Does your optometrist sponsor your Thanksgiving get-together? He owes you one. 
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2000 Urbina Rioja Seleccion (Crianza). 13.5%, mix of French and American oak.
This can typically be found for $20, some earlier vintages have shown up at my Costco, which almost without fail has a deplorable wine selection.
This is one of my favorite house wines/daily drinkers. Every release I’ve found has had roughly 20 years on it, and the price makes it a case buy when it does show up. Is it going to knock your socks off? No, LdH Cubillo is a more complete wine for the price. Is the Urbina delicious for the money? Absolutely. The bouquet is darker than expected with plum and black cherry, a bit of animale and leather. The palate is more red fruited with sour cherries, tobacco, and honestly I get a bit of watermelon. The fruit is still fresh but not primary; I definitely recommend picking one up if you encounter it, because I think it’s a great bottle to introduce casual wine drinkers to something with age due to the youthfulness of the fruit which makes it approachable and user-friendly.
Love this wine! Have you tried her Solera bottling? I think it’s a bit better; more depth but definitely shows the family resemblance.
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Hey, Bummer about the off bottle…I’ll replace it!
Mostly recovered from Thanksgiving festivities, and here are some belated notes that I put in CT this morning:
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2020 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (11/23/2023)
A darker, meatier profile compared to the 2021 Clos de la Roilette Tardive tasted alongside; not to mention a noticeably bigger wine from a riper vintage. Black fruits, smoked meats, and grilled herbs. I've seen this vintage called Rhone-like, and I get it. Ripe on the palate with a persistent finish. My first experience with a Griffe du Marquis: I enjoyed this bottle, but I'd also be interested to see how it does in a cooler vintage. -
2021 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Cuvée Tardive - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (11/23/2023)
Cool red fruits, spices (nutmeg?), earth. A light streak of herbal, savory funk runs through the nose and palate, which has good energy and weight. This is certainly lighter compared to other warm-vintage Beaujolais I've had recently, but it's in no way thin and has the accessibility alongside ageworthiness that I've seen in several 2021s so far. -
2021 Goodfellow Family Cellars Blanc Whistling Ridge Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (11/23/2023)
Just as good as my first bottle. Love the contrast between riesling on the nose and the tart red fruits on the palate that say "pinot noir" to me. Really high drinkability here.
- Violet the bear (~2022 vintage): Soft and approachable, great at keeping nieces entertained after they tell me that Beaujolais smells “stinky.” Not sure of aging potential.
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2013 Goodfellow Whistling Ridge Noir
Autumnal goodness. Beautiful color, with cherry flavors, flowers, forest floor and a touch of cinnamon. 13% alcohol and impeccably balanced. Paired well with turkey, tri-tip and the usual side dishes. Thank you for the library selection, Marcus and Megan!
5 Likes
Here’s one for Jay.
2019 Saxum James Berry
Obvious JB red fruits with a big kick of black Syrah (even though there is not much Syrah in the blend). There is a bit of smoke and loads of warming spices. Drinking great with a little air.
The dogs belong to my daughter and her husband. He LOVES Saxum so I always open one when they visit. The dogs learned well from Kyser, our dear, departed Golden Retriever Boozehound.
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Another excellent bottle. A little more backward than the last one. Reddish fruit, minerality and a long fine finish.
Magdelaine 2005
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And there he is in your avatar. I’m sure he had the method down pat
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1985 Ferreira Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (11/23/2023)
Nice bottle. Nutty, caramel, chocolate turned into caramel, baking spices chocolate over several hours. Past peak but emjoyable! (90 points)
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2016 Vignamaggio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Monna Lisa - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (11/26/2023)
Vanilla, red cherry, and raspberry to start, turned into red berries and acidic earth over 30 minutes open. Not a bad bottle, just too many alternatives that are better at the price point. (91 points)
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2019 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (11/26/2023)
Red fruit and pepper. Ended up not being up my alley after waiting a couple of years. Not bad, just not especially interesting. (89 points)
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Here’s one for Jay.
2019 Saxum James Berry
Obvious JB red fruits with a big kick of black Syrah (even though there is not much Syrah in the blend). There is a bit of smoke and loads of warming spices. Drinking great with a little air.
The dogs belong to my daughter and her husband. He LOVES Saxum so I always open one when they visit. The dogs learned well from Kyser, our dear, departed Golden Retriever Boozehound.
Proof positive that Saxum has gone to the dogs
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Perhaps the best 2nd wine I’ve ever had… with the possible exception of an 88 Forts de Latour.
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2018 Pichon Comtesse Réserve - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (11/26/2023)
A couple years since my previous bottle. As expected, this has shed some of its baby fat and left a dense, mineral forward core. Fleshy blackcurrant and plums pulled taut by juicy acid, cedar, gravel, and iron, enrobed in Cashmere tannins. Cherry pit and pomegranate seed. One sees the resemblance to its big sister, especially after a couple hours of air. Gorgeous finish that goes on and on. Very primary and one could see this going for 20 years easily. 94-95. Traditionalists that poo-poo the 2018 vintage as overly ripe should try a bottle of this. (94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Down to our last bowls of Cassoulet leftover from Thanksgiving, I managed to find this wine locally for a last pairing…
2021 Marcillac “Lo Sang del Pais”, Domaine du Cros (Southwest France)
We really enjoyed this wine and the pairing. Fruit and mineral. A bit tart alone, but softened by the food. Easy drinking, almost gulp-able. A good reminder that the first requirement of a wine is that it be a pleasing beverage. Drink and enjoy. (~$16)
Recommended
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Awesome! 
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Please put me down for two hundred.
Tell me where to send when it’s time!
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Too many empty glasses.
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Today is the last day for this week’s challenge.
The warden will pick a winning post and I’ll contact that individual for their charity of preference and post it back in here.
BTW - Week 2 starts today with Italian Whites run by Kyle so start looking around the cellar
I am still offering a seat at the MacDonald dinner this Friday in New York. Anyone willing to donate $400 to Count Lermontov’s Wife’s hospital gets a free seat at the table and I will provide the wine - a total value of only $850 at current auction retail for more than 50% discount.
If there’s a seat available I would be happy to make the donation.
Btw, nice reference. I had to look that one up.
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You’ve got it. Bobby Van’s. The location on 54th St. - 131 East 54th Street between Lexington Ave. and Park Ave. We will show up before 630 and you can show up at 630 or any time thereafter. We won’t get serious until about 7:00 PM, but we can all chat and share some bubbly. You may even be granted the right to claim that you were the one who brought one of the older vintages.