Wine Geekery

[schindlerpiste]

My buddy, Sean Larkin's vineyard:
https://jacklarkin.com

Prolly one of the best Cab Francs in Napa.
Also, he is the brains behind Larkans


Too bad that the product is not carried in UT. But, if you are just about anyplace else from Cali. to The Cape, give it a try. I'd bet that you will enjoy it.

[Art Shirk]

Camarda still owns and produces? Kinda knew him in a previous life.

Yeah. The compound I mentioned above is basically his house and a bunch of out buildings for production, storage and events. Obviously ships in the grapes from his Richland locale. His place is really architecturally cool as well.


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[liv2ski]

I would be the first to admit I do not know shit about wine from Yurp, so maybe you guys could help educate me. Yesterday, Mrs L2S showed me an 8 pack of Bordeaux wines she had purchased for about $12 a bottle. She brought me a glass and I thought it tasted fantastic and went to ask her which bottle she opened. Turns out it was the last of the Pessimist (Costco for $18) that we had the previous night. She opened the French wine next and while good, the color was a bit lighter (easy to see through) and definitely lighter on the pallet (not my thing). So any suggestions I can find for $20 or less to share with her?

[schindlerpiste]

Mouton Cadet for $12 is good all day long. It is a very popular wine in France and is easily bought here. Also, Château Morin Saint-Estèphe for $20 earned a 93 rating.

[JimmyCarter]

I would be the first to admit I do not know shit about wine from Yurp, so maybe you guys could help educate me. Yesterday, Mrs L2S showed me an 8 pack of Bordeaux wines she had purchased for about $12 a bottle. She brought me a glass and I thought it tasted fantastic and went to ask her which bottle she opened. Turns out it was the last of the Pessimist (Costco for $18) that we had the previous night. She opened the French wine next and while good, the color was a bit lighter (easy to see through) and definitely lighter on the pallet (not my thing). So any suggestions I can find for $20 or less to share with her?

Not Bordeaux, but recently picked up a Bodega Garzon Tannat Reserva from Costco that was great. Never had a Tannat before, this one is from Uruguay. Lots of body, but really easy drinking and smooth. Will be looking for more when I go back.

[Cruiser]

She brought me a glass and I thought it tasted fantastic and went to ask her which bottle she opened. Turns out it was the last of the Pessimist (Costco for $18) that we had the previous night. She opened the French wine next and while good, the color was a bit lighter (easy to see through) and definitely lighter on the pallet (not my thing). So any suggestions I can find for $20 or less to share with her?

The trick is that the pessimist has a little bit of residual sugar. That's what makes it feel fat and viscous (and satisfying) on your palate. It's a premium category that is really gaining traction in the us market. Daou, who make the pessimist, does a Cabernet that you'd prolly dig. Also worth looking for Napa Valley Quilt red blend or Cabernet. St Hubert's may also be available in your area and they do a red blend and a cab that share that profile. The Unshackled wines may be another option in your budget.

[liv2ski]

We love the Daou cab and quite frankly, I love most everything from Paso Robles these days. We have 3 wine clubs memberships and they all send us outstanding wines but the average price for wine club members is $35 a bottle. If I could find good wine for $20 a bottle I would be much happier.

[Art Shirk]

Drouhin on the table tonight.




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[oftpiste]

Livin' the dream yo.

Drouhin on the table tonight.




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[SeatownSlackey]

Camarda still owns and produces? Kinda knew him in a previous life.

small world. My brother’s best friend is his nephew, also named Chris. Fun spot on Vashon especially when you’re there with friends n family treatment

Nothing unique but a can’t go wrong Caymus Cab got cracked tonight to accompany a smoked/reverse sear ribeye.

Really looking forward to trying this gift from a client of mine


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[Art Shirk]

Livin' the dream yo.

You should see how big Thing 1 is these days, P. Lucky man.


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[neufox47]

We love the Daou cab and quite frankly, I love most everything from Paso Robles these days. We have 3 wine clubs memberships and they all send us outstanding wines but the average price for wine club members is $35 a bottle. If I could find good wine for $20 a bottle I would be much happier.

Try some of the wines from De Negoce. Best qp$ I’ve found. To get the really good deals you need to buy a case right after it is bottled. So the wine needs to sit for 6+ months before you drink it. But I’ve had a lot of $10-$20 wines from them that will hit with $50+. He also has a bottle shop where you can buy individual bottles that are past bottle shock.

[oftpiste]

You should see how big Thing 1 is these days, P. Lucky man.

Crazy how that happens, right? My thing #1 is now closer to 30 than 20. WTF? Yeah, we are lucky!

[liv2ski]

Neufox, thanks for that. I have had some good Cameron Hughes wines from Costco. Looking at the website there are many zins to chose from. Have you tried any you liked?

[neufox47]

I just received some Zins but haven’t opened any. Will be popping one or two in the coming weeks.


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[Bobby Stainless]

It took my brother a decade, but he's got an allocation of Screaming Eagle. I told him to flip it. It's just wine.

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Not sure what the retail is these days but I'd flip the hell out of it.


A decade back I spent a bunch of time in that vineyard installing some fancy sensors to measure sap flow, take fruit and leaf samples. Interesting site.

Some years later was at a series of dinners where a couple bottles were opened. Good juice, but I'd rather take a ski trip to Alaska.

All that said, SE isn't a wine for drinking. It's a wine to show off you big stinking hog and how important you are and why other should do business with you. When I was working in the cellar of a Napa winery a grower came in and gave my boss a bottle as a bribe for us to buy his fruit. We took 30 tons from that vineyard over the next 2 weeks. Kinda clicked for me right then what the purpose of all these cult wines really is.

So tell him to flip it, unless you have some people to impress or influence (and who give a shit about that sort of thing).


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[Cruiser]

Flip it for sure! Or mix it fifty fifty with coke, Beijing style.

[oftpiste]

Couple dead soldiers from the other night with Thing #1. With a smoked pork butt.

Syrah/Grenache was softer than I'd hoped for, but not unexpected. The Zin was spectacular. I hadn't put Zin in my mouth for a long time having given up on it due to the shit way so many make it anymore. Draper did it right, at least in the days of that vintage.

These were ATP wines, limited production.

[PB]

The ATP list is always a strange but entertaining trip - many selections are not something you'd immediately recommend to a zin lover, but tend to stick in you brain as an interesting twist on an under the radar grape.

.... and poo on those who think liking a vintage zin is pretentious.

[irul&ublo]

It took my brother a decade, but he's got an allocation of Screaming Eagle. I told him to flip it. It's just wine.

https://youtu.be/WvP3aCu30jA

[oftpiste]

I'm slowly drinking my way through years of being an ATP subscriber. Gave it up a while back is the costs were getting a little nutty.

The ATP list is always a strange but entertaining trip - many selections are not something you'd immediately recommend to a zin lover, but tend to stick in you brain as an interesting twist on an under the radar grape.

.... and poo on those who think liking a vintage zin is pretentious.

[PB]

Ha! Us too; and they don't make trustworthy gifts to reduce the inventory.

[neufox47]

Photo from last night. The BD didn’t have enough decant time but everyone scrambled to try it. I think Scarlett was actually my favorite.


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[irul&ublo]

Photo from last night. The BD didn’t have enough decant time but everyone scrambled to try it. I think Scarlett was actually my favorite.


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Was the Cotes a bit long in the tooth?