrophe) up for 99 bucks. Don’t know much about it but looks like a good price. Lots of positive talk on this board about the wines.

Has anyone tried the 2021 Optik Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard. Tensley makes some good wine, and the Block location appears to be nice in Bien Nacido. The expert reviews are also solid with a price point that appears to be exceptional at $15 ($51+ at Total Wine and wine.com). At 16% ABV I’d imagine it’s somewhat hot, but this wine is tempting.

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Was wondering the same thing. Love Syrah, but there are not too many out there as high as 16%! This has a top notch winemaker and vineyard, but that alc is holding me back.

I’m also waiting for the B Leighton drop today. Excellent Syrah, depending on price.

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I went in for 6 of the Optik Syrah. At $15, I think its worth chancing the ABV.

I’m also curious on the B Leighton. I’ve never tried it but generally enjoy Charles Smith wines. Actually had the 2019 Rockgarden Syrah yesterday, which was excellent!

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I love all House of Smith wines. “B Leighton” is Brennan Leighton who was Smith’s former winemaker (he left in 2024). This is his label( but it was made at and along side other Smith and K wines. You will find the B Leighton wines delicious (if you like K), but a little more restrained than the other wines.

I am assuming that with Brennan gone, they are discounting the label and I am hoping that these prices are rock bottom.

Excellent feedback. Thank you! I’m hoping for a rock bottom discount too.

What a deal on the B Leighton 5 bottle vertical! $100 :flushed:

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Damn, bought two verticals and 4 bottles of Gratitude. :grimacing:

Based on what you’ve tried, any vintage suggestions on the Syrah?

I have not tried that many, I just go by scores when buying like this, but 2018 was epic just like in CA, but looks like sold out. 2020 was a highly variable vintage also like CA.

That 2019 royal city burned me. Either it was a bad bottle I opened and hoping the other 3 I picked up are better or 19 was a completely different wine than 18. 18 is like deep dark and delicious and 19 is like light prune juice. Tongue in cheek, but you get it. Hoping that 19 I opened was just corked and the other 3 are gonna be different.

Was this through WTSO? I just received 5 bottles from vivino for $32 each all in. The one time I had Royal City I found it odd, seemed to be a mash-up of a modern fruit bomb and a Northern Rhone.