Million Post Quest - Had a good wine lately?

NVGator

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Not only do we need to resurrect this thread, it needs to be revisited.

Am I right @Gator By Marriage ?

Had these beast tonight after golf.


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Gator By Marriage

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Not only do we need to resurrect this thread, it needs to be revisited.

Am I right @Gator By Marriage ?

Had these beast tonight after golf.


32159
Sbragia is a great winemaker. He used to make all the Beringer Reserve wines back in the 80’s. They were some truly spectacular Cabs. How was this bottle?
 

NVGator

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Sbragia is a great winemaker. He used to make all the Beringer Reserve wines back in the 80’s. They were some truly spectacular Cabs. How was this bottle?
Spectacular. Have you had this Cimarossa before? Little peppery finish. Can never go wrong with a Howell Mountain and Spring Mountain.
 

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Was in Total Wine yesterday and they were having one of their “Winery Direct” sales. As the name would imply these are wines they are buying (and in many cases importing) directly from the winery. If you bought 8 or more bottles, they gave you 15% off. As I have pretty much been drinking the same stuff lately, I took advantage of the sale to buy stuff I had never tried.
First up is an Argentine Cab from Catena. This was an excellent Cab that went great with beef tenderloin steaks from the egg.

There was very little tannic acid in the taste, leading me to believe it won’t be a long lived cab, but it should continue to drink well for a few years. Had all the classic Cab flavors and was a relative bargain at $17 (less 15% of course). I’ve mentioned this before, but there is a lot of very good to outstanding wine coming out of South America right now and it’s often half or a third of what you’d pay for similar quality out of California. Drink up!
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Check out this website: Get $10 Instant Credit at Last Bottle Wines Basically their premise is as they get down to limited amounts, they put it on this site. If you buy 6 or more, it's free shipping. They run some fantastic deals but they don't last. If you sign up, you'll get a daily email as to what their daily deal is.
 

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Another new wine for me from Total Wine’s Winery Direct Sale; Donnachiara Falanghina “Resilienza.” This is a a very smooth and flavorful Italian white. No discernible oak, just good forward fruit. Was great with grilled chicken. I suspect it would be the same for any seafood or white sauce pastas. (It would be great with linguine with clam sauce.) From Campania in SW Italy (Naples). I am a fan of Falanghina in general, but this is a really good example. Plan on paying a little bit more than Italian whites tend to cost. This was $18 less 15%.

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Last of the new wines (‘til next weekend anyway!).
This is a really good Spanish red: 2018 Bodega Dan Gregoria “Las 75 Vendimias de Emilio Gonzalez.” It is a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache). I love Tempranillo, but often find Garnacha not to my taste. The French versions from the Rhone can be a little bit more likable, but it’s often blended there with Syrah and/or Mourvèdre. This was a new blend to me and quite good. It also strikes me as quite versatile; I think it would go well with anything from simple grilled meats or various cheeses, to full flavored dishes like paella or goulash. Another new wine of which I’ll be buying more. Retails for $18.

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NVGator

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Another new wine for me from Total Wine’s Winery Direct Sale; Donnachiara Falanghina “Resilienza.” This is a a very smooth and flavorful Italian white. No discernible oak, just good forward fruit. Was great with grilled chicken. I suspect it would be the same for any seafood or white sauce pastas. (It would be great with linguine with clam sauce.) From Campania in SW Italy (Naples). I am a fan of Falanghina in general, but this is a really good example. Plan on paying a little bit more than Italian whites tend to cost. This was $18 less 15%.

33922

Kinda like a Sauvignon Blanc?
 

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Kinda like a Sauvignon Blanc?
Sort of like the more melon versions as opposed to the grassy kind, but I doubt anyone would ever drink it and think it was an SB. I would though, predict anyone who likes a SB like say the Ferrari-Carrano Fume Blanc would like this.
 

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Tried a couple more wines worth sharing (also both from Total Wine).

The first was an Austrian Gruner Veltliner for $18. For those unfamiliar, Gruner Veltliner is a white grape, grown mostly in south Central Europe - Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia - though some US wineries have started producing it as well. The wine, from Gruber Roschitz, and with an unusual somewhat whimsical label was quite good with citrus and mineral flavors. It was a little like a Riesling, but without the sweetness. It was great for a before dinner glass on a warm night. (It also got better as it warmed up a little from the fridge.) I suspect it would go well with light dishes and most German type cuisine. Unlike lower alcohol Rieslings, this one clocks in at 12.5%; much like a Chardonnay or some red wines. A good choice for someone tired of the endless sea of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.

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The second was a Northern California (Mendocino Co.) Reserve Pinot Noir from Angeline. It was unusual in that most Pinot grapes there end up in sparkling wine, not as still wine. It was a nice fruity (cherries mostly) wine lacking the earthiness a lot of drinkers either love or detest. Very inexpensive for a “Reserve” wine at $15. It was excellent with grilled herbed chicken thighs.

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Three wines to recommend and a cautionary tale about long term cellaring.

The first is a Rosso di Montalcino from Renieri (2018). For those unfamiliar, Brunnello di Montalcino is one of the great reds of Italian wine and a personal favorite. It also starts at about $45 and goes up well over $100-200. Rosso, Brunello’s “little brother”, can often be almost as good and at a fraction of the price. The wines of Montalcino are made with Sangiovese, the same grape used to make Chianti, but with better results.
This Rosso was ok the first day, but really really good on day 2 indicating it might need a few years, but decanting at the very least. Definitely reminded me of Brunellos I’ve enjoyed in the past. Very versatile food wine I suspect. Figure on paying $15-20.
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Next up is a French Chardonnay, Novellum (2017) from the area in SW France where the Pyrenees meet the Med. Very nice Chardonnay with little to no oak. Was very good with grilled fish. Would easily stand up to some kind of a cheese or cream sauce. Definitely reminded me of white Burgundy as opposed to California Chardonnay. Very reasonable at $12-15. The importer is European Cellars out of Charlotte; a very good importer whose name alone is usually enough for me to try a bottle. The owner of this firm, Eric Solomon, is actually involved in the production of the wine.
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The last of my new discoveries is a Pinot Noir from Oregon, Coelho (2019). This one was a little more expensive than I tend to go ($21-25), but was well worth it. Less earthy than some Pinots, but very fruity with cherry flavors being pre-eminent. I’ll definitely get more, but it may end up being saved for special meals. Fun fact: “Coelho” means “rabbit” in Portuguese, hence the line drawing on the label.
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And for the cautionary tale……
Prior to taking my son back to UF, I made bone in rib-eyes with mushrooms and onions and served an old Bordeaux: 1995 Chateau Lafon-Rochet from St. Estephe. I bought a case many years ago and have enjoyed it on many occasions. This particular bottle seemed to be drying out a bit as the tannic acid was still very present, but the fruit flavors had faded. The wines of St. Estephe are among the longest lived in Bordeaux and generally are a higher % of Cabernet, but this bottle made me wonder if I need to quickly drink up the last few bottles - a first world problem to be sure. This “predicament” again drives home the point that it is always better to drink a wine “too early” than “too late.” For those who might be saving a nice bottle for a special occasion, don’t wait too long! For those who might be interested, here’s the label.
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soflagator

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Three wines to recommend and a cautionary tale about long term cellaring.

The first is a Rosso di Montalcino from Renieri (2018). For those unfamiliar, Brunnello di Montalcino is one of the great reds of Italian wine and a personal favorite. It also starts at about $45 and goes up well over $100-200. Rosso, Brunello’s “little brother”, can often be almost as good and at a fraction of the price. The wines of Montalcino are made with Sangiovese, the same grape used to make Chianti, but with better results.
This Rosso was ok the first day, but really really good on day 2 indicating it might need a few years, but decanting at the very least. Definitely reminded me of Brunellos I’ve enjoyed in the past. Very versatile food wine I suspect. Figure on paying $15-20.
34727


And for the cautionary tale……
Prior to taking my son back to UF, I made bone in rib-eyes with mushrooms and onions and served an old Bordeaux: 1995 Chateau Lafon-Rochet from St. Estephe. I bought a case many years ago and have enjoyed it on many occasions. This particular bottle seemed to be drying out a bit as the tannic acid was still very present, but the fruit flavors had faded. The wines of St. Estephe are among the longest lived in Bordeaux and generally are a higher % of Cabernet, but this bottle made me wonder if I need to quickly drink up the last few bottles - a first world problem to be sure. This “predicament” again drives home the point that it is always better to drink a wine “too early” than “too late.” For those who might be saving a nice bottle for a special occasion, don’t wait too long! For those who might be interested, here’s the label.
34732

As a friend, the idea of you having bottles of Chateau Lafon-Rochet being wasted because you've waited to long is heartbreaking. Maybe more disturbing still is the mental picture of you sitting on your couch pounding bottle after bottle with your wife force-feeding you the next as you struggle(think Newman and Kramer in the Michigan bottles and cans scheme episode). So to help you out, I'm going to PM you my address and take a few of them off your hands.

Please. Don't mention it. The least I can do.
 

Gator By Marriage

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As a friend, the idea of you having bottles of Chateau Lafon-Rochet being wasted because you've waited to long is heartbreaking. Maybe more disturbing still is the mental picture of you sitting on your couch pounding bottle after bottle with your wife force-feeding you the next as you struggle(think Newman and Kramer in the Michigan bottles and cans scheme episode). So to help you out, I'm going to PM you my address and take a few of them off your hands.

Please. Don't mention it. The least I can do.
I guess I shouldn't mention some of the older ones......

I'm hopeful it was just that bottle. As a wise man once said: there are no great wines, only great bottles.
 

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Bump.

I’m always looking for good Italian wines as I find them exceptionally food friendly. Last night we had top sirloin from the egg, cut on the bias with left over Chichurri sauce. To drink with it we tried a couple of bottles of Chianti I had wanted to try. They are both excellent and in the $15 range, but I confess to liking the one from Tenato di Trecciano in the Colli Senesi region. Less tannic acid and a lot of good fruit. Both are red wines that will go with a broad range of foods from meat from the grill to pastas on tomato sauce. I’ll be buying more I suspect.

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