T/N assorted from Zachy's - Champers and some red from CA and France

WINE TALK
1

03 Roederer Estate L ‘Ermitage Brut Rose’ 93WS $65. Yum.

Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV 91 WS $37.50 This was tasty.

02 Louis Roederer Cristal 96+ WA $195. I liked this. Not as good as the 95.

2000 Dom Perignon 94 WA $168. (they must be kidding because this is a weak imposter of a champagne.) FYI, this is in the mid $120’s online.

Reds

04 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 93WS $156. The nose was heaven. A very smooth, almost chewy wine.

06 Lewis Cab Sauv Reserve 95WS $116. I puckered up after a taste of this.

06 Joseph Phelps Insigna 94-96 WA $180 Nice to drink.

06 Dalla Valle Cab Sauv No rating $140. A pretty good Napa wine.

06 Dominus 96 WA $99. Once again, I puckered, but the wine was good.

04 Silver Oak Napa Cab Sauv No rating (haha). $75. A little bitter, and weak; but doesn’t everyone in the know, know this already. [swoon.gif]

06 Opus One 94WA. $169. I wonder what this vineyard tasted like in it’s glory days. Ok, but $169**??**

06 Mouton Rothchild 98+WA. $750. Coffee nose. This was a wow wine. But lets get real… $750???

06 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 95 WA $113. … and this is special because??? In all seriousness, lots of better wine out there <$75.

06 Leoville Las Cases 95 WA - WS. $200. This was a smooth wine, with no taste of… or that.

06 Haut Brion 96 WA $562. Ok, so…???

I just can’t figure it. I enjoy California and Oregon wines. I think that my taste has been progressing over the years; to the point where I’m starting to ‘get it’.
So I’m sampling this expensive stuff (without food), and I’m wondering what all the fuss is about?

Are some of these wines the equivalent of ‘point chasers’? The wines people feel they have to have (snob appeal)?

I’ve tasted some CdP’s at $50 that I think are delicious. Heck, even ACV (AKA The Todd) has wine that I think is delicious at $50 - $75. I’ll even include Novy and Carlisle in the mix with wines under $50. Is everyone else crazy, or is it me?

Yes Todd, posted exclusively on WB.

2

Dan, I regularly struggle with the “value” vs. “treasure” question with respect to wine. Owning and enjoying expensive wines definitely has a certain cachet. If it were possible to set aside label bias and preconceived notions of hierarchy, one could (with some savvy purchasing) drink exceptionally well for < $50 per bottle of recently released wine and < $125 for an aged bottle (10 - 50 years). I doubt there’s ever been so much fine affordable wine available to American wine geeks. It’s a shame we knock ourselves out to try/buy a relatively short list of elite possibilities.

RT

3

Tasting young first and second growth bordeaux is just that. Taste to see what you think it will develop into. While bordeaux is making more approachable wines, to me these still need 15-20 years in a good vintage. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t think the prices are crazy!

4

Someone brought the 2000 Dom Perignon to Thanksgiving. It was nice, but it was not $100+ nice.

Bruce